Formal Dresses: The Iconic Little Black Dress

No other formal dresses are as important as the little black dress. Prior to 1920, black was primarily used for mourning when women were expected to wear black for expended periods of time. During the Victorian and Edward ages, women wore black for two years. Only during the later part of her mourning was she allowed to introduce neutral colors in the form of accessories. Even in todays age, black is still the preferred mourning color.

It wasn’t until 1926 that a French designer by the name of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel introduced black formal dresses. It was a short black dress, calf-length, straight with only few diagonal lines. A picture of the dress was published in Vogue and the magazine heralded that it would become a dress to transgress all boundaries. It would become the must have dress of all women of all shapes and sizes. The one formal dress you must have in your closet.

The little black dress continued to gain in popularity as Hollywood relied on using the formal dresses because other colors appeared distorted in Technicolor. During the 1950s the dangerous women of Hollywood were seen wearing the little black dress. They appeared risqué, sexy and scandalous when compared to the more vibrant wholesome colors worn by less scandalous characters. With the availability of synthetic fibers the little black dress became more affordable. One could even say it’s a cheap formal dress.

Formal dresses certainly changed as women’s views of themselves shifted. The little black dress became longer or shorter or took a back step to more skirts and pants. Despite fashion’s many changes, the black dress continues to be considered a very important part of a women’s closet. It is considered by many as the only formal dress to have, the only dress that can be used day or night. It is meant to be the dress that will never appear dated, the formal dresses that will always maintain its elegance.