Yes it’s another lesson in fashion vocabulary.It is nearly impossible nowadays to peruse fashion boutiques and shoe stores without finding an item that has ruching (roo-shing), which is a French term which means to gather, ruffle or pleat. What makes ruching unique unlike normal gathering or pleating, is that it can be anything from floral embellishments to extreme direction changes in the way a garment drapes. Regular gathering is something that is more often found at the shoulder of sleeves or attached to the waistbands of skirts and dresses. Ruching can add volume to the frail or boyish figure and can also visually take pounds off the fuller figure depending on how and where it is placed. The more intricate ruching is often found in evening wear and bridal gowns and carries a hefty price tag because of the labor intensive design work. Here are some different examples of ruching and you probably have many more in your own closet!