Originating from the designs of the iconic Coco Chanel, the Little Black Dress (dubbed LBD) has been a signature style for over eight decades. How has this simple dress remained the avant-garde of fashion throughout the long years? The answer lies in its versatility.

You can wear it to a high-profile cocktail party, to a cozy family gathering, or perhaps to a casual day of shopping. It never looks out of place!

This love-affair with the little black dress began in 1926, when Ms. Chanel published an unembellished black dress in Vogue magazine. Women all over the world were captivated by its simplicity and rushed to acquire this piece of elegance into their wardrobe. Earlier it was the privilege of the rich who owned it as a sartorial statement. However, during the Great Depression the color and the shortness of the dress reflected the somber mood of the times, and swung into being a cultural favorite.

Though the LBD remained largely monochromatic, the decoration and the cut were altered significantly over the next few years. New designs erupted in the 1950s when women gained feministic values, resulting in a wave of fresh looks such as the belted, the boat necked, and the lace-edged dresses. In 1961, when Audrey Hepburn was seen in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, wearing a hip-hugging LBD, accessorized with vintage pearls, she became a symbol of stunning beauty to women worldwide. By the late 80s, many women wore leather Little Black Dresses, emitting a “dangerous” vibe while others sported ruffled peplum dresses. These styles have been seen reminisced in today’s world of fashion.

By Ushoshi Mookerjee

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-the-Little-Black-Dress&id=5073604

One of the things that make black shoes so popular is that they compliment just about every outfit. They can transition from jeans to an evening gown or casual slacks to a tuxedo. Most men can get away with owning one or two pairs, because they usually wear business suits or casual apparel that will go with a basic black loafer. Women on the other hand wear a variety of clothes, so they may have different types of sandals, such as ones with flat heels or strappy ones with high heels. They also have a variety of pumps, boots and casual black shoes, so they are prepared for any type of occasion. Many women’s shoe stores offer fancy clips for shoes in rhinestone or other gem types. These clips can change a casual black pump to an elegant shoe worthy of a cocktail party. These clips make great accessories, because a woman can now dress up a comfortable casual shoe and look great without giving up their comfort.

Another great benefit to having black shoes is that they are less likely to show wear like scuff marks, or dirt and scratches. If you scuff them while on your way to go dancing, no one has to be the wiser. This is not the case when wearing shoes of a lighter color.

Athletes are now favoring black sports shoes for the same reason. It’s rare to see the white sneakers of the old days that started off looking clean and were soiled by the end of a sports match. Black sports shoes can look as good as they did when they arrived at the event, when it’s time for the athlete to go home. You will now see them adorning the feet of many baseball and soccer players for this very reason.

Black shoes that do get scuffed or dusty are easily cleaned with a damp cloth and can regain their luster by using a good black shoe polish. This adds to their appeal because lighter colored shoes may not clean as well. You can get black shoe polish that has a “scuff” remover ingredient that make your damaged shoes look like new again. This means the shoes will be wearable for a longer period of time than their lighter cousins.

By Gregg Hall

Article Source:    http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Black-Dress-Shoes-Are-A-Must-Have-For-Anyones-Wardrobe&id=308257

Well for Summer 2010 all black outfits seem to have captured everyone’s attention as they are elegant and manage to create a certain mysterious and seductive look that suits women of all ages, sizes and walks of life. Black is timeless, ageless and suits all occasions, what event can you not wear black for? Fashion designers demonstrated just how powerful the attraction surrounding all black outfits is, so try to ensure you have a few little black dresses. So go for LBDs in pencils, a-lines, prom, balloon and cocoon style. If you are feeling a little round opt for empire cuts that are loose and flowing. Make sure that you choose a style that best suits your personality and body type and really you can never have a style mishap. Another style favourite is the black cotton shirt its always going to go with other finds and is easy for the busy career girl.

A girl must always have the perfect LBD in her wardrobe as it will always make you look elegant and glamorous. One can never go wrong with a little black dress. They add versatility to your wardrobe making it well worth the purchase. Black never fades, it always goes with the trends and you can mix and match it with anything. You can choose your perfect LBD to suit your size and shape. You do not have to be a skinny stick to wear one. More voluptuous girls can wear them too. The LBD is perfect for that slimming affect.

By Iris David

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-We-Love-Black-Fashion&id=4760228

Introduction of it in the world of fashion came at the time when the bright colors, prints and heavy embroideries dominated the fashion. The long-sleeved dress, which was initially made for day in wool, and for evening in crepe, satin or velvet, shook up the world of fashion. Later appeared the other variations: short, sleeveless, in a pleated black chiffon, in black lace…

The appearance of the new Chanel design provoked a lot of indignant protests by male journalists, who criticized the simplifying taste of Chanel for “no more bosom, no more stomach…” It inspired the famous remark of her competitor Paul Poiret: “What has Chanel invented? De luxe poverty.” However the success of this fashion innovation showed that men no longer could dictate how women should dress.

In 1926 American Vogue named Coco Chanel little dress “a Ford”, meaning it’s simplicity and it’s potential for an enormous and long-lasting success. With introduction of it the world of fashion entered the age of standardization, which proved to be irreversible. The fashion for black came soon up to the beaches with the design of black bathing suits.

By Tatiana Sidorova

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Go-Black—Chanel-Little-Black-Dress&id=1782729

Prom-hairstyles.org
A collection of photos of hairstyles suitable for the prom or other special occasion.

2PromHairstyles: Prom Hairstyles
Prom hairstyle galleries include short and long hair, updos, and celebrity styles.

Hairboutique.com: Prom Styles
Suggested prom hairstyles, including braids, updos, celebrity trends, and styles for curly hair.

Prom Hair– 10 Extraordinary Updos
Prom Hair– 10 Extraordinary Prom Updos … More Prom Hair – - 10 Photos of Updos, Long Hair & More. Photo courtesy Hair Styles, Cuts & Do’s …

European Style vs. American Style

Europeans are much braver with fashion than Americans. For whatever reason, U.S. styles are a bit more traditional in length, color, and style. In France, Italy, England, and other hot spots in Europe, the girls have more freedom to express themselves through what they wear.

Styles from this area of the world will likely be shorter and more courageous. They will play with architecture and exotic prints. They will show more skin. And the lines of the tailoring will be very precise.

Styles that Give that European Flair

DG Designer style #1002P and 1002T are good examples. They are both the same outfit but in different colors. They are sweetheart cut mini dresses that use ruching and color blocking to give them a Roman vibe.

The color blocking is separated by rhinestone straps. They crisscross in the front and back creating geometric shapes that are filled with either light or dark ruched fabric. In #1002P, the fabric is lavender and eggplant. In #1002T, it is aqua and emerald.

DG Designer style #10113 is another example of what will be some of the best prom dresses 2011 in other countries. You will see ruching used again as a way to create allure. And it is also a mini dress.

This one comes in white and black, and it has a sheer scoop tank neckline. The sheer detailing is embroidered with jewels. If you look closely, you will see that the fabric ruching actually has a braided affect. This is also a very Roman inspired trend.

You really get a sense of how important elaborate architecture is in designs abroad in DG Designer style #1035. It comes in black and turquoise and right away you will notice more ruching. Ruching is used to exaggerate the wearer’s bust and hips for a more liberated look.

If you need another example, look for DG Designer style #1049B. You can really see the precision of style in this one. It is a two-tiered, off the shoulder mini. The top half is one color while the bottom half is black.

By Jodi Cressy

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Prom-Dresses-2011-With-European-Sensibility&id=5182998

Maybe you have searched over the web, flipped a lot of magazine pages, gone through window shopping, asked for your best friend’s advice, or even consult a fashion designer on what is totally “in” this year. But now, let me summarize all that you’ve got so far and provide you with a simpler fashion guide for 2010 prom dresses . Here goes:

I. Style

The style of the prom dress is the first most important thing to consider so as to ensure you are on the right trend. The typical popular styles for dresses for prom this year are short fitted dresses, like those you have seen the stars are wearing at Hollywood. Mostly they are strapless if the length is up to the knee or they have sleeves if it is above the knee.

II. Design

The most fashionable designs for prom dresses this year are those accentuated with jewels, beads, sequence and glitters. All you need is to make your prom dress sparkle and shine and you are completely in. This will not only make your dress stand out but it will also add glow to your face. You may search for more design ideas with dresses online .

III. Color

The most favorable colors for 2010 prom dresses are those bright, loud and printed ones. Out with the sexy black for white is the new elegant. You can also choose dresses that are colored red, magenta, green, violet, and royal blue. A variety of colors in a dress is also popular such as those accented with floral, waves, checkered or geometric prints.

By Ruben Licera Jr.

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Fashion-Guide-to-Prom-Dresses-2010&id=4923058

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