Wardrobe MUST: The LBD

There are some who live and die by the code of fashion and still others who wouldn't know Anna Wintour in a police line-up. Yet, regardless of taste or status, if you are a living and breathing woman, then you own a little black dress. At least you should.

First made popular in the 1920’s by Coco Chanel, the little black dress--or "LBD," if you're partial to abbreviations like I am--was intended by Chanel to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, and accessible to a wide market. In fact, it was in 1926 that Chanel published a picture in Vogue of a short and simple black dress, calf-length with a straight silhouette, and decorated only with a few diagonal lines. Like everything Chanel, Mademoiselle Coco knocked this one out of the park. Vogue called this design “Chanel’s Ford,” for like the Model T, it was accessible to all social classes.

Over the years, the style remained. In the 60's, Audrey Hepburn's character Holly Golightly, in Breakfast at Tiffany's, payed homage to the ideal Chanel vision, pairing her Givenchy LBD with a strand of pearls. The result? Classy and fabulous--obvi.

Nearly a century later, the LBD is still hot hot haute! It's a widely accepted rule of fashion to own a simple yet elegant black dress that can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. The LBD is such a fashion “do” that certain brands have specifically highlighted this wardrobe staple. You may have noticed that J. Crew boasts their own Little Black Dress Collection, offering the classic LBD in a variety of cuts and styles. My new favorite is the Silk Taffeta Ruffle Wrap Dress:

In addition to being a classic wardrobe “must,” the LBD also has an element of convenience that adds to its appeal. A busy busy busy fashionista can transition easily from day to evening while remaining in her LBD. Trust me, for the gal on the go, this kind of wardrobe ease is worth its weight in gold.

Wallis Warfield Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor (rumored to have quite the collection of LBDs, I might add!) once said, “When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.” I couldn't have said it better myself.



Psst: The Silk Taffeta Ruffle Wrap Dress is now on sale for $192 at www.jcrew.com. Get 'em while they last! After all, Coco would want you to.

Photo: Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.