Hollywood Dresses
The Little Black Dress
The little black dress is a woman’s fashion necessity – almost as much as having a pair of heels. Where did the concept of the black dress come from?
As we know, wearing black was not always a fashion statement. Black was often reserved for times of mourning. That is until the 20s and fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel introduced the black dress as something of luxury and fashion. Her design was a sleeveless sheath cut just above the knee. It was chic and comfortable – as Chanel was quoted saying “luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”
For Chanel, the idea was to help women look effortlessly classic and appropriately sexy in just seconds.
The little black dresses popularity continued through the Great Depression. Hollywood’s influence helped it maintain its spike. Hollywood’s influence was actually quite a practical one at first. Technicolor movies had become more common and filmmakers relied on little black dresses because other colors look distorted on screen and botched with the coloring process. With female celebrities continuing to wear the black dress came the continual promotion of it.
Then came World War II and the rationing of textiles. Black was not a rationed color, so the black dress continued its glory.
After the war, Christian Dior’s new look and the sexual conservatism of the 1950s affected the little black dress bringing it down and making it appear more as a uniform. Added to this was Hollywood now placing all of their femme fatales or fallen women in black dresses. Wholesome women were dressing in more colorful designs.
Then came Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The little black dress suddenly made a comeback with the younger generations. The dress Hepburn wore was designed by Hubert de Givency, presented in his first couture collection in 1952. Hepburn wore several of Givency’s black dresses but it wasn’t until her movie in 1961 that it caught on.
During the 1970s, the little black dress was somewhat lacy and feminine such as those made by Bill Blass. But the 70s were the era of disco and loud colors, so the black dress declined a bit. The 80s was more about business and making money – which segued back into wearing black and looking professional. It was also the time of fitness therefore designs demonstrated black dresses with broad shoulders or peplums.
By the 90s, people were looking for simplicity. A variety of lengths of the little black dress appeared on the market. Fullness was popular. Grunge was popular also so it wasn’t uncommon to see women wearing a black dress with sandals or combat boots.
As the new decade emerged, so did the popularity of owning a little black dress in its simplicity.
Today, the idea of the little black dress still holds credence. Though the little black dress has undergone hemline, shoulder, strap and fabric variations and this season is no different. The only suggestions fashion expert make about the little black dress are these: The dresses length should be kept around the knees, right above or below; One should keep their legs bare or in sheer hose; To embellish your look, you can simply add sparkly earrings; The style of the little black dress ideally should be as simple as possible as anything too over-the-top would soon appear dated; The black dress can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion; Adding a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear or with ornate jewelry and accessories for the evening transforms this dress in minutes.
Will the little black dress continue to be a necessity within the next century/ We shall see.
About the Author
Sheila Harris is the general manager of Cotton Island a womens fashion boutique. Cotton Island always carries the newest and freshest styles that won’t break your pocketbook. The womens boutique can be found at http://www.cottonisland.com.
|
|
Vandor 92061 Audrey Hepburn Ceramic Mug and Coaster Gift Set, Black/White/Pink $15.95 Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a 1961 romantic comedy film starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. The film was directed by Blake Edwards and released by Paramount Pictures, and was loosely based on the novella of the same name by Truman Capote. Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly as the naïve, eccentric woman is generally considered to be the actress’s most memorable and identifiable role. Thi… |
|
|
Marilyn Monroe Glamour Refrigerator Magnet (Set of 4) $11.50 In 1951, photographer Sam Shaw met a very young actress by the name of Marilyn Monroe. Their professional collaboration resulted in beautiful photos that capture her glamour at work and at play. Set of 4 handy magnets can decorate home or office. 2″x3″ each…. |
|
|
Marilyn Monroe Photo Retro Coffee Tea Travel Mug Art $29.95 If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun! Start your morning off right with Marilyn’s good advice. Features Marilyn’s likeness and the phrase ” If you obey all the rules you’ll miss all the fun” on the front AND back. ‘Nuff said…. |
|
|
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals $6.51 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
A Year Without Rain $7.28 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
Pcd $6.69 Roll your eyes or–worse–invoke the Spice Girls all you want: Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like any one of the members of this revolving collective? Dissing the Pussycat Dolls is like denying you want a peek at the Victoria’s Secret runway show–a foolhardy stance nobody’s going to believe anyway. Never mind, for a moment, the semi-lewd pleasures of the disc’s visuals (midriffs galore!)… |
|
|
Annie (Special Anniversary Edition) $2.18 Charmless and dull, this adaptation of the Broadway hit stars Aileen Quinn as the depression-era moppet, Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks, Carol Burnett as the cruel headmistress at an orphanage, and Tim Curry as a villain. The film never gets its legs, and there is no sense of setting; it’s almost as if the whole thing is happening in a void. John Huston nominally directed–no doubt to make money … |
|
|
Ever After – A Cinderella Story $3.58 Take away the Fairy Godmother, and what have you got left from the Cinderella fable? The story of a girl for whom a bad stroke of luck is no match for her internal strength and purity of heart. Drew Barrymore plays Cinderella’s alleged inspiration, Danielle, in this romantic drama that purports to tell the “facts” behind the Grimm brothers’ story. One of three daughters of a man (Jeroen Krabbé) w… |
|
|
I Love Lucy – The Complete Fifth Season $18.60 I Love Lucy: The Complete Fifth Season finds Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) making an international mess out of husband Ricky’s globe-trotting tour as an entertainer. Beginning with “Lucy Visits Grauman’s” and “Lucy and John Wayne,” the impulsive redhead risks Ricky’s sanity in Hollywood by stealing a cement slab, from the famous entrance to Grauman’s Chinese Theater, that contains the imprint of Joh… |
|
|
Hollywood Beauty Olive Cream Hairdress, 7.5 Ounce $2.99 Bonus: Hollywood Beauty Olive Cholesterol Deep Conditioning Creme 4 oz (113 g). Enriched with four oils and Vitamins A, B, C & E. No petrolatum jelly that can weigh down hair and clog follicles. This light, non-greasy formula enriched with natural oils and Vitamins A, B, C & E will add moisture to your hair leaving it soft and manageable. Olive Oil has long been used as a skin softener which you w… |
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
