The History of the Little Black Dress

The title of this post is a little misleading. It implies that you’re going to get a discussion on how the little black dress evolved, its origins, and how it became the iconic and timeless wardrobe classic that it is.

But really, all you’re going to get is pictures, because I really like pictures and hate reading little museum placards.

And that’s where I saw this, the Washington State History Museum where this was their current exhibit. My boyfriend, thoughtful guy that he is, knew that I’d enjoy the time warp back to the start of the little black dress. Let me tell you right now though, there was nothing “little” about it originally. They were voluminous and creepy, like something you’d see an Addams family grandma wearing.

You see what I mean? Doesn’t it look like gremlins should be hiding under that hideous skirt? I mean, YIKES. Wearing that is one way to mourn I guess. Losing a loved one and all sense of style.

This dress from the 1890’s is downright extravagant compared to some of the woeful, mournful, death like dresses from the 1880’s. I imagine a lace collar was worn underneath because this just seems so exposed for the time period. Am I right?!

These dresses do make me delight in what was “in” at the time. Awkward bosoms/torsos was apparently a fad in the 1900’s.

Watch out, dresses are getting shorter and sheerer! Roaring twenties – Yassss!

Oh, and this dress, I couldn’t help it. I uttered the word “Ugh” before my brain could fully process what I was seeing. What an unflattering dress. Bulky shoulders and details that narrow in on the most unflattering part of the waist. Hard. Pass. Even the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel would have a tough time pulling this off.

I’ve always loved this style of dress, but when you make it all black? It kinda ruins it. I need a big snappy red belt and polka dot print. I want excessiveness with this style!

Finally, a dress that fits the “Little Black Dress” moniker. I mean, it’s linked with a gown that looks like its based off what the pilgrims wore but we are getting there.

I’m positive I have a version of that spaghetti strap dress in my closet right now. No, it hasn’t been languishing in my closet for thirty years… I got it on Poshmark so it was languishing in someone else’s closet for thirty years. BOOM.

I’m not sure what era this outfit is supposed to be but it feels so millennial that a sense of entitlement gets me everytime I look at it. I think it’s the mixture of signs claiming to want to change the things we cannot accept while rocking a shirt that shows me you’re too damn lazy to pick out something to wear or to do your freaking laundry. I mean, come on, help me to take you seriously!

The exhibit actually had dresses that spanned the decades from the 1860’s up until the 2000’s, and they were all original to that decade — meaning that these were not remakes. Seeing the garb that women wore in the 1860s makes me forever grateful that nowadays, style of dress is MUCH more relaxed than it was then. But hey, if you want to hide gremlins under your skirt, the 1860s has *just* the dress for you!