The Little Black Dress

You must have heard about, "The Little Black Dress".  This is not just any ordinary dress.  It is the super duper "little black dress".

OK, the little black dress is not really one specific dress.  It is more of a concept.  The idea is that a black dress can be appropriate for almost any occasion.  No, I am not saying it should be worn as swimwear or as a pajama.  It is appropriate for "most" occasions.  Just for the record, we are certain that more than one woman has actual swam and slept in their little black dress.  That is sometimes part of the fun of an evening out.

Little black dresses can go anywhere you're brave enough to take them. They fit in everywhere from more casual occasions to upscale events, it just depends on the cut of the dress and how you style it.  With the proper accessories and footwear, a simple dress can be appropriate for a wide variety of events.

A little black dress 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 and Jean Patou intended to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible and in a neutral color.

The little black dress is the answer to any fashion dilemma, whether you’re going to a work party or getting drinks with your friends. 

The little black dress belongs in your closet.  It is mandatory for any wardrobe.

Is a black dress a little black dress?

The little black dress is the answer to all those what-to-wear dilemmas. The LBD is the closet staple that will forever remain timeless thanks to its simplistic yet powerful nature.

Perhaps more than any other piece of clothing, the little black dress is the essential garment for most women.  This single piece of clothing can take you practically anywhere.

Where can we find the perfect little black dress?  Try the clothing stores.

• Nordstroms
• Express
• Lord & Taylor
• Neiman Marcus
• Dillard's
• Macy's

Learn more about the little black dress in our definitions section.

ML2219

Thank you for using the Apparel Search website to learn more about fashion relevant terminology.

One Dress, Many Occasions

The claim made for the little black dress is range. The same dress reads casual with simple shoes and minimal jewelry, and formal with heels, evening accessories and a wrap, because black carries no occasion of its own and a simple cut leaves room for styling to set the level. That is why it is described as mandatory wardrobe equipment and the answer to what-to-wear dilemmas: it removes the riskiest decision — the dress itself — and leaves only the adjustable ones.

Finding the Right One

Because the concept depends on cut, the search is for the cut that flatters the wearer and fits the occasions she actually attends, in a fabric that will last the way the 1920s designers intended. Department stores and clothing retailers stock the style at every price level, and the women's black dresses guide and the little black dress definition linked on this page go further — one into shopping the category, the other into the definition itself. Retailers named for the search include Nordstrom, Express, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Dillard's and Macy's.