Who Invented the Little Black Dress?
The “little black dress*”. quintessential staple of any woman’s wardrobe, isn’t as timeless as most people think. An LBD is a classic in that it’s neither a trend nor is it ever out of fashion, but its history is a surprisingly short one, dating back only about a century to the early 1900s. While history tends to credit French designer Coco Chanel with popularizing the design, the question of who came up with the little black dress first is a little more complicated than that.
Palm Beach Event January 2020 |
The specific little black dress so famously associated with Chanel appeared in a 1926 issue of Vogue, a simple, calf-length design shown with a plain string of pearls that was distinct in its contrast to the heavily embellished flapper styles that were popular at the time. The magazine called it “Chanel’s Ford”—referring to Henry Ford’s Model T car, the standard for all automobiles to come—and predicted its role as “a sort of uniform for all women of taste.” A 1930 issue of Vogue later featured another black Chanel dress, made of sheer black lace with a matching capelet, which served to double down on the public perception of Coco Chanel having invented the fashion. However, designers like Edward Molyneux were simultaneously promoting their own, similar fashions, just without Vogue’s endorsement.
Audrey Hepburn Little Black Dress |
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My Note: Do you have a LBD? If not; why not? It is the no decision dress for a business meeting, dinner out at an elegant restaurant or night at the theater. Black hides a world of shape difficulties and never goes out of style. Your feminine wardrobe start here.
*The dress show in the fashion layout is Boston Proper's - BEYOND TRAVEL™ SLEEVELESS CUTOUT SHEATH DRESS. ($89.50)
GOT LBD?
ReplyDeleteBut, of course!
As an inveterate thrift store shopper, as well as a shopper for my wife, we are both total pushovers for the LBD. If I find a LBD of size for either of us, given it is not a duplicate of what we already own, it is sold. Often the various styles are a good 'therapy' for examining 'ones own outer self'.
The good part of the LBD is in spite of the ubiquity of the color, the styles, and textures and cuts and therefore your MOOD can be limitless.
Add gold or pearl jewelry...
On a similar note, I recently found a black 'tuxedo (style) suit' with a skirt, not slacks. Wife swooned when I first modeled it while wearing black 'wing tip' oxford pumps ....
Velma
Cool!
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