15 of the most iconic little black dresses of all time

Fashion historians credit Coco Chanel with popularizing the “little black dress” as haute couture in the 1920s.

Coco Chanel’s “little black dress” was shown at the auction. It sold for 1,500 pounds, which equates to $3,000, at Christie’s.

Bettmann/Getty Images

According to The Atlantic, an October 1926 issue of Vogue featured a sketch of a black, long-sleeved sheath dress made by Coco Chanel. The magazine’s editors predicted the dress would “become sort of a uniform for all women of taste.”

The outlet notes that little black dresses were already linked to the working class and those in mourning, but as it found its way into magazines and showrooms, the dress became popular for upper-class women as well. 

Vogue’s prediction proved to be true. The style took off and can now be found in a wide array of silhouettes, lengths, and sizes. The little black dress, commonly abbreviated as the “LBD,” has long been considered an iconic classic and a closet staple for many people — including celebrities.