There’s a good reason the little black dress, dubbed LBD, has always garnered lots of attention from blogs, magazines, fashion designers, and celebrities. Not only does the black silhouette look good on everyone and go well with everything, but also it’s appropriate to wear just about anywhere (day or night). So why is it so hard to find?
Though any woman can easily describe the LBD (most commonly defined as “the dress for every occasion”), the classic garment appears to have lost its way somewhere between the collectively understood concept (implanted in our minds by Coco Chanel in the 1920s) to stores’ dress racks. Sure, there’s an endless array of black dresses out there—some with plunging necklines, others with short, short skirts—but many of these aren’t the kind that will seamlessly segue from one situation to the next. What’s just right for a cocktail party or date may set off a frenzy of gossip at work or send your Grandma into cardiac arrest. –>
On my infinite quest for the ideal LBD, I’ve accumulated quite a few in my closet—all great, none versatile. After a while, I started to believe that perhaps the idea of the LBD was something that sounded good in theory, but didn’t work in practice. That is, until I came across this Elizabeth & James black dress (pictured above) a few weeks ago.
The front of the jersey dress appeared almost too simple with a high neck line and long sleeves. Then I picked it up, turned it around, and noticed the back. Wow. From the nape of the neck to the base of the spine was an elegant black mesh, which was sexy, subtle, and simple all at once. As soon as I put it on, I knew that I had finally found the impossible. The front was Audrey Hepburn, the back was Angelina Jolie. Can you think of a more perfect combination?
Moral of the story: Yes, the perfect LBD does exist! In fact, after I found this one, I soon discovered three more fabulous designs. See which one best suits your style: Preen LBD ($433), DVF LBD ($298), or Backless Dress by Boutique ($112).
[Photography by Inessah Selditz]
Published on March 22, 2010
While there are many sites today dedicated to the pursuit of fashion and style, here at MRK Style we approach these subjects through a collector’s lens. Through exploring how people relate to Art, Family, Fashion, Food, Film and Travel—essentially life’s various, everyday obsessions—we reflect on how we all live with the things we love. 
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