The Little Black Dress: A Must Have

Vogue once described the little black dress, or the LBD as it is lovingly called, as, “Minimal, versatile, affordable and elegant: the Little Black Dress has been a timeless staple in every woman’s wardrobe for almost a century as well as paving the way for the fashion philosophy that believes in the "less is more" motto.”

From the time it was first designed by Coco Chanel in the 1920s, this has been a wardrobe staple for women in the Western world. And now, Indian women are catching on to the allure of the LBD, looking with growing frequency for this one piece dress online. However, before you start shopping, here are some thing you should know.

The LBD Suits All Body Types

The key to carrying off this outfit with style is to understand how to choose a one piece dress online that complements your body type. The best part about the outfit being black is that it helps give a sleeker look to heavier built women, while adding height to petite ones. All you need after that is some red hot lipstick and you are all set to turn heads! Here’s a guide at choosing the right sized LBD:

• If your shoulders are narrower than your hips, you need a trapeze dress similar to the cut that was popular in the 1960s. During this period, Mary Quant was a great proponent of the “experiment-for-uniqueness,” which became quite popular during the era. Avoid a straight cut dress that could accentuate the hips.
• For those with broad shoulders and narrower hips, choose an open collar LBD, since it would put better focus on your neckline. You can go all out with different types of necklines, as long as they aren’t close collared. Consider accessorising with long, thin necklaces and chains.
• When the hips and shoulders are of almost the same dimensions, a straight cut would be a good option while shopping for a one piece dress online. If you wish to highlight your smaller waist, consider adding a bright coloured, broad belt.
• For women who have a heavier bustline, choose an LBD with a square neck. This will draw attention to your waist and make it seem smaller. This is not the best body type for off shoulder or strapless dresses.

While shorter women could choose a set of stilettos, maybe in red or any other bright colour, to add height, women blessed with long legs could opt for shorter dresses.

Accessorising the LBD

Given that this is the quintessential all-black outfit, you can dress it up or down with just the right accessories. In fact, you could buy your accessories while you are shopping for this one piece dress online to make sure you are all set to wear the outfit as soon as it arrives.

The important thing to remember here is that if the dress itself has some bling, in the form of sequins or lace, you could tone down the accessories and just carry a contrasting handbag for a burst of colour. The other option could be to stick to one statement piece, such as a necklace or a pair of earrings.

One very important aspect of carrying off the LBD just right is to pair it with the right shoes. Again, a burst of colour here would be a great idea. However, make sure that you match the colours on your shoes, handbag and jewellery or you might just end up looking like a rainbow gone bad!