SOLVED. SciFi (I think) book about a very rare cloth that could change colour and was almost sentinent? I think? [s]

[Athena]

I hope I did this right, sorry. I believe I read this book in the late 90s, and it wasn't very long. It was a story that included space travel, and everyone was searching for this one material that could adapt and change colours. I don't think the material was sentinent, per se, but it could bond to people? And immediately adapt to what would make them look best? Therefore, it was very rare and very expensive. The main character had black hair and a problematic relationship with her mother, and ended up falling in love with a man who was one of the main providers of this material, I believe?

I remember two scenes. One, in the middle, where the woman is laying in bed, covered in material, and it had gone a deep green to perfectly complement her dark hair, and then at the very end, she and her love interest meet up with her mother at a party. The main character is wearing this expensive material, while her mother is wearing a knockoff. And her mother is full of rage because she's always been jealous of her daughter's looks, if I recall correctly, and next to the main character, her outfit just looked beige, rather than whatever the effect she was looking for.

Is this ringing a bell for anyone?

Thank you in advance!

SOLVED. The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey. WHEW that has been bothering me for awhile. :)

[SBC]

The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey?

[Sue]

Yup. The mother was wearing an outfit of very expensive shells, dyed gold.

[Athena]

SBC wrote: "The Coelura by Anne McCaffrey?"

YES. THANK YOU. ....How do I move this to solved? >.>

[Athena]

Figured it out. Thank you guys again!