Before the 1920s, the color black was only worn in periods of mourning.

The first small black dress was designed in 1920s, Paris, by Chanel and Jean Patou. It quickly became a "uniform for all females of taste," as Vogue journal predicted at the time.

Before the 1920s, the color black was only worn in periods of mourning. Females who wore black were thought about indecent or nasty. After the first world war, as well as the outbreak of Italian Influenza, it became common in Germany to see females wearing black for long periods of time, and the stigma lifted .

An element of the "anti-corset" generation, Chanel invented much of women's style as they know it. He one time described her work as "nothing over transform[ing] men's clothing in to women's jackets, haircuts, ties and cuffs." He worked hard to generate clothes both simple and sophisticated, even in the event that they created scandal.

Females were drawn to the dress by its simplicity, elegance and cost. A few years later, the Great Depression forced plenty of people to economize, which increased the popularity of the small black dress as an affordable way to look smart.

Coco Chanel. Nettie Rosenstein, a New York-based designer, popularized the dress in the United States. Though some claim he invented the dress before Chanel, the facts is slim. Elsa Schiaparelli, Chanel's rival, put her own fantastic twist on the LBD, by introducing a wrap-around version.

"Chanel's Ford," as the press then called it, had long sleeves. Later decades have removed the sleeves and shortened the hemline. Perhaps the most famous small black dress was worn by Audrey Hepburn for "Breakfast at Tiffany's," not to mention the worn by Betty Boop. Today, every style guide trumpets the dress as a wardrobe staple for all females.

And it is no wonder. The small black dress is practical, stylish, and looks nice on people of all body types and skintones. It is slimming and doesn't draw attention to itself, making it ideal for showing off an accessory--or for eluding the male gaze. Edith Piaf, the "little black sparrow," wore simple black outfits so audiences would focus more on her singing than her appearance.

Attribution: this news story originally appeared in Enjoy Your Style journal.