What do we love more than life itself? An amazing Little Black Dress. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s hard to not love the variety, style, and timelessness of a Little Black Dress. The Little Black Dress, also known as the LBD, has been one of those golden fashion items for decades now.
Marie Claire gave us the history of the Little Black Dress, stating that it started in 1926 with Coco Chanel when “Vogue published a drawing of a simple black dress in crêpe de Chine. It had long narrow sleeves and was accessorized with a string of pearls. The publication dubbed it ‘Chanel’s Ford’, in other words, it was simple and accessible to women of all classes.” And it's true! Little Black Dresses can be styled for just about any occasion by just about anyone.
Everyone needs a good LBD. Not only do you see classic lines and traditional shapes in today’s Little Black Dresses, but you also see non-traditional takes. Puffy sleeves, sequins, and poofy skirts change the dress to make it whatever the wearer wants it to be. These celebrities have made the Little Black Dress their own, and (luckily) they were caught by the paparazzi just in time!
20 Gigi Hadid Brings The Fun Back To Little Black Dresses
This shot of Gigi Hadid is a great example of taking a classic style and turning it into your own look. The leopard print jacket is absolutely stunning and flows around her in such a way that it really does look like she’s floating. The shoes are the perfect strappy contrast to her flowing coat, which is the perfect golden hue to match her skin tone. The black dress is just structured enough to provide a contrast in the outfit, proving that Gigi Hadid isn’t just good at wearing clothes… She’s good at picking them, too!
The dress’s length is modest, but the front slit makes it sultry and fun.
The peek-a-boo with her legs is giving us total outfit envy, and her pulled back hair tops the whole thing off with a bit of effortless elegance. Where did the paparazzi capture this effortlessly gorgeous take on the classic Little Black Dress style? According to ET Online, she wore this outfit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Los Angeles. No wonder she looks so cool! She has to keep loose in order to stay cool in the Los Angeles weather. While the jacket wouldn’t be practical anywhere else, we can keep dreaming about it.
19 Kim Kardashian West Is Showing Off Every Curve In This LBD
Kim Kardashian is style queen. Not only has she been a trendsetter with hair, but she’s also been on the cusp of so many popular fashion trends. Kim Kardashian has an outstanding sense of fashion, and every dress she wears steals the spotlight, in our opinion; just look at any of her red carpet appearances over the last few years. She even looks fabulous no matter what’s going on with Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Even when pregnant she’s been at the top of her fashion game, as you can see from this sneaky photo.
The paparazzi caught Kim looking luxurious in her maternity Little Black Dress, which not only shows off her baby bump but all of her other iconic curves. The sunglasses keep her looking cool and relaxed as she heads out to do her grocery shopping in Calabasas, California, as Pulse reported. Yes, even superstars buy their own groceries sometimes, as Kim Kardashian has proved time and time again. The biggest difference? She always looks fabulous pushing the shopping cart, while we look like we just crawled out of bed. Maybe that’s just the power of the Little Black Dress; it instantly adds some glamor, even on our grossest of days.
18 But Kourtney Kardashian Might Be Our New Style Icon
Kourtney Kardashian always seemed like the wiser, sensible one of the clan. While Kim Kardashian always seemed to be the most famous one, Kourtney Kardashian has recently started to rank a little higher in the tabloids. Not to say that she wasn’t always famous; she definitely was. It’s most recently, however, that she’s really started to open up as one of the wild sisters.
This is seen in her fashion choices too!
Her brilliant body always seems to wear clothes well, but she’s recently started to get a little more daring in her day-to-day wear, at least from what we’ve seen.
This is highlighted through this paparazzi shot, which shows Kourtney Kardashian rocking this contemporary take on a Little Black Dress. Got Celeb reports that this was taken as she was getting out of the car at Delilah in Hollywood. A quick Google search tells us that Delilah seems to be a swanky restaurant, which is no surprise based on this gorgeous dress. Not only does it fit her well, but the collar gives it a sleek sense of drama. The length is absolutely not what we would have imagined from this sister who’s perceived as the most conservative of the bunch. She’s rocking it though, which makes us excited to see what she’s going to wear next!
17 Halsey Keeps Things Fun (Even With The Classics)
Now THAT is a dress! Talk about gorgeous. Can you believe that this started out as a traditional Little Black Dress?
The best thing about the dress is the fact that it can become anything anyone wants it to be. It can be weird, it can be sparkly, it can have sleeves, or it can be sheer. Halsey chose to adapt the Little Black Dress for her super cool, alternative style, and we love it. Not only did she take a traditional dress and make it wild, but she’s really integrated it into her whole look with dramatic earrings and smokey eyeshadow.
The dress itself has a puffed out skirt, which is made of ruffles and sparkles. The torso is fitted, speckled with glitter that looks like stars. Her hair is just the cherry on top, and her smile really lights up the whole look. DailyMail revealed that this paparazzi snap was captured after Halsey was finished at the Lorraine Schwartz party, which is where the singer wore this stunning take on a Little Black Dress. While the dress was worn for a fashion party, we think that it’s a great call for Halsey’s regular style, too. The look is a little edgy, super cool, and a twist on the traditional — very Halsey.
16 Julianne Hough Plays With Polka Dots
Julianne Hough has had a number of style successes over the years. While she’s had some flops along the way, her style has delighted us more than it’s made us cringe. Every dress she’s ever worn has also looked fabulous on her, even if the dress itself is a little weird. Take, for example, this look that was caught by the paparazzi. We couldn’t actually find where she was leaving from or what she was doing, but the photo looks clearly like she’s trying to catch up with someone.
Could this have been a low-key Little Black Dress to celebrate something? We’re certainly celebrating the dress!
The length is perfect for her lovely legs, and the shoes’ pointed shape mirrors the shape of the cutouts well. Plus, can we talk about that semi-sheer overlay?
While the triangular cutouts are edgy and cool, we’re really sold on them because of the polka dots. Not only do they add a bit of fun to the whole ensemble, but they make those gaps of skin even more sneaky. The same can be said for her polka dot sleeves, too. We love the fact that this dress takes the original shape of the LBD (long sleeves and all!) and turns it contemporary and fun.
15 Rihanna Knows That It's Not Just The Dress, It's The Whole Outfit
Just take a look at those shoes! We know that this article is about Little Black Dresses, but we just can’t ignore those incredible boots. Not only is the pattern dramatic, but they’re so tall! Thigh-high boots have certainly had their time in the spotlight, and this outfit helps us to see why. We can’t get enough of those shoes and would love to know where she got them. Plus, only Rihanna could coordinate the pattern on her boots to the pattern edging the top of her dress. The velvety looking fabric adds a level of luxury to the outfit, and the starburst-looking pattern certainly makes it fun.
Plus, the best part? Haus of Rihanna reports that this dress is actually a romper. It’s true! Rihanna’s incredible velvet dress and boot pair is actually a romper that she wore to the launch of her Fenty Beauty line, Haus of Rihanna says. Not only is it gorgeous and dramatic, but it’s practical too! Not pictured here is the large, jeweled flower (or potentially a starburst) in the back. Even without that accessory though, we know that this look is absolutely incredible… And talk about a twist on a classic! Leave it to Rihanna to elevate the LBD.
14 Selena Gomez Is No Stranger To The Little Black Dress
Leave it to Selena Gomez to not only rock a classic look but to appear absolutely chic and contemporary while doing it. Selena Gomez might not have the wild and daring style that some of her friends do, but her wearable classics are always crowd pleasers. Take this sleek LBD, for example. The paparazzi caught her at the best possible time, showing off the unique difference of her take on the LBD.
Due to the fact that a Little Black Dress is so personal for a person’s style, we believe that the chosen style says a lot about the celebrity wearing it. In this case, we can conclude that Selena Gomez is a classy woman who knows how to feature herself rather than her clothes. She appreciates the independence, however, that comes with being a trendsetter and going against typical expectations.
Her non-traditional choice of sleeves adds some fun to this dress, and it looks like she’s happy with her choice of styling.
While we can’t see her shoes, we’re sure that they only add to the refined-yet-original look that Selena is pulling off here in this updated version of an LBD. Classy, sultry, and it still shows off who she is: it’s a typical move for Selena Gomez fashion, but it works.
13 Kate Moss Knows The Perils Of This Fashion Staple All Too Well
We’ve heard a lot about the joys of the Little Black Dress. But what happens when they turn sinister? You don’t think about clothes having a dark side, but when there’s wind thrown into the mix… Skirts can quickly turn from a girl’s best friend to something that should be avoided at all costs. Huffington Post reports that Kate Moss decided to brave wearing a Little Black Dress to lunch with her friend.
Huffington Post says that the wind caught the skirt and lifted it delicately up as she was walking into the Ivy restaurant in London. For any celebrity, this would feel like a scandal in the making, but for Kate Moss… Well, this famous model has had many a revealing photoshoot in the past. While the paparazzi were eager to capture the moment, it seems like they were more focused on catching her in unflattering poses rather than getting a shot of the underskirt itself.
Honestly? We’re grateful that they were a little more respectful this time around, but have a steady-growing hatred for Moss’s dress. How dare it betray her like that! This is just proof that you really do need to respect the tradition to have it respect you… Or, just try a Little Black Onesie the next time there’s a breeze.
12 Jennifer Lawrence Is Contemporary And Cool, With A Touch Of Glamor
Jennifer Lawrence, the most beautiful soul on maybe all of planet Earth, made an incredible appearance rocking this not-so-little black dress. Yes, while “little” might be in the title, these dresses don’t always adhere to that rule. The “little” is more a statement on the amount of effort it takes to put them on and to look good. A Little Black Dress just needs to fit you well, show off your assets, and make you feel like a goddess… All of which seem to be present in this styling by Jennifer Lawrence.
Long gone are the days of her awkward red carpet photos, as we believe that she’s got that photo-pose action down pat now; just look at how she’s posed perfectly for such an out-of-the-blue paparazzi photo!
Honestly, a lot of that is probably the dress. Showing off her legs is a strong choice for this hardworking actress, as she’s got an incredible shape. The softness of her dress is juxtaposed by the rough-and-tumble-ness of her leather jacket, and her simple-but-sleek hair is topping off the look. Where did she rock this outfit? DailyMail tells us none other than London's Chiltern Firehouse. We’d believe it; this look screams ‘fancy dinner’. We might just have to steal it for our next dinner date…
11 Caitlyn Jenner Knows How To Rock A Business Casual LBD
Caitlyn Jenner definitely knows how to rock a classically beautiful outfit, like this business casual Little Black Dress. This is really what we think Coco Chanel had in mind when she first conceptualized of the LBD. Long sleeves, a shorter hem, a fitted waist, and a lower neckline that shows off your chest (while retaining your privacy). Caitlyn Jenner is proof that you don’t need to mess with something in order to have it be fresh and new. You can wear the classic and still have it look contemporary. She knows this, which is probably why she hasn’t hesitated to rock it.
Caitlyn Jenner has done some creative work with accessorizing though, which is part of what has made this dress so easily transferable to 21st-century fashion. The hoop earrings bring the dress from being just something she threw on to being a fashion-conscious decision. The clutch gives the look a little texture, as well as some pattern that makes this stand out as an outfit that’s really special. While the color palette is very much in the dark tones, that white in her purse adds dimension and flatters the Little Black Dress… Rather than overpowering it, as so many accessories can do!
10 Taylor Hill Is A Vision In Velvet
Taylor Hill is one of our personal fashion icons, and you can see why when you’re looking at this dress. Not only does she look absolutely fabulous, but it seems so effortless and simple. The dress is short, which isn’t a bad thing for Hill. She’s got the confidence to pull off a shorter hemline, what with being a model. The neckline is a little different from some of the other dresses we’ve seen so far, too.
While we’re normally seeing a plunge, sweetheart, or straight-across cut, this dress is a little more curved.
It looks almost like it’s been reversed from what a typical neckline looks like. That is, instead of curving downward, it’s curving upwards. Talk about a unique shape! For whatever reason, it looks incredibly good. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s not normally a shape we see in clothing. It catches our eye because it’s not exactly the typical look. That’s a lot of Taylor Hill’s style; if you check out any of her red carpet photos you’ll see other examples of outfits that have a slight twist to them; a shirt being sheer instead of solid, and things like that. We absolutely love Taylor Hill’s understated daring look, and hope that this look makes a reappearance… Either on her or in our closets!
9 Kate Hudson Looks Strong In This Bold, Black Dress
Okay, we know you can’t see the full dress, but we just had to include it. It’s too good to pass up, especially when we’re looking at twists on the classic LBD. This one has twists right in the front! This is a move we usually see on the back of the dress. “Twisted” typically means the straps on the back torso or even the back of the dress itself. A feature like this is unique and creative, and exactly what we’d expect from a stunner like Kate Hudson. We needed a few more details about this dress, so we decided to do some digging.
According to Mirror, Kate Hudson wore this unique outfit out on a date with Nick Jonas. And get this… It’s another hidden playsuit! When you see it from the knee up, it looks like a dress with a flowing skirt and a twisted top. But, when you get the head to toe picture, you see that the legs are actually split — perfect for dancing the night away! Whether you think this is a unique take on an LBD or more of a take on the typical jumpsuit doesn’t really matter; we think that this outfit is chic, contemporary, and fits in the spirit of an LBD. She looks good, she looks like she feels good, and the classic black color can never look bad. This is one outfit we hope that we’ll see on Kate Hudson again.
8 Jada Pinkett-Smith Looks Lovely In Leather
Jada Pinkett-Smith is one of the most gorgeous celebrities out there, and this spur of the moment photo just convinces us even more. Regardless of how you feel about leather, you have to admit that this is a strong look. Pinkett-Smith has really outdone herself with this look, and for good reason. Leather Celebrities lets us know that she was wearing this to The Ivy in London, which was probably for some sort of afterparty. Another quick search gave us an insight from FashionKulture which told us that this was a quick change out of her Magic Mike XXL premiere look.
While we wouldn’t consider a leather dress to be a comfortable change out of your red carpet wear, when you’re Jada Pinkett-Smith you can basically wear anything and get away with it.
The dress itself was a great choice for her. Not only did it fit her well, but the halter cut was a great choice to show off her arms. The horizontal striping on the top half of the dress adds interest, which makes us happy; while we know she could rock a plain leather dress, it’s nice to see some creativity being thrown into the mix. Plus, it means she could pull off going lighter with her accessories; that’s important if you’re having to change halfway through the night.
7 Victoria Beckham Pairs Her Little Black Dresses With An Adorable Accessory
Look at that little face! Victoria Beckham is really taking the accessorizing thing seriously by adding an adorable baby on her hip to accessorize this dress. The accent of the child is cute, even though she was probably carrying them out of necessity. We will say that it was a great choice to match Beckham’s Little Black Dress with the child’s. Yes, that looks to us like a unique take on the LBD. While we don’t think that will fit the baby forever, it’s definitely a cute touch for right now. They can upgrade later on.
Victoria Beckham herself looks to be rocking a classic cut for this dress. The high neckline makes it practical, while the short skirt shows off some skin. If anyone could get away with it, though, it’s Victoria Beckham. She’s paired the dress with an all-purpose bag that’s probably hiding more baby stuff than celebrity essentials, which we absolutely love. Just look at her shoes as well! We can barely walk in heels as it is, let alone while we’re carrying a baby. She’s got a lot going for her in this outfit, and we have to respect the power of this super mama. Did we mention how perfect her sunglasses are as well?
6 Taylor Swift Looks Confident Is This Summery LBD
In the same way that Halsey adds twists on the classics, Taylor Swift seems to rock them with no desire to change them up. We respect that. Why mess with something when it’s already perfect? Classics exist for a reason, which is especially true in the case of the Little Black Dress. While some people prefer to add their unique sense of style to the dress, others aren’t keen on messing with something that’s been the holy grail of fashion for so long. We’re guessing Taylor Swift is one of those people, as she was caught rocking a classic Little Black Dress.
Her red lipstick and straight blonde hair created a typical Taylor look… one that screams “I’m effortlessly chic!”
The dress itself is a straight-cut along the bottom with a slight faux slit up the side. Her sleeves have some ruffle to them, which gives some much-needed movement to this seemingly straight dress. We love it! We also love the way her boots top the whole thing off. Who says you can’t wear a big, chunky heel with a delicate LBD? We say that you definitely can, and you can definitely see Taylor Swift pulling it off.
5 Angelina Jolie Reminds Us They Can Still Be Casual
Angelina Jolie might not be our style icon, but she’s definitely got a specific style. She’s a fan of a good LBD, as you can see by checking out any of her past red carpet looks. It seems she’s a fan of playing it casual in her regular life, but she’s not willing to give up her classic Little Black Dress looks. This turtleneck knit dress is a look that only Jolie could pull off. Not only does it seem to not really have a shape to it, but it’s also just… A sweater. We’re not sure if that’s actually a dress.
Angelina Jolie is certainly rocking it though, so we’ll let her have it. DailyMail reported that she rocked this look “for Deadline Hollywood's seventh annual The Contenders event in West Hollywood,” giving us major envy for anyone who got to meet her. It’s a little low-key in terms of a red carpet dress, but the paparazzi didn’t seem to mind; there’s plenty of photos out there of her rocking this casual take on an LBD. We’re just surprised it happened to be for an official gathering! This seems more like a grocery shopping dress than a meeting dress. But hey, at this point Angelina can wear whatever she wants.
4 Meghan Markle's Royal Style Is A Little Black Dress Dream
Ever wondered how the royals rock LBDs? Apparently very well. While Meghan Markle wasn’t officially a royal yet when this photo was snapped, we think that she’s looking absolutely regal in this outfit. People magazine mentions that this was the dress she wore for the London Women’s Empowerment reception, which makes sense to us. She looks incredibly powerful in this dress featuring bold cuts and an asymmetrical collar. The sleeves and collar add a bit of interest to this otherwise traditional dress, which is the perfect metaphor for Meghan welcoming her new royal life.
She’s a fresh, young face entering the royal family with grace, poise, and wisdom beyond her years.
She’s got new ideas but a strong sense of tradition and loyalty, which makes her and Harry incredibly well suited. We think that she’s going to have an incredible life; one that matches her incredible personality and incredible looks. This dress is a great fit for her, and we believe it flaunts everything she’d want to flaunt, while still retaining her regal elegance. What more could you want in a Little Black Dress? Not much. Plus, did you catch her accessories? That clutch is gorgeous and those shoes are certainly making a statement. You’d never catch the Queen in those, but Meghan? She can totally pull them off.
3 Rosie Huntington-Whitely Stuns In This Standout Dress
Yes, Rosie Huntington-Whitely is pregnant here. And yes, she does have an absolutely rocking LBD on. DailyMail tells us that she wore this out and about during date night in New York City. Talk about beautiful! She and her partner, Jason Stratham, look absolutely lovely in matching black ensembles. Her shoes with the heel and the golden strap match her gold hoop earrings, a detail that only Rosie Huntington-Whitely would think to match, and the clutch is an easy-to-carry accent that is giving her that touch of glamor that ties the whole outfit together.
She’s topped the ensemble off with a satin jacket that is absolutely gorgeous, looking a little more structured on top, but long and flowy on the bottom. Brilliantly paired and beautifully constructed, this outfit is a perfect match for Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's style. From the tight-fitting dress to the long and flowing business-meets-casual jacket, we love the fact that she’s rocking this outfit. Who says you can’t rock such a short skirt while you just so happen to be pregnant; it’s proof that you don’t have to give up the clothes you love just because you’re having a baby. Your body might change but your style doesn’t have to, right Rosie?
2 Hailey Baldwin Is Pushing The Boundaries Of The LBD...
Every so often a dress appears that makes us shake our head. It’s not that the dress is bad. It’s just… Not really a dress. In the case of Hailey Baldwin, this is more of a wearable art piece. Sometimes stars really want to impress everyone. Take, for example, the Met Gala. Everyone knows that that’s where stars who want to shine really show off. They get their fanciest, most elaborate outfits together and rock the red carpet.
Hailey Baldwin has always taken that elaborate outfit standard and put it into practice in her regular life too.
Take, for example, this intricate outfit. Hailey Baldwin is very good at putting extremes into her outfits. The dress itself is short, but it’s interesting. There’s angles to it that capture the eye, and textures that make us stare just a little longer than we should. The placement of that lightning bolt in the centre of her outfit surprisingly draws attention upwards. Adding the polka dots to the inside of it gives it a touch of quirkiness that is oh-so-Hailey. Plus, by adding the long jacket on top she’s not only warm, but she’s also playing with the extreme opposites of the jacket and dress. And can we talk about that accessory? Those earrings top the whole thing off in the perfect fashion.
1 ...While Kendall Jenner Is Rocking The Poof
You might be surprised that Kendall Jenner is rocking something so sweet, but there’s actually a whole lot of sassiness happening in this style. Coco Chanel created the LBD, as we discussed before, to be an every woman’s style. As many people as there are in the world there’s an iteration of the Little Black Dress. No matter what your style is, you can find something to match it. Some celebrities really jump on the LBD train and have closets stuffed full of different styles. Some, like Kendall Jenner, like to play with the tradition of the Little Black Dress.
She’s had many different iterations of the LBD, and this one is by far the sassiest. While the puff of skirt might make you think that this look is sweet, the length of the skirt is reminiscent of a sassy mini dress. The torso is a beautifully layered look, knotted at the mid-chest and wrapping around her arms. The straps, had they both been vertically placed, would have made this dress look incredibly sweet. With the one strap off her shoulder, though, it’s picking up sassy status quick. Leave it to celebrities to subvert our ideas of what a Little Black Dress can be.
References: marieclaire.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk, people.com, dailymail.co.uk, fashionkulture.com, leathercelebrities.com, mirror.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk, huffingtonpost.com, hausofrihanna.com, dailymail.co.uk, gotceleb.com, pulse.ng, etonline.com
