Texture combinations

Combining textures creates contrast and layered sensory meaning. Use juxtaposition to add complexity to scenes.

Techniques

• Contrast: pair smooth with rough (silk trim on a wool coat) to highlight difference and draw attention to the area of contrast.
• Echo: repeat a texture across elements (lace on dress and gloves) to create cohesion and emphasise femininity or ritual.
• Temperature + texture: cool silk with warm skin increases erotic tension; a scratchy fabric can signal discomfort.

Writing tips

• Pick one dominant texture and use others as modifiers rather than cluttering a sentence with too many tactile words.
• Use texture to reveal action: describe how fabrics respond to motion (cling, ripple, whisper) rather than static adjectives alone.

Links

• Texture
• Sensory detail