Little black dress

A little black dress from 1964 worn by Anneke Grönloh at Eurovision 1964

The little black dress (LBD) is a black evening or cocktail dress, cut simply and often quite short. Fashion historians ascribe the origins of the little black dress to the 1920s designs of Coco Chanel.[1] It is intended to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, and widely accessible. Its ubiquity is such that it is often simply referred to as the "LBD".[2][3][4]

The little black dress is considered essential to a complete wardrobe. Many fashion observers state that every woman should own a simple, elegant black dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. For example, the LBD can be worn with a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear. It can also be worn with ornate jewelry and accessories for evening wear or a formal event such as a wedding or ball.

  1. ^ Steele, Valerie (1988). Paris Fashion: A Cultural History. Oxford University Press. pp. 246–248. ISBN 0-19-504465-7.
  2. ^ styledotcom (2010-08-19). "The LBD Gets Official". Style.com. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  3. ^ "Katy Perry looks stunning in slinky LBD". Mirror.co.uk. 2010-04-15. Retrieved 2013-07-13.
  4. ^ "Women's History Month kicks off in 'Little Black Dress' style", Northern Illinois University Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine