Does this saree have a contrast pallu?
Yes. The bright red body is paired with a wide bottle-green and silver floral brocade pallu and hem, and the pallu ends in tassels. The green pallu falls over the shoulder and the green border runs along the pleats, so red and green alternate clearly through the drape.
What blouse goes with red and bottle green?
A green blouse ties into the border and pallu for a coordinated look. The attached matching blouse is the other easy option. A gold blouse makes it more festive, and gold jewellery suits both colours.
Can this saree go from office to a festive evening?
Yes. It works first as a workwear saree, with the red and green pairing looking confident at the office. It also suits evening dinners, festive gatherings, temple visits and brunches with friends. The silk linen is soft and breathable, so it stays comfortable through a long day.
What is the total length?
It measures 6.3 to 6.4 metres, including the attached blouse piece. Once the blouse is cut off, you have a comfortable length for a regular drape with full pleats and a pallu that falls well, with enough left over to wear the brocade pallu open over the shoulder so the woven border shows along the pleats.
Where is it woven?
In our Bhagalpur hub. The Banarasi name describes the style of brocade weaving rather than the city where this piece was made, so you get Banarasi-style motifs on Bhagalpur silk linen, with the colour hand dyed.
How can I tell handloom from power loom?
Look closely at the weave. As a handcrafted piece, it can show minor irregularities, such as a slight variation in spacing or a motif repeat that is not mechanically perfect. These are the uniqueness of handloom work rather than flaws, and they make each saree its own.
Why might the shade differ slightly between sarees?
Because the colour is hand dyed. Small changes in dye batch and timing give each piece a slightly different depth of shade, and screens show colours differently too. The variation is small, and it is part of what makes a hand-dyed saree its own.