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Coco Chanel's influence -

Before there was the LBD, there was Coco Chanel. The legendary designer was a huge fan of black, and in 1926, Vogue magazine published a drawing of a simple black Chanel dress with long sleeves. Dubbing it "Chanel's Ford," a reference to the widely accessible (and black) car, the magazine asserted that it would become "a sort of uniform for all women of taste."

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Lauren Bacall -

The fashion press had it right: the black dress became a style staple through the next decades. Actress Lauren Bacall was elegant in this long-sleeve look from circa 1945.

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Joan Crawford -

By the 1950s, a few more flounces and frills joined the little black dress party. Joan Crawford showcased the look in fine style in 1952.

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Marilyn Monroe -

The long sleeves also slipped away for some wearers in the 1950s. Marilyn Monroe will forever be remembered as a true blonde bombshell in her often-worn little black dresses.

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Audrey Hepburn -

Another famed wearer of the sleeveless little black dress, Audrey Hepburn cemented the iconic status of the look in the 1961 film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.'

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Catherine Deneuve -

Later that same decade, French actress Catherine Deneuve modeled a sleeveless Yves Saint Laurent dress with a belt sitting above the hips.

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Diana, Princess of Wales -

The little black dress is elegant enough for royalty, as evidenced many times by Diana, Princess of Wales. She wore chic black dresses on many occasions, including this 1985 trip to the White House to attend a ball hosted by Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

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Elizabeth Hurley - Elizabeth Hurley shot to global fame on the back of "That Dress." Held together with giant golden safety pins, her revealing black gown caught the world's attention when she wore it to accompany Hugh Grant to the 1994 premiere of 'Four Weddings and a Funeral.'

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Reese Witherspoon -

In a look that positively screams "the '90s," Reese Witherspoon teamed her spaghetti-strapped LBD with bare legs and knee-high boots.

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Victoria Beckham -

Famed for her love of very little black dresses during her time with the Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham kept hemlines and heels high, as shown here in 1997.

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Kate Moss -

Tiny straps were all the rage in the 1990s. Kate Moss showed off the look in top model style in 1999.

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Gwyneth Paltrow -

Gwyneth Paltrow kept it sleek and simple with her strapless black gown at the 2000 premiere of the movie 'Bounce.'

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Nicole Kidman and Catherine Zeta-Jones -

Oscar-winning actresses Nicole Kidman and Catherine Zeta-Jones were a double whammy of little black dress glamor as they picked up their Oscars in 2003.

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Angelina Jolie -

Little black dresses don't have to sit above the knee in order to turn heads. Angelina Jolie absolutely slayed in this dress at the 2004 premiere of her film 'Alexander.'

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Naomi Campbell -

Naomi Campbell showed off her super-long limbs in this stunning look at the 2004 Fashion Rocks concert in New York.

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Jennifer Aniston -

Another star who regularly rocks a little black dress, Jennifer Aniston wowed with this look at the 2006 UK premiere of her film 'The Break Up.'

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Kylie Minogue -

Petite Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue was all smiles in her classy little black dress at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

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Madonna -

Madonna looked almost demure the same year, in her longer take on the little black dress.

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Sarah Jessica Parker -

Sarah Jessica Parker always gives her outfits a fun twist, so it's no surprise that this 2010 look was a little jazzier than the standard LBD.

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Victoria Beckham -

By the 2010s, fashion designer Victoria Beckham's little black dress style had changed considerably from her Spice Girl days. She wore this chic look on a New York runway in 2012, as she presented her Victoria Beckham Spring 2013 collection.

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Jennifer Lawrence -

In 2014, actress Jennifer Lawrence was chic in a long-sleeved little black dress as she promoted her film 'Serena.'

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Halle Berry -

Proving that any sleeve length works with the little black dress, Halle Berry's long-sleeved look at the 2017 Cannes Lions Festival was sheer chic.

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Cara Delevingne -

In a look reminiscent of the 1990s, model Cara Delevingne rocked a spaghetti-strap dress and thigh-high boots in 2018.

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Kim Kardashian -

Fellow trendsetter Kim Kardashian went for a longer version the same year, in a dramatic look that enhanced her famous curves.

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Charlize Theron -

Stunning Charlize Theron went for the littlest of little black dresses, as she promoted her aptly-titled 2019 movie 'Bombshell.'

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Reese Witherspoon -

From spaghetti straps to one long sleeve, Reese Witherspoon's LBD style had evolved by the time she stepped up to the stage at the Country Music Association (CMA) awards in 2019.

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Kendall Jenner -

Kendall Jenner proved that even a pandemic mask couldn't spoil the appeal of the little black dress. She was spotted out and about in this look in 2021.

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Bella Hadid -

Top model Bella Hadid was beautiful in her sleek modern take on the little black dress as she attended a benefit event during Art Basel Miami in 2019.

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Gigi Hadid -

Proving beyond all doubt that the little black dress is here to stay, Gigi Hadid brought the style staple up to date with this look during Milan Fashion Week in September 2021.

Sources: (Marie Claire) (Elle)

See also: Celeb lace looks you'll want to steal

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