The little black dress (“LBD”) is a black evening or cocktail dress, cut simply and often quite short. A fashion icon, the little black dress is essential to a woman’s wardrobe. Style commentators consider the little black dress one of the great fashion designs of the 20th century.
Coco Chanel is often credited with popularizing the little black dress. In 1926, she released a pattern for the dress in Vogue magazine. The little black dress became popular in the United States in the 1930s, when it was featured in several popular films, including Dinner at Eight and Becky Sharp. The little black dress continued to be popular in the 1940s, when it was once again associated with Hollywood actresses such as Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis. In the 1950s, the little black dress was often worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and by Marilyn Monroe in some of her most famous film roles.
The little black dress was revived in the 1980s by designers such as Perry Ellis and Yves Saint Laurent, and has remained a fashion staple ever since. The little black dress is often credited with helping to make black an acceptable color for evening wear. It is also seen as a symbol of