Noor-e-Banaras Zari Brocade Teal Silk Suit (T+B+D)

Is it ready to wear, or will I need a tailor?

You'll need a tailor. The set is sold as unstitched fabric: a top piece, a bottom piece and a dupatta. Unstitched means you choose the fit and style, a straight kurta or something with more flare, rather than adjusting a ready-made size that may not suit you.

How can I style it for a festive dinner?

Let the wide gold peacock border lead. Keep jewellery to gold jhumkas or a single choker, and choose gold or nude footwear. For an evening dinner, a sleek bun shows off the neckline, and the deep teal with gold needs little else to look dressed up.

What's the motif on the border?

Peacocks in pink and blue are woven among flowers into a very wide gold panel, set against the deep teal base. The rest of the fabric stays quiet, with only sparse small gold butis, so the border does all the talking. Keep it visible when you plan the cut.

Why does the fabric shine the way it does?

Lichi silk has a naturally lustrous finish, and the zari brocade adds more shine wherever the woven gold threads catch the light. That is what makes the fabric look rich without needing extra embellishment, so keep the stitching simple and let the weave show.

Any tips I should pass on to my tailor?

Three things help with brocade. Overlock or bind the seams, because woven patterns can fray once cut. Plan the layout so motifs sit centred on the front and upright on the sleeves. And keep the design simple, with few darts and seams, so the woven pattern isn't broken up.