The One Dress Every Woman Should Have in Their Closet

Are you wearing the wrong “Little Black Dress”?  Let’s face it, a black dress is a dime a dozen.  Any black dress doesn’t qualify as the “little black dress”.  The little black dress is the black dress that is the best looking black dress there is for you, no contest.  You should be able to grab it on a moments notice and wear it to virtually any occasion because it works every time.

There are many interpretations of “The Little Black Dress”.  In our 20’s we want that little black dress to be almost painted on, it’s short tight, sleeveless and shows off just how much sun, sleep and exercise we can crap in on a daily basis.  But soon after we have started to take our career pretty seriously and trade in that ample free time for a climb up the corporate ladder, own desires change and the little black dress should adapt too.

So what should the “Little Black Dress” look like in your 30’s and beyond?

Black Sheath Dress: The One Dress Every Woman Should Have in Their Closet

The black sheath dress is, without a doubt, the most versatile and powerful dress I have ever owned.  Don’t believe me: My sheath dress is from Macy’s and I bought it for under $100.  It looks soo good that this was the dress I wore when I went to meet with a Saks buyer at the Montage in Beverly Hills.  Not some fancy designer dress from that season to try and prove the collection was worthy of being in Saks because we dressed in their clothes too.  I wore a classic silhouette that was tasteful and showed that above all, I understood style and not just fashion trends. The dress killed and so did the collection because we landed our first client and shortly there after were shipping our products to Saks.

The Anatomy of a Black Sheath Dress

Color:

Black, always black unless you need multiple colors for your professional wardrobe.  As someone whose weight has yoyo-ed with two pregnancies in the past 3 years, black is slimming, period!

Neckline:

This should be higher and conservative. Rather than showing skin at your neckline, this dress allows for you to use a statement necklace to draw attention to your face instead of revealing more skin or cleavage. Normally you would never catch me in anything with this high of a neckline, but on the sheath dress, paired with all the other elements, it works.

Sleeve Length:

This should be either just above the elbow or sleeveless. Sleeveless is a fine alternative to make it slightly more youthful since you can still wear a blazer over it to cover the arms. For women who don’t love their arms or don’t have alot of muscle tone or a good tan, go with the sleeve. It will give her

Hemline:

The hemline on a sheath dress should always fall just above the knee. Cutting the dress above the knee makes your leg look long while still being appropriate for any occasion. I’ll do a whole separate post on tailoring one day because knowing where hemlines should fall can make you look about 10 pounds lighter.  On this particular dress, cutting them hemline right at the top of the knee gives the illusion that your legs are that skinny all the way up.

Waistline:

Where the waistline falls is very important. You want this waistline to hit your true waist.  What’s your true waist? Do I’m a little tea pot and tip over.  That spot where your body folds is your true waist.  Why is that spot so important, its were you are the most narrow.  Have that seam there work for everyone.  It balances a large bust, it balances wide hips, or it makes you look extra long and lean for the more boyish figures.

Vertical Seam Lines:

Construction is an overlooked and key element to a well fitting dress. These vertical seam lines allow for an overall closer fitting dress. Since the other elements of the dress (neckline, sleeve, and hemline) are conservative here is where you get to create your bombshell look with a smooth and sleek silhouette.

How to Wear Your Little Black Dress

Now the secret weapon of stylish people isn’t massive walk in closets, it’s knowing how to work what they have into many different looks and different looks that perfectly accentuate their body.  The black sheath dress is the perfect blank slate for fashionable self expression.  Check out some of the ways people have made this look their own and stretched the versatility of this fabulous dress

Summary

The single most important element when you buy your sheath dress is tailoring!  I purchased my Calvin Kline sheath dress from Macy’s for under $100 on sale.  But I then spent another $50 tailoring that dress to fit me like a glove!  That tailoring, makes all the difference in making this dress my perfect black dress for any occasion.  The brand doesn’t matter but how that dress fits you does!