It is the one dress that comes to your mind during your last-minute night parties? Hope you guessed it right. Yes, it is the little black dress.
Since its introduction, the little black dress has been the fashion staple of every woman who loves fashion. But what is a little black dress, and who created the little black dress? Many say Hubert de Givenchy introduced it, and some believe Coco Chanel introduced it. Which is true? Let’s get into the article to find out!
History of the Little Black Dress
Little black dress history: Fashion historians say that the famously known little black dress(LBD) has its origins in the 1920s.
Who Designed the ‘Revenge Dress’ of Princess Diana?
- A. Christina Stambolian
- B. Michalis Aslanis
- C. John Galatis
- D. Elana Votsi
Who is the little black dress creator? It was designed by a Parisian designer named Coco Chanel.
When black dresses were worn only for mourning, Coco Chanel introduced the simple Little Black Dress on ‘Vogue’ magazine in 1926.
Why was the little black dress made? Vogue published a drawing of a simple black dress in crêpe de Chine. The dress was designed with long narrow sleeves and accessorized with a string of pearls. It was published as ‘Chanel’s Ford,’ which means simple and accessible to women of all classes. Its design was intended to be simple, long-lasting, classic, versatile, elegant, yet affordable, all at once.
Vogue also mentioned that the LBD would become ‘a sort of uniform for all women of taste.’ The prediction was spot-on!
The dress became popular throughout the 1930s. Because of the Great Depression, many people started opting for the Coco Chanel little black dress because of its simplicity.
It was a period when women started stepping out of the trend of tight and restricted closets. Hence, the affordable yet elegant fashion attracted many women.
It is famously referred to as the classic piece of women’s clothing. The LBD is designed as an evening or cocktail dress which is often cut short. Many fashion observers say that the little black dress lets you wear it depending on the occasion, but you got to accessorize it the right way. You can pair it with a denim jacket, blazer for road trips, or as formalwear. It can be accessorized with pearls or pendants for a date night. Though the LBD seems like a simple piece of clothing, it serves several purposes in a woman’s wardrobe.
Later, the LBD became popular, that the fashion world started to adopt the trend quickly. Sheath dresses, shoulder suits, and pouf dresses were later introduced in the subsequent years. The minimalist slip dress of the 90s is arguably one of the most talked-about dresses in the world of fashion.
Popular Appearances of the Little Black Dress
Later, many famous Hollywood stars started to adopt the style on and off-screen.
- Joan Bennet is one of the first people to flaunt the black dress in 1928 before it became popular. She chose to wear it with a cloche hat.
- Marilyn Monroe was also found wearing a body-hugging black dress in 1956.
- After actress Audrey Hepburn wore it in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1961, it became one of the famous dresses in Hollywood’s history. The original dress was later auctioned for a whacking £467k in 2006. When the dress was originally designed, the film studios thought it showed too much of Audrey’s legs. So, the lower half was later designed by costume designer Edith Head.
- Joan Crawford was found flaunting a tulle scoop neck black dress in the ‘The Tonight Show’ of 1962.
- In 1970, Jacqueline Kennedy wore a ruffled sleeved black dress.
- Princess Diana is not an exception. In 1994, she was slaying in an off-the-shoulder black dress. Yes, it is the ‘revenge dress’ I am talking about. She wore it after her divorce from Prince Charles. Greek designer Christina Stambolian designed it.
Many celebrities, including Naomi Campbell, Cara Delevingne, and Beyonce, wore the little black dress. The future of the little black dress still shines bright!