NBD is the Los Angeles label for nights worth getting dressed for, part of the Alliance Apparel family Raissa Gerona and Mitch Moseley built downtown. I like it for the dresses, and this edit adds the skirts, tops and one-pieces I would wear around them.
NBD Dresses: The Best Pieces Right Now
The Los Angeles story behind NBD
I will say it plainly: I am drawn to labels that know exactly what a Saturday night looks like, and NBD does. To understand it, I start with Alliance Apparel, the downtown Los Angeles company that brought it together with Lovers + Friends and Tularosa, and that Raissa Gerona and Mitch Moseley co-founded.
Gerona's route into the business was not a straight line. She sold vintage and reworked clothing, then started Brigid Catiis, named for her grandmother. When that label closed during the recession, Michael Mente approached her about building another apparel business, with Gerona handling design, sales and marketing.
I read NBD as the label with its eye on the night out, moving between short dresses, long gowns, skirts, tops and one-piece looks. That mix matters to me. The point is to find the right amount of drama for the actual invitation, then leave the outfit room to feel like your own. I went deeper on a related idea in AREA Tops & Dresses: The Best Pieces Right Now.
Dresses for the nights worth planning
Dresses are where the after-dark reputation makes the most sense. The Imari Mini Dress and Aurora Mini Dress suit shorter party plans, while the Zohar Maxi Dress and Yahaira Maxi Dress stretch into longer evenings. For full length, the Amira Gown and The Mohini Gown are the occasion choices, and the Jenni Blazer Mini Dress shifts the shape toward a jacket-like outline. The Veronica Jumpsuit Gown is the clever exception.
Picture her arriving at a rooftop birthday in a mini, then switching to the Jake Gown when the invitation asks for black tie. The Remi, Nicolette and Isabelle Mini Dresses fill out the shorter end. What I would skip: a gown if you know you will spend the night dancing in a tight room. Choose one strong proportion and go easy on the accessories.
Skirts that give the outfit another route
The skirts make NBD feel less like a one-dress label. The X Hannah Lizzy Indrani Midi Skirt, Niya Midi Skirt and Roshini Midi Skirt give you a mid-length place to start, and the Asta Maxi Skirt and Anjali Maxi Skirt bring a longer line. The Zenni Skirt and Rudy Skirt are the shorter, simpler options.
The Parveen Skort is the clever pick when the evening has more walking than standing still. Picture her going from dinner to a late-night cab in the skort and a simple close-fitting top. I would build the outfit around the skirt's length and keep the top visually quiet.
Tops with a little after-dark energy
The tops are a useful counterpoint to all those event dresses. The Asta Top and Lalita Top can anchor a skirt without asking the outfit to do too much, and the X Hannah Lizzy Indrani Cami Top is a lighter going-out layer. The Mira Sheer Bodysuit is the one I would think hardest about, since sheer means the underlayer matters. The Elaine Bodysuit and Malini Bodysuit are fitted bases, and the Tasnim Vest is the more structured direction.
In my fashion dreams, she walks into a small downtown bar in the Niya Top with a longer skirt and an open jacket. What I would skip: a bodysuit if you dislike fussing with fit at the shoulders or waist.
One-piece dressing, from romper to catsuit
Jumpsuits and rompers are NBD's shortcut when a dress feels too predictable. The Ravee Romper and The Jarrah Romper are compact one-piece choices, while the Rukmini Capri Jumpsuit trades the short hem for cropped legs. The Mayaan Catsuit is the most committed shape here, so I would only pick it when the venue and the shoes make sense.
The upside is getting dressed in one decision. The tradeoff is that the fit has to work from shoulder to hip with nothing separate to adjust. For a relaxed dinner party, I would pair the Ravee Romper with low-profile shoes and keep a layer close for the ride home.
NBD is for a calendar with plans
NBD is strongest when it gives an event a clear point of view without turning getting dressed into a project. I like a mini for a birthday, a gown when the invitation truly calls for it, and separates when I want a look I can reshape with what is already in my closet.
The collection leans bold, so the best pick is not always the most decorated one. I would choose the silhouette I will wear on more than one kind of night and let the rest of the outfit stay calm. Although I know exactly which gown I would break that rule for.
