How long is the Little Black Dress?
Option 1: Just above the knees
Option 2: Midi-length
Option 3: Mini-dress
Option 4: Please keep reading
Yes, you have known a lot about the Little Black Dress all this while. The history, trivias, style tips, et al. But, do you have a clue how long it should ideally be?
I once wrote a feature on LBDs and someone complained that an image I used did not show a dress that looked ‘little enough’. Well, excuse me for not knowing people look at LBDs in a very very literal way!
For starters, an LBD does not literally mean a black dress, which is sufficiently short. It’s often short, but not always.
It is more of a concept than a particular dress. Of course, Coco Chanel’s version was a calf-length, straight-fit number that inspired LBDs through time, but designers have flirted with the idea and made their creations their way eventually.
After Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Versace created some of the most powerful post-war versions. A few of the famous ones are full-length gowns and others fall at various lengths of the leg.
While Audrey Hepburn's gown by Hubert de Givenchy in Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of the most remembered LBDs, Liz Hurley's safety pin gown from Versace offers a revolting version of this concept.
The point is, it can be any length or silhouette, but what it always offers is a timeless appeal, elegance and versatility, very much like Chanel's baby had promised women for times to come.
So, the next time someone frowns when you say your black ankle-length dress is your favourite LBD, just take a centre stage and dole out all this fashion gyaan. I’m assuming they’ll remember you.
