The little black evening dress as we know it today didn’t exist until the free wheeling days of the 1920’s. Before that, black was saved purely as a color for mourning clothes and trotted out just for funerals and sad events. Coco Chanel changed all that though when she was pictured in vogue wearing a black calf-length sheath dress in 1926. It was a revolutionary look that instantly connected with the imaginations of thousands of well-dressed women. The concept of an everyday black evening dress was so practical. It was durable, affordable and best of all a look that could make women of any class look like royalty. Vogue went so far as to call it “a uniform for women of all tastes.”
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Every woman needs a few basic black evening dresses to complete her wardrobe. Stand out from the crowd of bland frocks with a beautifully preserved and historically authentic vintage black evening dress. A vintage black evening dress distinguishes you as a person of class and sophistication with a love for the charm of days gone by.
Some great looks to consider include an elegant black jersey style dress, a spunky pleated Fifties-era garment, or a glamorous 1970’s ruffled dress. For even more glitz look for a 1970’s era dress with shiny sequin accents, flutter sleeves, or a sequin waistband.
The 1940’s and 50’s saw the popularity of the little black evening dress continue to grow. As women entered the work force in record numbers during WWII, the idea of a functional and chic black evening dress caught on as the uniform of the modern working girl. The iconic Femme Fatale style was also emerging and the black evening dress suited that look perfectly.
Designers of the Fifties developed the idea of the black evening dress even further. Dior’s “New Look” collection was at the forefront of this trend. These were fantastically luxurious black evening dresses that celebrated the end of fabric shortages and the beginning of an era of prosperity. It was hip to be feminine again and the utilitarian dresses of yesterday were shoved to the back of the closet. Christian Dior himself declared it acceptable to wear black anytime and to any occasion. He believed that every woman’s wardrobe should contain at least one “little black frock”.
Moving into the 1960’s and 1970’s Givenchy would take the lead in the little black evening dress movement. Who can forget Audrey Hepburn’s star turn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” wearing a little black evening dress that will be burned into our imaginations forever? In other places, the mod scene was growing and with it hemlines were getting daringly higher. Cut-outs were returning and so were sheer fabrics, slit skirts, and eventually the racy sensuality of the mini-dress. Enter the dawn of the wild partying of the 1970’s disco age. Loud colors began to overtake the black evening dress look. It wasn’t dead though, because designers such as Bill Blass were creating black evening dress designs to catch the glitter of the disco ball with sleek outlines and silky lace.
The black evening dress returned in back full force in the 1980’s along with the popularity of casual fabrics and knits. The Dallas/Dynasty-inspired “power dressing’ revolution took the fashion world by storm. Now the little black evening dress featured shoulder pads and cocktail designs. Black was the perfect fit as a color choice to compliment these looks. By the1990’s the black Versace look was a must-have for Hollywood’s most glamorous vixens. Grunge, Riot Grrl and heroin chic enthusiasts latched onto their own concepts of the black evening dress as well. Those daring fashion pioneers paired the look with sandals or even clunky combat boots for a look that contrasted the most luxurious of formal wear with the styles of the street. Today’s women now have a range of vintage black evening dress styles to choose from, but one thing is certain, the black evening dress is a wardrobe essential that will be with us forever.
