The little black dress is a wardrobe staple that you can wear all year long, for everything from a first date to a cocktail party to the ballet. Therefore, finding a little black dress that makes you feel fabulous for both its fashion and its comfort is almost as important as finding the perfect purse. Also, a great little black dress can be dressed up or down in so many different ways that nobody will ever know you’re wearing the same outfit twice. Whether you’re going to go strapless, strappy, cap sleeved, long sleeved, V-neck, scoop neck, long, or short, finding a great little black dress will save you from staring vacantly into your closet and bemoaning yet another party just because you’ve got nothing to wear.
It’s imperative that you think about your body type when picking a little black dress. While it’s true that black is slimming, the wrong cut can create an undesirable effect. What physical attributes do you love about yourself? What aspects do you want to play down?
A strapless dress is great for anyone with a smaller chest, broad shoulders, or a long neck. It draws attention toward the face, which makes it easy to dress up with fancy earrings or an updo, or to dress down with casual accessories. Strapless dresses look wonderful with heels for a dramatic effect, but if you’re going to a simple affair in which the attention should be focused on something or someone else, you might opt instead for some fun, colorful ballet flats. The most important thing is that a strapless dress stays up without your having to yank at it all night. Looking uncomfortable is totally unflattering.
A long sleeved V-neck wrap around dress looks lovely on pretty much everyone, and works especially well on women with larger chests and a curvy physique. This style in jersey knit is especially versitile because it can be worn to the office or to a party and it will also travel well.
The strappy black dress is perfect if you have a beautiful neckline, nice shoulders, and great arms. A strappy dress with a full skirt is good for hiding heavy thighs and bottoms in order to balance out your figure. Look for something with a v-neck or sweetheart neckline, and stay away from anything that cuts straight across, which can be harsh on any body.