Before the 1920s, the color black was only worn in periods of mourning. Women who wore black were considered indecent or sinful. After the first world war, as well as the outbreak of Spanish Influenza, it became common in France to see women wearing black for long periods of time, and the stigma lifted somewhat.

A part of the “anti-corset” generation, Chanel invented much of women’s style as we know it. She once described her work as “nothing more than transform[ing] men’s clothing into women’s jackets, haircuts, ties and cuffs.” She worked hard to create clothes both simple and sophisticated, even if they created scandal.

Women were drawn to the dress by its simplicity, elegance and cost. A few years later, the Great Depression forced many people to economize, which increased the popularity of the little black dress as a cheap way to look smart.

Coco Chanel. Nettie Rosenstein, a New York-based designer, popularized the dress in the United States. Though some claim she invented the dress before Chanel, the evidence is slim. Elsa Schiaparelli, Chanel’s rival, put her own fantastic twist on the LBD, by introducing a wrap-around version.

“Chanel’s Ford,” as the press then called it, had long sleeves. Subsequent decades have removed the sleeves and shortened the hemline. Perhaps the most famous little black dress was worn by Audrey Hepburn for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” not to mention the one worn by Betty Boop. Today, every style guide trumpets the dress as a wardrobe staple for all women.

By Eli Aino

Article Source:    http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Brief-History-of-the-Little-Black-Dress&id=3690314

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

A Casual Look

One of the reasons men are drawn to black dress shirts is that black shirts no matter what style never seem to truly make it beyond the casual category. Unless you are the rare man that can make anything look stylish and formal it is best to avoid wearing that black shirt for job interviews and professional business meetings where the more formal business look is encouraged. That being said there are many occasions where a black dress shirt can make the perfect statement and even help you stand out and look smart.

Great Occasions to Wear a Black Dress Shirt

One occasion where a mens black dress suit can really stand out and make an impression is on a date where you want a dress casual look. Your date will be pleased that you took the trouble to wear a nice shirt, pants, and a tie for the occasion but did not go overboard. You can also wear a black dress shirt to the office if your dress policy is such that just dress shirts and pants are acceptable outfits. These shirts also go well at parties where you can either wear casual style slacks or jeans.

What Colors Go Well With a Black Dress Shirt

If you are going to wear a black dress shirt you are going to want to be extremely careful choosing what color of slacks and ties to go with this shirt. You are going to want to avoid wearing this shirt with a white suit unless you want to look to a movie hit man or someone who still disco dances. You also want to avoid a white tie and shoes as well. Most browns are also a pour choice to wear with your black suit as the two colors seem to class a bit and make you look a bit dull and boring. That being said here are some combination’s that look great with that black dress shirt.

Khaki pants in almost any shade except those tending to be more brown than tan will look great with your black shirt. Combine the pants with black shoes and belt.

By Tony X Jones

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Mens-Dress-Shirts—How-to-Wear-a-Black-Dress-Shirt&id=3979223

Don’t despair if you don’t own a black dress, you can always check out your local thrift or opportunity shop. Depending on the character chosen, look for a style which is simple and plain in design and sits either above the knee or ½ way up the thigh. We will describe in detail what style of dress is needed and keep in mind none are floor length.

You will have a gamut of characters to choose from for example; a Gangster girl, French maid, Flapper, Firefighter & Dracula’s vixen all of which you can wear to your next costume party.

Costume Idea 1: Gangster girls are generally known for their pinstripe ensembles, however here we will be using a sleeveless black dress and adding the accessories to complete the costume.

What you will need: black dress, black or white hat with contrasting band, short white tie, white beads, black fishnets, stilettos & tommy gun (optional).

Dress alterations: use either an A line or straight V neck dress (with sleeves or sleeveless is fine) and add a white collar (if you are handy, from an old shirt) or just keep the neckline as is.

Costume Idea 2: French maids are generally considered very feminine with their frilly dresses & high heeled stilettos.

What you will need: black dress, small frilly apron, lace headpiece, black fishnets, stilettos & feather duster (optional).

Dress alterations: use a V or round neck dress with sleeves, add gathered lace around neckline, sleeves and hemline by gluing or sewing.

Costume Idea 3: Charleston flappers were ladies from the 20s era, along with
Gangster’s moles who were known to titillate many of the mobsters by sometimes singing & flaunting their sex appeal in clubs and the like. Both wore similar style dresses adorned with tassels & accessorized with beads & boas.

By Mandy O’Connor

Article Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?5-Cheap-and–Easy-Costumes-To-Create-Using-a-Black-Dress&id=2211530

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 …

prom dress

Prom night is the most exciting night of high school life-and the most looked forward to. It is the night for dressing up in your best attire and creating an impression that would last as long as your childhood memories. Dressing up for the prom night is every girl’s dream.

prom dress

One thing’s for sure, minis will be “in” in 2011. The shorter the better is where style trends are headed. As you shop for the one you want to wear to prom, you may be cost comparing. Here’s what you can expect to pay for the best short prom dress 2011.

The Truth About Minis

We could joke around and say it’s the fault of global warming. Either way, minis keep getting shorter and girls love to wear them. There are hundreds to choose from and they range in price from medium to high.

Because they are so popular, you shouldn’t expect to pay less than you would for a longer gown. It is often thought that longer gowns are more expensive because there is more fabric being used. This is true, but there are other things to consider with a shorter look.

In some cases, more labor and tailoring goes into a shorter design. Rather than yard after yard of flat material, you are dealing with detailed hemming. There are bubble hems, ruffled hems, underlays, and overlays. All could add up to an equal amount of fabric and/or labor as a longer style.

Hot Short Dresses to Consider

Tony Bowls style #TS110596 will run you about $550 and here’s why – this is an extremely detailed maribou inspired strapless mini. It is almost as if it were constructed piece-by-piece with hand-applied ebony feathers of fabric. It is accented with dewdrops of sparkle.

And then there is Tony Bowls style #TS21005. This is a peach bouffant of fluffy tulle. The bodice is stitched with lace flowers, which trickle down into the tulle like rose petals. It is belted with an ambrosial pink satin sash.

By Jodi Cressy

Article Source:    http://ezinearticles.com/?What-You-Can-Expect-To-Pay-For-The-Best-Short-Prom-Dress-2011&id=5183012

Prom dress