Silk Charmeuse
blouses, slip dresses, lingerie, linings, scarves
Charmeuse is a satin-weave silk, floats of warp thread carried over multiple weft picks, which puts most of the fiber's natural shine on the face of the cloth. The back is duller and slightly ribbed by comparison. Weight is usually given in momme (a silk-specific unit), and charmeuse typically runs 12 to 30 momme, light enough to drape rather than hold shape.
The satin float structure is what makes it slippery to sew: it shifts under the presser foot, frays at cut edges, and shows every pin mark and needle hole. It drapes close to the body and catches light in a way plain-weave silks don't, which is the whole appeal for eveningwear. It has almost no engineered stretch, but bias-cut charmeuse skims and clings because the weave has more give on the diagonal.
Charmeuse is built for slip dresses, draped blouses, lingerie, and linings where a smooth hand against skin matters. It is not a beginner fabric: a walking foot, fine needles, French seams, and a lot of patience with pins go a long way. Polyester charmeuse handles more forgivingly and is a common substitute for practice or lining work.