diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index efe7668..73864db 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub mod index;
 mod math;
 mod ops;
 
+mod swizzle;
 mod util;
 
 /** A 2D array of values which can be operated upon.
@@ -522,9 +523,11 @@ impl<T: Copy, const M: usize, const N: usize> Matrix<T, M, N> {
 
     # Arguments
 
-    * `ms`: a [`Vector`] of [`usize`] of length M. Each entry is the index of the row that will
+    * `ms`: a [`Vector`] of [`usize`] of length P. Each entry is the index of the row that will
     appear in the result
 
+    Returns: a P×N matrix
+
     # Panics
 
     Panics if any of the row indices in `ms` is out of bounds
@@ -543,29 +546,31 @@ impl<T: Copy, const M: usize, const N: usize> Matrix<T, M, N> {
                                       [7, 8, 9]]))
     ``` */
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn permute_rows(&self, ms: &Vector<usize, M>) -> Self
+    pub fn permute_rows<const P: usize>(&self, ms: &Vector<usize, P>) -> Matrix<T, P, N>
     where
         T: Default,
     {
-        Self::from_rows(ms.elements().map(|&m| self.row(m)))
+        Matrix::<T, P, N>::from_rows(ms.elements().map(|&m| self.row(m)))
     }
 
     /** Apply a permutation matrix to the columns of a matrix
 
     # Arguments
 
-    * `ns`: a [`Vector`] of [`usize`] of length N. Each entry is the index of the column that will
+    * `ns`: a [`Vector`] of [`usize`] of length P. Each entry is the index of the column that will
     appear in the result
 
+    Returns: a P×N matrix
+
     # Panics
 
     Panics if any of the column indices in `ns` is out of bounds */
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn permute_cols(&self, ns: &Vector<usize, N>) -> Self
+    pub fn permute_cols<const P: usize>(&self, ns: &Vector<usize, P>) -> Matrix<T, M, P>
     where
         T: Default,
     {
-        Self::from_cols(ns.elements().map(|&n| self.col(n)))
+        Matrix::<T, M, P>::from_cols(ns.elements().map(|&n| self.col(n)))
     }
 
     /** Returns the transpose $M^T$ of the matrix, or the matrix flipped across its diagonal.
diff --git a/src/swizzle.rs b/src/swizzle.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa7f580
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/swizzle.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/** Rearrange the rows of a matrix by the given row identifiers
+# Arguments
+
+* `mat`: the matrix to manipulate
+* `i...`: variadic comma-seperated list of row selectors. The row selectors are each one of:
+    * const expression representing the row index of the input to copy. eg: `0` or `2`
+    * a letter representing the same. you can use `r,g,b,a` or `x,y,z,w` to represent index 0 through 3,
+      or `u,v` to represent indices 0 through 1.
+    * an expression in curly braces, representing a value to be copied to an entire row of
+      the result, eg: `{1.0}` or `{5}`
+
+  note that the number of selectors doesnt need to match the height of the input!
+
+# Examples
+```
+# use vector_victor::{swizzle, Vector};
+let myvec = Vector::vec([0, 1, 2, 3]);
+
+// each element can be selected with:
+// 0: r, x, u, or 0
+// 1: g, y, v, or 1
+// 2: b, z, or 2
+// 3: a, w, or 3
+// or a result row can be filled by a new value
+
+assert_eq!(swizzle!(myvec, a, z, v, 0, {7}), Vector::vec([3, 2, 1, 0, 7]));
+```
+
+More often you wont mix and match selector "flavors".
+This example unpacks a [DXT5nm](http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Normal_Map_Compression) color
+into the red and green channels, with blue filled with 0.
+```
+# use vector_victor::{swizzle, Vector};
+let myvec = Vector::vec([0, 120, 0, 255]);
+assert_eq!(swizzle!(myvec, a, g, {0}), Vector::vec([255, 120, 0]));
+``` */
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! swizzle {
+    ($mat: expr, $( $i:tt),+) => {{
+        let mut result = $mat.permute_rows(&$crate::Vector::vec([$( $crate::get!($mat, $i), )+]));
+        let mut _p = 0usize;
+        $(
+            $crate::sub_literal!(result, _p, $i);
+            _p += 1;
+        )+
+        result
+    }};
+}
+
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! get {
+    ($mat:expr, x) => {
+        0usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, y) => {
+        1usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, z) => {
+        2usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, w) => {
+        3usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, r) => {
+        0usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, g) => {
+        1usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, b) => {
+        2usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, a) => {
+        3usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, u) => {
+        0usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, v) => {
+        1usize
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, {$i:expr}) => {
+        0usize /* will be replaced later */
+    };
+    ($mat:expr, $i:expr) => {
+        $i
+    };
+}
+
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! sub_literal {
+    ($result:expr, $p:expr, {$i:expr}) => {
+        $result.set_row($p, &$crate::Vector::fill($i))
+    };
+    ($result:expr, $p:expr, $i:expr) => {};
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use crate::Matrix;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_swizzle() {
+        let identity = Matrix::<i32, 4, 4>::identity();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            swizzle!(identity, a, x, b, (1 + 0), { 2 - 3 }),
+            Matrix::mat([
+                [0, 0, 0, 1],     // a
+                [1, 0, 0, 0],     // x
+                [0, 0, 1, 0],     // b
+                [0, 1, 0, 0],     // row 1
+                [-1, -1, -1, -1]  // fill(-1)
+            ])
+        );
+    }
+}