An Embellishment is anything that enhances the appearing of something without having any functional purpose. A good example of this would be racing stripes (aka go-faster stripes) on a car.

In sewing and crafts, an embellishment is anything that adds design interest to the piece.

Common examples of embellishment in sewing and crafts

• appliqué
• embroidery, done either by machine or by hand
• piping made from either self-fabric, contrast fabric, or a simply a cord.
• lace, either pre-made or home-made
• fringe (sewing)
• beads

Items that normal serve a function are also used as embellishment. For example

• buttons can be placed anywhere on the piece
• zippers can be unzipped and be used as piping, or simply stiched on
• buckles can be placed anywhere on the piece
• grommets can be placed anywhere even no cord is looped through them

See also

• Sewing
• Trim

Fashion | Sewing