Reinventing the Little Black Dress

Every woman has a little black dress. Let’s face it, they are one of the most versatile items women have in their closet. They can be worn just about everywhere in just about every setting – the office, the funeral, in the courtroom, during a barbecue, in church. Whatever the occasion or wherever it is, there is always at least one woman wearing a classic black dress.

The only problem with classic black dresses for women is that people get to see you wear it ever so often. “She’s wearing that black dress she wore to the office party – again!” We know times are hard and not everyone can afford a wardrobe change every week but even so, there are a number of cheap and creative ways to give black dresses for women new and improved looks. So how does one make sure that the black dress will not be easily recognizable the next time you wear it?

One way to go is to accessorize. We are not talking of adding a bit trinket here or a beaded piece there. We are talking of big, chunky accessories – one that can put Cleopatra to shame. The next time you wear your little black dress, add a dramatic neckpiece or large dangling earrings. A red snakeskin belt to cinch your waist will also do the trick. If last time you wore a simple pair of slingbacks with your little black dress, now is the time to bring out that knee-length rider boots in tan. The key here is to add a piece that can create quite an impact – and draw attention to it instead of the classic black dress.

Another way to reinvent classic black dresses for women is to add a bit of layering. A bomber jacket, a silk scarf, purple tights or fishnet stockings all make an outfit more interesting than wearing a black dress on its own.

blackdress2

If you are willing to part with how your classic black dress looks like now, you can try deconstructing it. This means changing the over all look of your black dress by shortening the hem, adding or removing sleeves or collars, sewing in some ruffles, adding a bit of patchwork or any permanent change done on your black dress. Be careful in deconstructing, though. If you have no experience working with needles or fabric glue, it is best to leave this job to the experts lest your little black dress becomes unwearable and ends up in the garbage.

If you do not want your black dress to be easily recognizable the next time you wear it, why not try to give it a short hiatus? Leave it at the back of the closet, never to be unearthed until the next year. Meanwhile, you can try wearing other colors in the meantime – white, beige and tan work well with other colors and can be easily matched with a variety of accessories too. Little white, tan or red dresses look great on just about any occasions as well. If you are unsure of which color to wear then why not do the next best thing and purchase another black dress?