Little black dress - wikipedia Little black dress For other uses, see Little Black Dress ( disambiguation ). A little black dress from 1964 A little black dress ( LBD ) 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 colour. Its ubiquity is such that it is often simply referred to as the `` LBD ''. The `` little black dress '' is considered essential to a complete wardrobe by many women and fashion observers, who believe it a `` rule of fashion '' that every woman should own a simple, elegant black dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion : for example, worn with a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear or with more ornate jewelry and accessories for evening or a formal event such as a wedding or a ball. Because it is meant to be a staple of the wardrobe for a number of years, the style of the little black dress ideally should be as simple as possible : a short black dress that is too clearly part of a trend would not qualify because it would soon appear dated. Contents 1 History 2 Famous little black dresses 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading History This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2017 ) Black has always been a color rich in symbolism. In the early 18th century, black represented romance and artistry. As Ann Demeulemeester said of it, `` Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet ? In a bright yellow jacket ? Probably not. '' In the early 19th century, black was adopted by the Romantics such as Byron, Shelley, and Keats, due to its melancholic aura. As the Victorian Era began, black transitions from a color of art to one of grief and mourning - widows were expected to wear black for at least four years - and also for service livery, as the uniform for maids. In 1926 Gabrielle `` Coco '' Chanel published a picture of a short, simple black dress in American Vogue. It was calf - length, straight and decorated only by a few diagonal lines. Vogue called it `` Chanel 's Ford ''. Like the Model T, the little black dress was simple and accessible for women of all social classes. Vogue also said that the LBD would become `` a sort of uniform for all women of taste ''. This, as well as other designs by the house of Chanel helped disassociate black with mourning, and reinvent it as the uniform of the high - class, wealthy, and chic. As Coco herself proclaimed, `` I imposed black ; it 's still going strong today, for black wipes out everything else around. '' Chanel is credited with the creation and popularization of the Little Black Dress, and rightfully so. The little black dress continued to be popular through the Great Depression, predominantly through its economy and elegance, albeit with the line lengthened somewhat. Hollywood 's influence on fashion helped the little black dress 's popularity, but for more practical reasons : as Technicolor films became more common, filmmakers relied on little black dresses because other colors looked distorted on screen and botched the coloring process. During World War II, the style continued in part due to widespread rationing of textiles, and in part as a common uniform ( accessorized for businesswear ) for civilian women entering the workforce. Models wearing little black dresses in Brazil, 2010 The rise of Dior 's `` New Look '' in the post-war era and the sexual conservatism of the 1950s returned the little black dress to its roots as a uniform and a symbol of the dangerous woman. Hollywood femme fatales and fallen women characters were portrayed often in black halter - style dresses in contrast to the more conservative dresses of housewives or more wholesome Hollywood stars. Synthetic fibres made popular in the 1940s and 1950s broadened the availability and affordability of many designs. The generation gap of the 1960s created a dichotomy in the design of the little black dress. The younger `` mod '' generation preferred, in general, a miniskirt on their versions of the dress and designers catering to the youth culture continued to push the envelope - shortening the skirt even more, creating cutouts or slits in the skirt or bodice of the dress, using sheer fabrics such as netting or tulle. Many women aspired to simple black sheath dresses similar to the black Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast at Tiffany 's. The popularity of casual fabrics, especially knits, for dress and business wear during the 1980s brought the little black dress back into vogue. Coupled with the fitness craze, the new designs incorporated details already popular at the time such as broad shoulders or peplums : later in the decade and into the 1990s, simpler designs in a variety of lengths and fullness were popular. The grunge culture of the 1990s saw the combination of the little black dress with both sandals and combat boots, though the dress itself remained simple in cut and fabric. The new glamour of the late 1990s led to new variations of the dress but, like the 1950s and the 1970s, colour re-emerged as a factor in fashion and formalwear and repeatedly shows an aversion to black. The resurgence of body conscious clothing, muted colour schemes, and the reemergence of predominant black, along with the retrospective trends of the 1980s in the late 2000s paved way to the return of interest to the dress. Famous little black dresses Eurovision Song Contest winner, Lena, sporting a little black dress and black stockings while singing her winning song `` Satellite ''. The black Givenchy dress of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany 's, designed by Hubert de Givenchy, epitomized the standard for wearing little black dresses accessorized with pearls ( together called `` basic black '' ), as was frequently seen throughout the early 1960s. The dress set a record in 2006 when it was auctioned for £ 410,000, six times its original estimate. Betty Boop, a cartoon character based in part on the 1920s ' `` It Girl '' Clara Bow, was drawn wearing a little black dress in her early films, though with Technicolor later, Betty 's dress became red. Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, was known to own several little black dresses and said much in praise of the garments. One quote of the Duchess : `` When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place. '' Edith Piaf, the French folk icon, performed in a black sheath dress throughout her career : for this habit she was nicknamed `` little black sparrow ''. It was thought that the dress helped audiences focus more on Piaf 's singing and less on her appearance. In an incident at London 's Covent Garden theatre in 2004, a director fired the then - obese soprano Deborah Voigt from an opera because she could not fit into a `` little black cocktail dress '', replacing her with the slimmer Anne Schwanewilms. In popular culture This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2014 ) A number of songs are titled `` Little Black Dress '', including `` Little Black Dress '' from the 1981 musical Shock Treatment, which is sung whilst one of the antagonists sews up a little black dress and presents it to the heroine, who wears it in the second half of the film. The Hollies 1972 Single `` Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress '' was written for the album Distant Light about a woman who mesmerized the lead singer in a black dress. It sold 2 million copies worldwide and reached # 2 on the Billboards Hot 100 Gavin Friday performed a song titled `` Little Black Dress '' for his 1996 album Shag Tobacco. The song was written by Maurice Seezer. The 2006 song `` Little Black Dress '' is the opening song of Donnie Iris 's album, Ellwood City. It was written by Mark Avsec. `` Gettin ' You Home ( The Black Dress Song ) '' is a 2009 country music song by Chris Young. It became his first # 1 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart dated for 24 October 2009. `` Tiffany Blews '' is the 10th track on Fall Out Boy 's 4th studio album, Folie à Deux. The chorus mentions a little black dress, a symbol for classiness. `` Little Black Dress '' is a song by One Direction included in their third album entitled Midnight Memories. `` Little Black Dress '' is also a song by Sara Bareilles, the 6th track on 2013 's The Blessed Unrest album. In the song, dancing in the dress promotes getting over a relationship. `` Little Black Dress '' is a song by San Diego -- based roots reggae band One Drop, from the 2008 release Mission Blvd. See also Fashion portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Little black dresses. References Jump up ^ Steele, Valerie ( 1988 ). Paris Fashion : A Cultural History. Oxford University Press. pp. 246 -- 248. ISBN 0 - 19 - 504465 - 7. Jump up ^ styledotcom ( 2010 - 08 - 19 ). `` The LBD Gets Official ''. Style.com. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Katy Perry looks stunning in slinky LBD ''. Mirror.co.uk. 2010 - 04 - 15. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 13. Jump up ^ `` Women 's History Month kicks off in ' Little Black Dress ' style '', Northern Illinois University Archived 2010 - 10 - 11 at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Edelman, Amy Holman ( 1998 ). The Little Black Dress. Aurum. Jump up ^ Picardie, Justine ( 2010 ). Coco Chanel : the legend and the life. London : Harper Collins Publishers. pp. 92 -- 93. ISBN 9780061963858. Jump up ^ `` Audrey Hepburn 's Little Black Dress Sells for a Fortune ''. Hellomagazine.com. 2006 - 12 - 06. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 13. Jump up ^ Anthony Tommasini, `` With Surgery, Soprano Sheds a Brünnhilde Body, '' New York Times, March 27, 2005, found at New York Times website. Before and after images included. Accessed May 27, 2009. Jump up ^ Anthony Tommasini, `` Second Date With a Little Black Dress, '' New York Times, June 11, 2008, found at New York Times website. Accessed May 27, 2009. Jump up ^ Vivien Schweitzer, `` Music Review : A Slimmed - Down Diva Keeps Her Vocal Heft, '' New York Times, June 18, 2009, found at New York Times website. Accessed May 27, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Deborah Voigt : Off The Scales : Opera Star Talks About Lifelong Battle With Weight, '' found at `` Deborah Voigt : Off The Scales, Opera Star Talks About Lifelong Battle With Weight '', CBS News. Retrieved May 29, 2009. Jump up ^ Mission Blvd Further reading Edelman, Amy Holman ( 1998 ). The Little Black Dress. Aurum. ISBN 1 - 85410 - 604 - X. `` Little Black Dress Transcends Fashion ''. About.com. May 2006 `` Sixties Fashions ''. June 2, 2006. `` The Little Black Dress ''. Woman 's Hour Radio. BBC. May 2006. `` The Myth Of The Little Black Dress ''. Jane Curtain. The Fashion Culte Magazine. November 2014. Chanel Owners Alain Wertheimer Gérard Wertheimer Jacques Wertheimer Pierre Wertheimer Designers Coco Chanel Karl Lagerfeld Garments Little black dress Jacqueline Kennedy 's pink Chanel suit Perfumes Bois des Îles Chanel No. 5 Chanel No. 19 Chanel No. 22 Coco Coco Mademoiselle Cuir de Russie Égoïste Perfumers Ernest Beaux Jacques Polge Henri Robert Other products Chanel 2.55 handbag Chanel J12 watch Promotional models Marie - Hélène Arnaud Carole Bouquet Gisele Bündchen Cara Delevingne Catherine Deneuve Lily - Rose Depp Inès de La Fressange Nicole Kidman Keira Knightley Marilyn Monroe Kate Moss Anna Mouglalis Vanessa Paradis Suzy Parker Jean Shrimpton Audrey Tautou Gaspard Ulliel Films Chanel Solitaire Coco Before Chanel Coco Chanel Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Musical Coco Book The Allure of Chanel Clothing Historical clothing Traditional and national clothing Tops Blouse Cache - cœur Cardigan Crop top Dress shirt Guayabera Guernsey Halterneck Henley shirt Hoodie Jersey Polo shirt Shirt Sleeveless shirt Sweater Sweater vest T - shirt Tube top Turtleneck Twinset Trousers Bell - bottoms Bermuda shorts Bondage pants Capri pants Cargo pants Chaps Cycling shorts Dress pants High water pants Hotpants Lowrise pants Jeans Jodhpurs Leggings Overall Palazzo pants Parachute pants Pedal pushers Phat pants Shorts Slim - fit pants Sweatpants Windpants Yoga pants Skirts A-line skirt Ballerina skirt Denim skirt Men 's skirts Miniskirt Pencil skirt Prairie skirt Rah - rah skirt Sarong Skort Tutu Wrap Dresses Ball gown Bouffant gown Coatdress Cocktail dress Débutante dress Formal wear Frock Evening gown Gown House dress Jumper Little black dress Princess line Sheath dress Shirtdress Slip dress Strapless dress Sundress Wedding dress Wrap dress Suits and uniforms Academic dress Ball dress Black tie Boilersuit Cleanroom suit Clerical clothing Court dress Gymslip Hazmat suit Jumpsuit Kasaya Lab coat Military uniform Morning dress Onesie Pantsuit Red Sea rig Romper suit School uniform Scrubs Stroller Tuxedo Vestment White tie Outerwear Apron Blazer British Warm Cagoule Cape Chesterfield Coat Covert coat Cut - off Duffel coat Flight jacket Gilet Goggle jacket Guards coat Harrington jacket Hoodie Jacket Jerkin Leather jacket Mess jacket Opera coat Overcoat Parka Paletot Pea coat Poncho Raincoat Robe Safari jacket Shawl Shrug Ski suit Sleeved blanket Smoking jacket Sport coat Trench coat Ulster coat Waistcoat Windbreaker Underwear ( lingerie ) Top Bra Camisole Undershirt Bottom Diaper Panties Plastic pants Slip Thong Underpants Boxer briefs Boxer shorts Midway briefs Briefs Full Adult bodysuit Infant bodysuit Long underwear Playsuit Teddy Footwear Boot Court shoe Dress shoe Flip - flops Hosiery Sandal Shoe Spats Slipper Sneakers Sock Stocking Tights Headwear Baseball cap Beret Cap Fedora Hat Helmet Hood Kerchief Knit cap Toque Turban Veil Neckwear Ascot tie Bow tie Cravat Neckerchief Necktie Scarf Nightwear Babydoll Blanket sleeper Negligee Nightgown Nightshirt Pajamas Swimwear Bikini Burkini Boardshorts Dry suit Monokini One - piece Rash guard Square leg suit Swim briefs Swim diaper Trunks Wetsuit Accessories Belt Coin purse Cufflink Cummerbund Gaiters Glasses Gloves Headband Handbag Jewellery Muff Pocket protector Pocket watch Sash Sunglasses Suspenders Umbrella Wallet Wristwatch See also Activewear Clothing fetish Clothing terminology Costume Cross-dressing Dress code Fashion Haute couture History of clothing See - through clothing Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_black_dress&oldid=818511482 '' Categories : 1920s fashion 20th - century fashion 21st - century fashion Dresses Formal wear History of clothing ( Western fashion ) History of fashion Chanel Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015 Articles needing additional references from March 2017 All articles needing additional references Articles needing additional references from April 2014 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Afrikaans Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Català Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Italiano עברית Kaszëbsczi Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 4 January 2018, at 00 : 09. 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Question: who pioneered the little black dress or lbd back in 1926
Answer: Coco Chanel