Jet Black Jewelry

Little Black Dress

A little black dress is an evening or cocktail dress, cut simply and often with a short skirt, originally made popular in the 1920s by the fashion designer Coco Chanel. Intended by Chanel to be long-lasting, versatile, affordable, accessible to the widest market possible and in a neutral color. Its continued ubiquity is such that many refer to it by its abbreviation, LBD.

<a href=”http://www.himfr.com/buy-four_colors/”>four colors</a>The “little black dress” is considered essential to a complete wardrobe by many women and fashion observers, who believe it a “rule of fashion” that every woman should own a simple, elegant black dress that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion: for example, worn with a jacket and pumps for daytime business wear or with more ornate jewelry and accessories for evening. Because it is meant to be a staple of the wardrobe for a number of years, the style of the little black dress ideally should be as simple as possible: a short black dress that is too clearly part of a trend would not qualify because it would soon appear dated.

Prior to the 1920s, black was reserved for periods of mourning and considered indecent when worn outside such circumstances, such as depicted in John Singer Sargent’s painting, Portrait of Madame X. A widow’s mourning dress was closely observed at a time when details in fashion conveyed a sophisticated symbolic language. During the Victorian and Edwardian ages, a widow was expected to wear several stages of mourning dress for at least two years. mourning required the woman to wear plain black clothing with absolutely no decoration for the first year and a day of mourning. The second stage lasted nine months and permitted the wearing of black silk. In rdinary mourningfor three months, the widow could accessorize only with black ribbon, lace, embroidery, or jet jewelry. The final six months of Half-mourning allowed the bereaved to wear muted or neutral colors: shades and tints of purple were most common. Because of the number of deaths in World War I, plus the many fatalities during the Spanish flu epidemic, it became more common for women to appear in public wearing black.

In 1926 Gabrielle Chanel published a picture of a short, simple black dress in Vogue. It was calf-length, straight, and decorated only by a few diagonal lines. Like the Model T, the little black dress was simple and accessible for women of all social classes. Vogue also said that the LBD would become  sort of uniform for all women of taste.

The little black dress continued to be popular through the Great Depression, predominantly through its economy and elegance, albeit with the line lengthened somewhat. Hollywood’s influence on fashion in North America helped the little black dress’s popularity, but for more practical reasons: as Technicolor movies became more common, filmmakers relied on little black dresses because other colors looked distorted on screen and botched the coloring process. During World War II, the style continued in part due to widespread rationing of textiles and in part as a common uniform (accessorized for businesswear) for civilian women entering the workforce.

The rise of Dior’s “New Look” in the post-war era and the sexual conservatism of the 1950s returned the little black dress to its roots as a uniform and a symbol of the dangerous woman. Hollywood femmes fatales and fallen women characters were portrayed often in black halter-style dresses in contrast to the more conservative dresses of housewives or more wholesome Hollywood stars. Synthetic fibers made popular in the 1940s and 1950s broadened the availability and affordability of many designs.

The generation gap of the 1960s created a dichotomy in the design of the little black dress. The younger “mod” generation preferred, in general, a miniskirt on their versions of the dress and designers catering to the youth culture continued to push the envelope – shortening the skirt even more, creating cutouts or slits in the skirt or bodice of the dress, using sheer fabrics such as netting or tulle. Many other women in the 1960s aspired to simple black sheath dresses similar to that designed by Hubert de Givenchy and worn by actress Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

The 1970s did see some little black dresses. Some were lacy and feminine, some, like Bill Blass’ were simple and normal. Others were skimpier. However, colors rather than black were preferred for women’s fashion, especially for the disco or jet set.

The popularity of casual fabrics, especially knits, for dress and business wear during the 1980s brought the little black dress back into vogue. Coupled with the fitness craze, the new designs incorporated details already popular at the time such as broad shoulders or peplums: later in the decade and into the 1990s, simpler designs in a variety of lengths and fullness were popular. The grunge culture of the 1990s saw the combination of the little black dress with both sandals and combat boots, though the dress itself remained simple in cut and fabric. The new glamour of the late 1990s and into the 21st century have led to new variations of the dress but, like the 1970s, color has re-emerged as a factor in fashion and formalwear again shows an aversion against black.

Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany epitomized the Chanel ideal for wearing little black dresses, accessorized with pearls, as was frequently seen throughout the early 1960s. Betty Boop, a cartoon character based in part on the 1920s’ “It Girl” Clara Bow, was drawn wearing a little black dress in her early films, though with Technicolor, Betty’s dress became red.

Wallis Warfield Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, was known to own several little black dresses and said much in praise of the garments. One quote of the Duchess: hen a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.Edith Piaf, the French folk icon, performed in a black sheath dress throughout her career: for this habit she was nicknamed ittle black sparrow.It was thought that the dress helped audiences focus more on Piaf’s singing and less on her appearance.

About the Author

Himfr is a scholar, focusing his research on Chinese cultures. If you are interested in purchasing China goods, please visit www.himfr.com

Guess Haul Part 2: Shoes, Purses, & Jewelry

Vintage 1928 Jewelry Co. Jet Black Cabachon Bar Brooch $0.91

(2000) JEWELRY ROUND JET BLACK*GLASS SEED BEADS SZ 10/0 $1.00

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Czech 15×14mm fancy jet black Jewelry glass Bead 30 $7.00

Czech 14mm jet black leaf fancy jewelry Glass Bead 40pc $7.00

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Handmade Jet Black Horn HAIR JEWELRY STICK PIN tribal! $7.31

Czech 8mm jet black round flat jewelry spacer Bead 100 $8.00

Czech 8mm jet black round flat jewelry spacer Bead 100 $8.00

Czech 8mm jet black round flat jewelry spacer Bead 100 $8.00

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Buffalo HORN Butterfly HAIR JEWELRY STICK PIN jet black $8.23

Czech 9mm shell jet black AB jewelry Glass Bead 50 pcs $9.00

Vintage jewelry Julianna Brooch? jet black glass stones $9.99

Jet Black Pearl & Stone Necklace Set Costume Jewelry $11.19

Jet Black Pearl & Stone Necklace Set Costume Jewelry $11.19

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Olivia Mele & Co. Rounded Purse Style Croco Faux Leather Jewelry Box in Jet Black $35.00 Mele & Co. Croco Faux Leather fashion jewelry box in Jet Black. Rounded purse style. Interior mirror. Top compartment features two open sections, removable earring cards, ring rolls, and one covered compartment. Both drop down sides house three necklace hooks each, plus shirred catch pockets. Drop front reveals two open drawers. Ivory sueded fabric lining. Faux leather handle and tabbed closure. S…

Swarovski Pendants #6744 Flowers 14mm Jet Black (4) $4.10 Genuine Swarovski Crystal Beads The Brilliance of Austrian Crystal Simply Can’t Be Matched COLOR & FINISH: Jet STYLE: Flower Pendant Bead STYLE NUMBER: 6744 SIZE: 14mm x 7.5mm at center OTHER MEASUREMENTS: Hole is 1.2mm in diameter, and 3mm long QUANTITY: 4 …

Faceted Glass Bead Fits Pandora Jet Black 14mm (1) $1.99 Beautiful Faceted Cut Glass Silver Tone Grommet CoreOpaque “Jet Black”Sparkling faceted glass bead will fit right in with your Pandora charms.These large hole round beads are faceted on all sides.The hole is lined with silver color base metal, grommet style. This protects the glass from any friction that occurs with wear. Center is not threaded, it will simply slide on to your chain. These bead…

Hair Clip – H80 – Banana Style Encrusted in Swarovski ™ Crystal Stones ~ Jet & Blk Diamond (Black and Grey) (ap) $18.95 Absolutely stunning!! Swarovski TM crystal stones stud this gorgeous hair clip and turns any hairstyle into a glamorous statement. Perfect accessory for a french twist “do”. Hair clip measures 5-1/2″ long, tapers down from 5/8″ wide down to 1/4″ wide and tapers from 7/8″ tall down to 1/8″ tall….

Hair Clip – H80 – Banana Style Encrusted in Swarovski ™ Crystal Stones ~ Jet & Blk Diamond (Black and Grey) $18.95 Absolutely stunning!! Swarovski TM crystal stones stud this gorgeous hair clip and turns any hairstyle into a glamorous statement. Perfect accessory for a french twist “do”. Hair clip measures 5-1/2″ long, tapers down from 5/8″ wide down to 1/4″ wide and tapers from 7/8″ tall down to 1/8″ tall….

Hair Clip – H88 – Butterfly Wings set with Swarovski ™ Crystal Stones ~ Jet Black and Hematite (Gunmetal) $22.00 Absolutely stunning!! Swarovski TM crystal stones stud this gorgeous hair clip and turns any hairstyle into a glamorous statement. Perfect for a little added sparkle on that special occasion. Hairclip measures 5/8″ from top to bottom, 1-3/8″ from wing to wing and 1/2″ wide….

Ladies Brush Metal Black Round Bracelet Watch $29.99 This is a beautiful bracelet watch that will add a completed look to your outfit when you want a watch and some fashion to go together. Each circular piece is a little more than 1″ in diameter, watch face is about 1/2″ in diameter. Watch measures 8″ in length. This is a beautiful watch yet simple and is a perfect item for gift giving or for yourself. This watch comes to you in a foil gift box thou…

Antique Style Jet Black Stone Necklace and Earring Set in Fancy Gift Box with Free Shipping $27.99 Elegant style with high glossy finish will look perfect on you. This is fancy looking but modest priced gift item which upgrades your look or anybody but not break your bank account. Dazzling femine features and Distinctive design are definitely a must item on your wardrobe….

Bling Jewelry Jet Gray & Black Austrian Crystal Crescent-Shaped Evening Bag $559.99 The most elegant bridal party accent of the year is this sensational Evening Bag! This bag’s stunning design features a palette of shadowy black and jet gray hand-glued Austrian crystals on a crescent-shaped frame to create a modern twist on the handbag trend! The leather-lined interior includes genuine leather and spare crystals, and a detachable strap with chain-detailing for added interest. At …

NFL Kids’ FF-NYJ Future Star Series New York Jets Black Watch $21.95 Every young sports fan dreams of someday becoming a “Future Star”. Now Game Time offers a watch specially designed for the next generation of sports fans. The Future Star Series features a simple and comfortable Velcro® strap that is easy for little hands to put on and take off and sized to fit small wrists. The face of the watch features easy to read glow-in-the-dark hands and numbers, perfec…

Murano Heart Pendant and Jet Black Crystal Jewelry Set $22.09 Let this flexible jewelry set decorate your style for a dressy night out on the town, a day at the office or for a normal day out and about. The necklace and earrings offer jet black crystals with a Murano-inspired glass heart pendant.

Alpaca Silver Handmade Gala Onyx Jewelry Set (Peru) $29.99 This necklace and earring set will make a stylish statement about you. Handcrafted in Peru from alpaca silver and onyx stones, this jewelry set will add a unique touch any outfit.

Sterling Silver Elegance Onyx and Pearl Jewelry Set (9 mm) (USA) $48.99 With the latest fashion, this black onyx and white pearl necklace has an asymmetrical design. The jewelry also includes a matching pair of earrings.

14k Black Hills Gold & Silver Men’s Onyx Ring $45.49 Click here for Ring Sizing ChartOnyx ring with black hills gold leaf designSilver with 14k Black Hills gold band

Charming Life 14k Goldfill Black Onyx Necklace and Earring Set $32.49 Black onyx gemstone necklace and earring set are a classic jewelry essentialOnyx briolette stones are beautifully facetedCrafted of 14k goldfill, this lovely set makes a wonderful addition to your jewelry collection