The History of the Little Black Dress

Women have been wearing black dresses for generations, especially during periods of mourning, but the modern “little black dress” (or LBD) was created by Coco Chanel. In 1926, Vogue published a drawing of Chanel’s simple black dress in crêpe de Chine; it featured narrow sleeves and was shown with a simple string of pearls. In the following years, the look caught on. The simple design could be recreated inexpensively, which was very important during the Great Depression. And when textiles were rationed during the war, Chanel’s design for a simple black dress offered a way to be elegant while using the little fabric that was available as economically as possible. After the war, Christian Dior changed fashion history forever with the debut of what he called the “New Look” – the full skirt and cinched waist that he added to the design gave the little black dress a more sensual appearance and Hollywood stars quickly adopted the style. Perhaps the most famous example of the little black dress is Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Givenchy dress, which she wore in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Another example of an iconic little black dress is Princess Diana’s “revenge dress.” Over the years, countless celebrities have famously worn a little black dress, including A-listers like Jennifer Aniston and Cindy Crawford. Today, the “little black dress” is still just as popular as it was when Coco Chanel first introduced the concept back in 1926.