“A woman without a little black dress has no future,” said iconic French fashion designer Coco Chanel
And she is absolutely right!
A little black dress (LBD) is a staple that should hang in every woman’s closet; a go-to for the occasion that may have slipped out of mind or the “I don’t know what to wear” moment that crosses every female’s mind.
Here are five qualities you should not miss when shopping for one.
- Black
You may find this quite obvious but there are some ladies out there who think charcoal, dark grey, grey, white with a tint of black all qualify, but they don’t. Make sure your dress is stone cold black. You don’t want to fall into the fiasco of “is it blue-black or navy blue-black” type of situation.
- Modest
Remember why you are buying this dress. It is for the formal and close to formal occasions that a black dress would be needed. If you can find the perfect combination of funeral and wedding you’re getting close.
- Able to be dressed up or down
You should be able to pair this dress with heels, flats, a statement necklace or a simple gold bracelet. This should not be an ensemble that has its very own shoes, hair-do, jewellery collection and makeup look. It should be able to pull of any fancy or modest look that you want to pair with it.
- Comfortable
If it’s not comfortable you are not going to wear it. Don’t try to lie to yourself and say you’re going to wear it because it is so cute. No! Picture yourself standing in front of your closet looking for something to wear, an uncomfortable dress is never the one you jump to.
- Timeless
Your LBD should be a staple piece that is in style no matter the year or the style trends of the season. Do not buy the black dress that is different but “so in style this season”, because guess what, come next season you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing it. So don’t buy it. Picture yourself in five years, can it still be worn? Will it still be in style?
When you have found a dress that fits all these criteria, congratulations, you have found your little black dress.
In the words of French cabaret singer, songwriter and actress, Edith Piaf: “When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.”
