Rocking a sophisticated Little Black Dress (LBD) is somewhat of a female rite of passage thanks to Coco Chanel, who is considered to have first introduced women to this wardrobe necessity. Prior to the 1920s, women only when black when in mourning. In 1926 Chanel changed all of that when her LBD graced the pages of Vogue. The magazine called the dress “Chanel’s Ford,” because like the Model T car, it was accessible to all social classes. From that moment on, black clothes and the LBD were in. Done right, the LBD is supremely chic and is an essential item in a woman’s wardrobe. Fashion icons like Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy, and Audrey Hepburn, just to name a few have all sported the perfect LBD throughout the decades, and it’s not going out of style any time soon.
The simplicity and elegance of the LBD makes it a go-to choice for many celebrity situations, especially sticky ones–like going to court. Properly advised celebs, like Nicole Ritchie and Amber Heard know that while the LBD demands respect it also shows that the wearer understands her audience. While maintaining an element of glamour, the LBD-wearing celeb is able to communicate her respect for the law without her lawyer or her ever opening her mouth. Rihanna perfected this look in an LA courthouse when she attended the preliminary hearing in which Chris Brown faced charges of assaulting her. Her LBD was stylish enough for the paparazzi outside the courtroom, but modest enough in front of the judge.