Dramatic Decadence

Dramatic decadence at its finest - that's how I would describe this intricately embroidered cape by Pankaj & Nidhi. Fall's perfect power piece, the cape is a glamorous way to add some variety to your outerwear repertoire. 

Here's wishing all my lovely readers a joyful holiday season! Thank you for visiting.

Quietly Resplendent

I love designs that marry Indian aesthetics with western silhouettes, while doing full justice to both. Case in point, this gorgeous wool shift dress by Rahul Mishra. The time-honored craft of wool embroidery is juxtaposed against the effortless elegance of an impeccably tailored shift dress. And the result? A fresh new take on the classic Little Black Dress. Not an iota of bling, and yet this dress lights up the room, and how! Quietly resplendent, indeed. Just like the spirit of tradition behind its craftsmanship. 

Have an amazing week ahead, and as always, thank you for visiting.

Where the Wild Things are!

Accenting with animal print today. Animal prints have always been a timeless classic, and with good reason: Heaven is in the details. :) 

I hope you are having a great week! Thank you for visiting.

Right Bank Chic

Hey girls, Happy Friday! Just a quick hello and a quick post today on the perennially chic black and white palette. Add a pop of red and you have yourself a look that's instantly smart and sophisticated, with a side of French fabulousness! Yes, please!

Have a great weekend.

Autumn Palette #2: Bordeaux & Beige

When the temperatures begin to drop, happiness is an exquisite jacket! This stunner from Pankaj & Nidhi is a true hero piece. Gorgeous, functional, and timeless. Checks all the right boxes, if you ask me. I especially love how well it works with deep bordeaux, the perfect autumnal hue, making it an autumn statement piece for me. This jacket can also transform a simple LBD from understated to decidedly glamorous, any time of the year. It's not often that you find a statement piece that effortlessly defines the season, and yet has real staying power throughout the year - which makes this one a winner. 

Have a great weekend girls and as always, thank you for visiting!

Dressing Up Simple Basics

It does not get more basic than a crisp white button-down paired with denim, does it? This is also a very versatile look that can easily be dressed up or down. I've dressed it up here with accessories that pack a professional punch - a pair of heels and a structured tote that also adds that beautiful pop of color against the white. And voilà, you have a look that is minimalist and chic, AND so easy to put together for those crazy mornings. What more could a busy woman ask for? 

I hope you are having a fabulous week!

Autumn Palette #1: Emerald & Black

Bring on the cozy knits, the deep earthy colors, and the turning leaves. I am ready for autumn. :)

Have a great weekend!

Quintessentially September!

A hint of summery brights, a dash of autumnal red, and a whole lot of whimsy is just what September ordered! :)

Have an amazing weekend!

Prints Charming - Part Deux!

There is something impossibly chic about wearing black in the summer. It has that "je ne sais quoi" factor that Parisian women are famous for. Plus, black is the perfect foil for showcasing this season's gorgeous printed jackets. Adding black to the mix is a more modern take on florals in a pretty-meets-powerful way. 

Speaking of jackets, autumn is just around the corner, and if you have been following my blog for a while, you know that it is my favorite time of the year. The sartorial possibilities of autumn are as alluring as its apple-crisp air and turning leaves. I can't wait to share with you some of my favorite looks and color palettes for autumn. Stay tuned!

Have a great weekend!

Prints Charming!

Out and about with my Prints Charming today! Paired with a playful (read colorful) yet sharp clutch and sleek pumps, a fab printed sheath dress like this one would make a very chic ensemble for your summer soirées. I wore this dress to my birthday brunch and paired it with a fuchsia clutch that picks up on the vibrant colors of the dress, and yet is sleek enough to let the gorgeous print of the dress do all the talking. You don't want too many competing elements in a look.

I love how this dress marries a busy print with sharp tailoring for an end result that is very polished with a dash of summery nonchalance! The slightly below-the-knee length of this dress makes it office-appropriate as well. Just add a structured tote for work, and you are good to go. Don't we all love wardrobe elements that multi-task? 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Borrowing from the Boys!

Oversized pieces are a trend that is here is to stay. It's also a trend that's relatively harder to style. I mean, slouchy can be good, but sloppy? Not so much. And with oversized pieces, it's a fine line between the two. I think one of the chicest ways to incorporate the oversized trend into your wardrobe is to start with silhouettes that still have some structure to them - like this cocoon coat for example, which has a silhouette that tapers from the hip, adding some definition. Paying attention to proportions is also key when playing with extra material. Make sure you balance the volume at the top with structure at the bottom or vice versa. And keep the accessories sharp and neutral to balance the drama and ground the look beautifully. I hope these tips will help those of you considering the oversized trend.

Here's to borrowing from the boys, and wearing it like a lady.

Have a great weekend!

A Shot of Sunshine!

From delicate pastels to vibrant zesty hues, bright skies make the perfect foil for injecting color into your wardrobe. I especially love the pairing of cheery yellow with cobalt blue - an unexpected, but oh-so-stunning pairing, if you ask me. Technically, yellow and blue shouldn't work together because they are primary colors, but they do, and how! 

I love coloring outside the lines, call me Joseph the dreamer!

Don't be hesitant to play with your favorite bright hues this summer. 

Have a great weekend.

Vintage Grace

Fashions fade, style is eternal. This is the quote that comes to mind when I think about Shalini James's Mantra. Her designs are never in your face, but quite capable of leaving a spring in your step and a song on your heart. Mantra's latest collection, Vintage Grace, is no exception. Quietly glamorous is how I would describe this collection, with its exquisite tone-on-tone lace on delicate shades of Oyster White, Dove Grey, Cafe Latte, and Seaside Sand, and the ever so subtle sparkle. 

I'm wearing the Seaside Sand color which lends itself beautifully to accenting and accessorizing. In this outing, I chose to accessorize it with a pair of statement earrings and a burnt orange clutch. I did not want the pop of color to be too strong that it takes away from the ethereal feel of the anarkali, and burnt orange, while adding that beautiful pop, still stays within the earthy color palette. 

The Vintage Grace anarkali with Mantra's signature impeccable tailoring, exquisite details, and polished aesthetic is definitely one of my favorites and I plan to take it out for another spin soon - perhaps paired with a deep chocolate-y brown clutch. Crème caramel, anyone? The possibilities are endless. Do stop by the Mantra boutique if you are in Cochin, and I'm sure you will find something you love. 

Have a beautiful rest of the week!

PS: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Fashion Meets Art

Keeping it short and sweet today, and letting the necklace do all the talking. After all, it's not called a statement piece for nothing.

Have a great weekend!

Put a Bow on It. Or Two.

If you have been following my blog for a while now, you'll know that I tend to favor structured silhouettes and sleek shapes that are more often than not punctuated with an unexpected detail, such as a pop of color or a hint of sparkle. This coat checks all the right boxes for me: Clean lines, sleek modern tailoring, and a classic timeless color - all wrapped up with a pretty little bow. It is the beautifully executed, subtle but stand-out details like this one that make an outfit worth writing home about. Or, as I'd like to say, Heaven is in the details. Not just when it comes to my outfits, but in the orchestration of the tapestry of my life. 

Thank you for visiting, and have a wonderful weekend!

Black is the New Black

The Pantone color of the year for 2014 may be Radiant Orchid (which I love btw), but black-on-black is an eternally chic color palette that's here to stay. All-black ensembles when done right exude a quiet sense of refinement and have a sharp aesthetic that never goes out of style. I typically add some texture to my all-black outfits to keep the look from being too, well, black. In this look the texture comes via the shoulder detail and the clutch, both in steel gray to stay within the monochromatic chic territory.

Have a great weekend!

No Shrinking Violet

What does one need to fight frostbite in style, you ask? A good dose of old-school grit and glamour, I would say! 

Old-school grit that makes you keep your chin up no matter what comes at you, and old-school glamour by way of timeless fur to add a ton of warmth, and some color to the dreary landscape while you are at it. 

Here's to being front-row fabulous, come sun, rain, or freezing temperatures! 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

One Happy Canary!

Hey everyone, Happy Friday! Today's post is about this cheery yellow anarkali that I picked up from a very chic and fairly new boutique called Label'M, situated in the heart of my beloved Cochin. Okay, so it is not located quite on M.G. Road, but hey, we have a big heart! :) So there I was in Kerala on a whirlwind vacation, with three different events (weddings/betrothal) to attend within a span of one week, and a VERY active toddler on my hands which makes wearing and managing a saree quite a challenge, at least for me. Hats off to our moms who breezed through it all while rocking some seriously heavy Kanchipurams! So I decided to visit this new boutique that, from what I'd heard, had a good collection of elegant party-wear. 

I was hoping to find some salwar suits/anarkalis that didn't look like a Christmas tree, which was what the offerings in some of the major traditional stores in the city reminded me of. Don't get me wrong, I love the traditional stores in Cochin - for pure silk sarees. And I love a good ol' Christmas tree, I just don't want to look like one! As I'd hoped for, I did find quite a few pieces at Label'M that I absolutely loved! Their collection had just the right amount and kind of embellishment (think crochet and lace) for my preference, and more often that not, the rich and solid color palettes themselves that they chose provided all the opulence you need in party-wear. Case in point, this beautiful canary yellow anarkali with antique gold detailing, that I styled with a black and gold clutch and beige pumps and wore to a wedding in the family. 

I also had a great experience getting my selections altered by them for a custom fit. In fact, Reshma, one of Label'M's designer/owner duo, offered to collect and hold my altered item at her home so I could pick it up the next day even though the workshop would be closed because it was a Sunday. That saved me a day and several hours of additional travel. Needless to say, at the end of it all, between the exquisite design and the warm customer service, I was one happy camper...er, canary! 

Have a cheery weekend, y'all!

Daytime Glamour

Hello everyone, first off, a very happy new year to all of you! I'd been on vacation (although the annual trip to India to visit family is quite the full calendar, unlike what vacation days are usually conjured up to be. I wouldn't trade this hustle and bustle for anything though!), and hence the lack of posts. I hope you had an amazing holiday season and are rested and ready to take on the new year. Here's to new beginnings and great dreams realized.

Today's post is about making after-dark details work for day. This floor-length gown in champagne lace and sequins was what I wore to my daughter's christening last month. The key to making after-dark details such as shimmering sequins work for the day is to stick to classic tailoring and muted colors and to keep the jewelry bling factor to a minimum. I finished this look with sleek pulled-back hair, a pair of solitaires, and a fuchsia clutch for that pop of color against the soft champagne.

Have a wonderful week ahead, and stay tuned for more posts from my vacation engagements!