An embroidered ribbon, silk, England, c. 1700.
Courtesy Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK, acc. no. T.378-1976.
A ribbon is a narrow, flat and flexible woven band that may range in appearance from simple and monochrome to being decorated with multi-coloured and repetitive (embroidered or woven) patterns. Ribbons may also be made out of velvet, satin or some other complex weave. They are usually between 0.3 and 10 cm in width.
Ribbons are often used for tying or decorating another object, such as someone's hair or a box, or sewn down to a garment, accessory or furnishing, in the form of an edging or trimming.
See also: braids, cords and ribbons.
V&A online catalogue (retrieved 22nd June 2016).
GVE