Peacock

The peacock is the most asked-for motif in South Indian bridal work, and the one where poor work is most obvious.

Why it is the hard one

A peacock has a head, a neck, a body and a tail, and each of them has to be a different density of work for the bird to read as a bird. Get that wrong and it becomes a patch of stone with an eye. The tail is what people look at, and a good tail has graded work with the fill loosening as it fans out, not a solid block.

Because it is difficult, a peacock is a fair way to judge somebody's hand work from a photograph before you commit anything to them.

Where it sits

One bird set off centre, with the tail sweeping down and across, suits a deep V or a sweetheart shape better than anything else, because the sweep of the tail agrees with the line the shape is already drawing. Two facing peacocks work on a round or square neck. On the back, one large bird with a hanging tassel below it is a classic for good reason.

Traditional, and not going anywhere

Fashions in blouse design move. This one does not, which is a reasonable argument for choosing it on a piece you want to wear more than once.