The Little Black Dress (LBD) is such a classic piece of clothing that, at this point, it really doesn't even need to be said. This little piece of universal flattery, all wrapped up in one basic color, works on even the most uninspired female, in even the most complicated of dressing affairs.
Of course, going back through history, wearing black was not always a socially-accepted method of dress. Up until the early 1900's, wearing black was restricted to those in mourning. And when you were in mourning, you were really in mourning - and the only color you were allowed to wear was black, for at least a full year. After the required 12 months of black you could slowly progress through a medley of greys and then a few shades of purple, and then eventually, finally, reincorporate some color back into your life.
It wasn't until Coco Chanel came along that society really started to see some drastic changes in clothing - such as wearing sports wear for non-sporting occasions, tanning, and wearing black dresses when one wasn't in mourning. Additionally, two World Wars and the Great Depression - and the resulting shortage of materials, finances, and trained tailors and seamstresses needed to hand-create a person's wardrobe - further shifted the modern woman's wardrobe from the Daily Dictates of Old to the unique and personal blend of choices that it is today.
Today, some women (like Sarah Jessica Parker) even marry in black - a far cry from what would have been allowed just a mere 150 years ago. Offered in a variety of materials and cuts, today's LBD is all about personal taste and provides the average working-mother-professional-entrepreneur-chef-housemaid-CEO-party girl with the perfect, stable choice for almost any occasion.
I probably own at least six black dresses myself - in different materials and styles. How many do you have?
x
RH
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| Liv Tyler |
Of course, going back through history, wearing black was not always a socially-accepted method of dress. Up until the early 1900's, wearing black was restricted to those in mourning. And when you were in mourning, you were really in mourning - and the only color you were allowed to wear was black, for at least a full year. After the required 12 months of black you could slowly progress through a medley of greys and then a few shades of purple, and then eventually, finally, reincorporate some color back into your life.
 |
| Nina Ricci, Pre-Fall '12 |
It wasn't until Coco Chanel came along that society really started to see some drastic changes in clothing - such as wearing sports wear for non-sporting occasions, tanning, and wearing black dresses when one wasn't in mourning. Additionally, two World Wars and the Great Depression - and the resulting shortage of materials, finances, and trained tailors and seamstresses needed to hand-create a person's wardrobe - further shifted the modern woman's wardrobe from the Daily Dictates of Old to the unique and personal blend of choices that it is today.
Today, some women (like Sarah Jessica Parker) even marry in black - a far cry from what would have been allowed just a mere 150 years ago. Offered in a variety of materials and cuts, today's LBD is all about personal taste and provides the average working-mother-professional-entrepreneur-chef-housemaid-CEO-party girl with the perfect, stable choice for almost any occasion.
I probably own at least six black dresses myself - in different materials and styles. How many do you have?
x
RH
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