FASHIONS Little black dress is a wardrobe staple for all seasons, occasions

With the addition of a bit of sparkle, the dress is a throwback to retro glamour.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
The classic little black dress has morphed into the sexy black cocktail frock for the holidays. It's slinky, shiny, sparkly, ruffled, tiered, sequined, beaded, feathered, fringed, asymmetrical, trimmed with lace or fur, and it has spaghetti straps that caress the shoulders or no straps for that look of bare elegance.
Retro glam is in, with flapper styles alongside designs that bring to mind Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge.
If the dress is simple, break out the baubles and go for full-on, all-out glitz. For a more dramatic dress, keep jewelry simple and secondary.
The look of the little black dress is universal and timeless, going from the holidays to Valentine's Day to summer soirees and then right back into winter.
Red is hot, too, and other colors occasionally compete for color-of-the-season, but the LBD rules as the grand dame of ladylike, special-occasion dressing.
Shows personality
"Black is always slimming and shows the personality of the person," said designer Diana Misetic, who owns a shop called Little Black Dress in Pittsburgh.
Misetic created several styles of black dresses for this season that feature fringe, lace, crystal and embroidered embellishment. They are cut in luxurious charmeuse and silk faille fabrics made by Jakob Schlapfer, a Swiss company that also supplies textiles to Chanel and Emanuel Ungaro.
Duchess satin and velvet are popular fabrics for black dresses during the holidays, said shop owner Catherine Szalinski. Among lots of colorful dresses, the store carries black cocktail dresses for holiday and resort by New York designer Lela Rose.
Feminine accents
"There's some interest in lace and embellishments like beading," said Szalinski. "Very, very feminine."
At the end of the evening, when the party is over and the chandelier earrings and high heels come off, the little black dress is a woman's wardrobe staple and "a good investment," said Misetic.
"It's a good time to buy a little black dress, especially in the hard economic times," she added. "You can wear it in all different seasons and for many years."