Tone-on-Tone

Hey everyone, I hope you had a good week! Today's post celebrates the colors and joys of autumn. One of my all-time favorite authors, George Eliot, writes: "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." I have to agree. Autumn, with its beautiful days of crisp perfection where every leaf becomes a flaming flower against the blue-bird skies, sure has a way of making you fall in love with it.

Fall's perfect power piece is of course a sleek coat. Inspired by the season's rich color palette, this perennially chic wardrobe staple gets an update in glorious Fuchsia here. Team with a sheath dress and a clutch from the same color family for tone-on-tone glamour.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Coral Crush

Nothing like a structured coat in an unexpected color to brighten up your cold-weather repertoire. Add sleek separates (think pencil skirts and feminine blouses) in refined neutral tones to make the topper the focal point of your outfit. 

Hope your weekend's turning out to be peachy!

The Modern Classics

Whether your calendar for the day reads Breakfast at Tiffany's or Business Process Re-architecting, a little black dress with layered pearls lets you get the job done with élan. This look is the perfect balance between pared-down chic and statement style - exactly how I like it.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and thank you so much for reading!

A Study in Color

Hey everyone, I hope you had a great weekend.

Today's post is about a quintessential fall color - Red. It isn't autumn yet in my neck of the woods (pun unintended), but the sunlight sure dims golden a wee bit earlier each day, and there is an ever so subtle nip in the air. Hot cocoa weather will be here before you know it, and I for one am glad. If you've been following my posts, you'll know that autumn is my absolute favorite season - its visual and sartorial allure is unparalleled. The rich earthy color palette of autumn lends itself so magnificently to accessorizing and playing with textures. Case in point, today's outfit. Perfect for beautiful autumn evenings, the kind that's laced with the faint scent of apple cider within and a soft rain without.

Have an amazing week ahead!

An Ode to the Little Black Dress

Hello everyone! A quick post today on the Little Black Dress. As they say, one is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a little black dress. Add a little pizzazz of your own by throwing on a statement accessory, or just add a smile, and you're good to go. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Classics, Neutrals, and a Dash of Arm Glam

Happy Friday everyone! Today's post is about one of my favorite wardrobe staples - the classic white button-down shirt. No two ways about it, this is one piece of clothing that lends itself the most beautifully to accessorizing, perhaps more so than the little black dress. 

And my accessory of choice for today? These intricate bead-work cuffs in oxidized silver that I picked up from an artisan store in my hometown on one of my India trips. Oxidized silver works great with white because the tarnished look just pops in a very stunning way against pristine white. Plus, what better way to showcase the clean silhouette of your button-down than by juxtaposing it with some texture? This particular look is what I'd mentioned when I first introduced these cuffs on this blog. I stack about four of these with my workhorse white shirt and keep everything else super minimal. Instant chic!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Day to Night

Hi everyone! Here's the Day-to-Night post as promised. The day look is perfect for a busy day at work (meetings galore, anyone?) or a morning of errands around town. For the night look, I switched out the large tote for a clutch and the scarf for a statement necklace, and voilà, you have yourself a look that'll take you straight from the boardroom to a dinner date. 

And for my readers from India, here's a tip. Don't save up your heavy-duty ethnic necklaces just for formal events like a wedding in the family - pairing them with a sleek dress or a shirt is a great way to glam up your whole outfit. I call it the "Parisian glam meets Indian charm" effect. :)

The day look was featured in Hidesign's Street Style album here. I love structured bags for daytime and this one by Hidesign is gorgeous and functional at the same time. And that, in my books, is a win-win.

Have a great weekend! 

Weekend Inspiration

The recipe for a glorious weekend? A lot of books, a bit of bling. 

Have a great one, folks!

PS: The backdrop is the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland, as depicted in the book "The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World" - a treasured gift from my darling little sis, and an exquisite addition to my home library.

Mother's Day Giveaway: Silk Clutch with Brocade Detail

Ladies & Gentlemen, in honor of Mother's Day (which is extra special for me this year because it's my first), LBD is hosting its first giveaway! Read on for the full scoop.

WHAT: This gorgeous teal jute silk clutch with brocade detail that was hand-picked by moi during my last trip to India. The clutch is brand new, and the dimensions are 9.5 inches x 4 inches.

HOW: All you need to do is to leave a comment on this post on my blog's facebook page, stating you would like to participate, and share the one thing that you love the most about your mom. One winner will be randomly selected out of all participants.

WHO: This giveaway is open to everyone, not just to my readers, nor just to mommy readers. Gentlemen are welcome to participate too, and surprise the lovely lady in your life with this beautiful gift!

WHEN: The winner will be randomly selected next Sunday, May 19th. The giveaway will be open from now until 11:59 p.m. EDT next Saturday, May 18th.

So go ahead, take a moment to celebrate the wonderful moms in your lives, and hopefully win an arm-candy in the process!

And a very Happy Mother's Day to all my readers who are mommies!

Spring is in the Air!

A quick post today, to wish all my lovely readers the promises of spring. Here's to new beginnings and familiar joys! 

I've always felt that new beginnings become all the more sweet and exciting in the context of familiar joys as an anchor. Watching my little girl's response to new discoveries (even something as simple as the crumpling sound a piece of paper makes) change from squeals of joy when she is safely anchored in my lap, into tears of anxiety when my, or her dad's, comforting presence is removed, reminds me of this all too well. And so today, here's LBD wishing all of you the comfort of familiar joys that grow sweeter with each new beginning in your lives! 

Thank you for visiting, and have a wonderful weekend!

Purple, Tweed, and an Adieu

As much as I love the thought of late afternoon walks to the local ice-cream stand, or of not being greeted by a freezing northwester every morning as I step out for work, there is a part of me that misses cold weather, especially autumn - and colors that are quintessentially autumn. Burnt orange, burgundy, mustard, mossy green, deep purple - colors that hint at a dark sophistication and a oneness with nature. The purple dress in this post is one of my absolute favorite autumnal shades, and I wanted to take it out for one more quick spin before we said farewell to the last of the chilly days. Paired with a light tweed jacket (another autumn staple), this look is reminiscent of those deliciously crisp fall days that sing of apples, plums, and warm, cinnamon-spiced cider in one flamingly romantic ballad. 

Now if the SS13 runways are any indication, dark hues are here to stay. It'll be a summer after my own heart, after all. 

Have a great weekend, everyone. Thank you for visiting!

Color Me Cobalt Blue

Hey everyone, hope you are rested and ready for the week ahead. It's going to be a busy week for me - 6 a.m. conference calls and an all-day meeting at work, Katie's six month appointment (I always have to turn my head the other way when they jab her with those humongous - ok, appropriately sized - needles), and getting ready for Easter. My little sis is visiting later this week, and I'm so looking forward to it! Sisters are the best, aren't they?

Thank you for visiting!

Sun-drenched Summer Days

Charles Dickens had it right - "It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." 

So we may still be waking up to frost and snow, and those sun-drenched summer days and balmy nights may not be here quite yet, but that should not prevent you from getting a head start on warm weather style by playing with summer's chicest shade, should it? Turquoise - the color that reminds you of the mesmerizing blue-green hue of the Caribbean waters and long summer afternoons spent doing nothing but lazing on the beach with a good book. 

Great Expectations, huh? :)

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

Monday Inspiration: Espresso, Anyone?

When your basic brown bag becomes your morning pick-me-up. Love when that happens.

Happy Monday everyone, have a wonderful week ahead!

Weekend Inspiration

Baroque splendor or modern minimalism? Who says you have to choose? :)

Saturday evening, with that first hint of spring in the air. P and I were driving back home from a busy afternoon out, and he wanted to stop by Starbucks for a quick coffee run. He usually chooses the drive-through, but this time he wanted to take a few minutes and sit down with a cup of coffee. I was only happy to oblige, given that I love the Starbucks décor. Their coffee? Umm, not so much. I've always been a 'Nescafé-sweetened-with-mom's-love' kinda girl. So anyway, we walk in, and of course my eyes dart to the shelves they usually stack with the pretty coffee mugs and cups for sale. And what do I see? These gold-dipped beauties. Can you say love at first sip? An ode to baroque splendor and a nod to modern minimalism. Exactly how I like it. P is still amused at how a coffee mug could have me smiling in the car all the way back home! I'm so looking forward to enjoying my gold-dipped cup of coffee after work. Now if only spring would hurry up and get here, and it'd be the perfect evening. 

Starbucks still has a few of these lovelies left. Get 'em while you can, if you're interested.

Have a great week ahead!