THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS — NIKE FLEMING
THE
LITTLE
BLACK
DRESS
To me and many other women, young and old, the
little black dress is more than just a simple item of
clothing. It’s a regular go-to, a safety blanket, a
cloak of invisibility, a statement of power, and
most importantly, a evolutionary chapter in the
history of fashion.
The concept of the little black dress was created
by Coco Chanel in the 1920s following the Second
World War with the aim of creating a versatile,
affordable piece while creating timeless elegance
and confidence in a single garment which would
never go out of fashion. The concept has been
reinterpreted by every designer since Chanel with
one of the most notable interpretations being
Audrey Hepburn’s 1960s Givenchy number,
making its debut in Breakfast At Tiffanys, which I
am sure you have all seen or heard of.
With this infamous LBD, Givenchy aimed to
contrast Hepburn’s physical vulnerability with
power and demure sensuality, drawing from
Chanel’s feminist ideas towards changing the way
in which women were perceived at work. During
her lifetime, Coco Chanel was renowned for her
refusal to dress glamorously and chose to wear
tweed suits which were considered as clothing for
the lower and working classes – controversial!
The Little Black Dress was such a success that we
fashionistas don’t even refer to it by its full name
anymore: it’s the LBD, the three most important
letters in any woman’s wardrobe! The LBD
abbrievation is acceptable but I wouldn’t say
abbreviating words is always the fashionable
thing. I’m sure I’m not the only one who despises
the ‘really thoughtful and personal’ three letter
‘HBD’ birthday greeting from year 8s on Facebook
and the annoying use of ‘LOL’ when nothing is
actually funny and nobody is actually laughing out
loud. While we’re on the topic of year 8, I can’t
help but reminisce on my former self, thinking I
was too cool for school with my rebellious CLEAR
nail varnish and side pony-tails, not to mention my
obsession with those giant Primark pearls worn
with every casual outfit, God help us! If only I’d
understood the power of an LBD back then...
Through instigating the LBD, Chanel aimed to
liberate women from the restrictive corsets which
they had previously been expected to wear and
give women a garment that would ‘say it all
without the need to shout,’ while giving ‘women
the ability to laugh and eat without doing
themselves any injury,’ in Chanel’s own words.
While the LBD can be used