Pra had an important brunch date with work colleagues and Arpi helped her get dressed. Arpi picked this beautiful pale blush colored dress in brocade fabric . The floral pattern on the fabric is in silver threads and looks quintessentially brocade. This is a simple sleeveless pouf dress featuring side seam pockets, and wide spaced accordion pleats falling in opposite directions that create a mock box pleat at the front center of the skirt.

She tried the look in two different combination of pumps.
She first paired the dress with royal blue colored pumps and threw a cropped denim jacket to keep the feel casual for out of office work brunch.

She then tried the look with bicolored black & white pumps that complimented her necklace.
Arpi did not want to match the accessories to the dress color to avoid a wash-out effect. The dress has a subtle shine to it and is light colored so accessories in solid contrasting colors will accentuate it.

Did you know that ‘brocade‘ stems from the same Italian root word, broccato, as broccoli? Interesting, haan! Broccato means embossed. Basically it indicates that the brocade fabric feels like the top of a broccoli floret to touch.
Brocade fabrics originally were hand-woven in colored silk with patterns usually in silver or gold thread. Dating back to ancient China where silk originated from, needless to say it was meant for royalty and favored among the hoity-toity bunches since the middle ages in Asia & Europe.
A more interesting related anecdote is from the time when jacquard looms were introduced to make brocades and other similar fabrics like damask & tapestry. Sometime during the 1700s, the jacquard loom was invented, which not only revolutionized the textile industry, but also gave way to the computer system in later years!! Read more on the father of modern computer, Babbage here and first computer programmer Ada Lovelace (yes a woman!) here. Both of who were inspired by the jacquard loom, which ran on cards with punched holes.

Of course, in modern times, brocades are no more reserved for royalty and very much accessible to the masses and Pra loves her piece of royalty!

Look 1:
Brocade dress: NY & Company
Cropped denim jacket: local vendor, India
Necklace: JCrew
Crystal earring: India
Crystal bracelet : Ann Taylor
Suede Blue pumps: Kelly Katie, DSW

Look 2:
Brocade dress: NY & Company
Necklace: JCrew
Crystal earrings: local vendor, India
Crystal bracelet: Ann Taylor
Color block pumps: Kelly Katie, DSW

Styling & Photography: Arpita