Little Black Dress Under 50 Below Knee Early Thirties
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The Best Little Black Dresses
The little black dress is more than just a stylish piece to wear to a party. It's an icon of fashion history and a wardrobe essential for anyone, from Audrey Hepburn to the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race. The experts we consulted differed on what counted as an LBD, but they universally agreed that it should be a dress that makes you feel like your best self. So choose a cut and fabric that appeal to you, and make it your own. In the end, we selected five favorites: a silky shirtdress, a buttery cashmere pick, a sweater dress that'll accentuate every curve, an office essential, and the ultimate date-night gown.
Don't reach for the first dress you find on the rack. The little black dress is a wardrobe piece that will outlive any fashion trend, and we think it's worth investing in a high-quality piece that will last for years. Even if you're stuck inside due to social-distancing mandates, there's nothing stopping you from rocking an LBD at home when you want to take a break from sweatpants. We spent months combing through 145 options and testing 33 of them with four panelists, including three Wirecutter staffers who wear dress sizes 2, 8, and 12, and New York City–based curve model and body-acceptance advocate Kendra Austin, who wears a size 14.
A versatile, silky shirtdress: Equipment Essential Silk Dress
Our pick
Equipment Essential Silk Dress
A versatile dress for work and play
This buttery silk shirtdress is one of the most versatile styles we found—the casual cut reads low-key, but the luxurious material means it can also easily be dressed up. The slim fit looks best on people with straight figures; it's not great for those with ample hips.
Buying Options
How to wear it: Pair this supersoft dress with tights and tall boots or leather leggings for a casual look, or punch it up with layered necklaces and a sharp jacket for evening.
Why it's great: It's hard to think of a place we wouldn't wear the Equipment Essential Silk Dress because it's so incredibly versatile. The slim-fit style and rolled cuffs give it a relaxed look, while the buttery silk and buttons running down the front could also work for date night or the office. Dress it up, dress it down, wear it open like a jacket, layer it over leggings—this dress can go almost anywhere.
This velvety, 100% silk number is the nicest, most luxurious silk dress we found. It's made with thick fabric, and the French seams ensure the hem won't fray over time. And the cuffed sleeves feature two buttons that allow the wearer to adjust the size to their wrist. The body of the dress is closed with 10 buttons that are securely attached, so you're unlikely to lose one.
The Equipment dress has a straight fit, which keeps it casual, but the silk elevates the overall vibe. A straight fit may not sound especially flattering, but we found that the fabric draped so nicely it skimmed the body and moved with us, rather than hanging limply (as other very straight dresses we considered did). Although this dress would kill both at happy hour and the witching hour, we think it's professional enough to wear (with tights or leggings) to the office, too. Our panelists unanimously agreed that the best way to style the Equipment is by dressing it up with a pair of your favorite leggings and tall boots.
The Equipment shirtdress was not designed for anyone who has ample curves. It runs a touch small, and the cut is slim, so our curvy panelists didn't think it was flattering for their figures. It comes in sizes 2XS to 2XL (roughly 00 to 16), and the XL (12/14) was too tight in the hips for our tester who usually wears a size 12. But it was just the hips that felt too tight—the fit at the bust felt true to size, so we don't advise sizing up, unless you like an oversized look. For a silk dress that may fit more-bottom-heavy body types better, opt for the Joie Leonore Silk Dress, from our notable competitors section.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: For some, the Equipment's thick silk felt almost too warm, and they were worried about sweat stains during warm weather. We plan to long-term test this dress to see how it holds up and feels in all seasons. Testers with ample hips thought the slim cut didn't flatter.
Sizes: 2XS to 2XL
Care instructions: dry-clean, hand-wash
A luxurious sweater dress: Naadam Cashmere Turtleneck Dress with Slits
Our pick
How to wear it: Wear the Naadam to stay cozy on chilly days, on a socially distanced first date in the park, or for an upscale meal.
We tested three cashmere sweater dresses, and the Naadam was the most luxurious of the bunch. It's made of 100% Mongolian cashmere, which should only get softer the longer you own the dress. (We'll continue to long-term test this dress to see how the cashmere wears.) We found the Naadam to be a bit more breathable than Everlane's The Cashmere Turtleneck Dress, and this is important because a dress that's extra-warm when you're outside can often feel stifling when you go indoors in cooler weather, when the heat's cranked up. The Naadam's knit is also tight and durable, so it's less likely than looser knits to snag or stretch out with wear.
This LBD's slouchy turtleneck, long sleeves, and dual slits give it just the right amount of polish. It's form-fitting enough to show your shape, but it's not skin-tight. Rather, it skims the body in a flattering way. Our testers said the design was comfortable and casual, and that the skirt slits were a nice surprise, especially since the rest of the design is fairly modest. They thought the Naadam was much cozier than the shorter cashmere dresses they tried that left legs cold. Pair it with heels or boots when you want to feel dressy, or dress it down with an outstanding pair of crisp white sneakers when you've got errands to run.
The Naadam's fit was a hit with panelists of all sizes. One tester, who wears a size 2 and is 5 feet 9 inches tall, loved the cut and said it fell at a flattering, mid-calf length. Another tester, who wears a dress size 14 and is 5 feet 7 inches, said it was comfy and flattering on her voluptuous frame. "You feel like you're resting in a cloud and look amazing," said body-positive advocate Kendra Austin. "And the sexy slits on the side make the dress both entirely appropriate and saucy. Love."
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Though it fit all of our testers, our 5-foot-3-inch tester didn't love the length—the midi hemline fell nearly to her ankles. If you'd prefer a cashmere turtleneck dress that's on the shorter side, we also liked the one we tried from Everlane, which lands just above the knee for most.
Sizes: 2XS to 2XL
Care instructions: dry-clean, hand-wash
An LBD that hugs you in all the right places: Universal Standard Rita Ribbed Sweater Dress With Pockets
Our pick
How to wear it: Throw on this dress to give your next TED Talk, or to feel both comfortable and warm during an upscale brunch before running errands.
Why it's great: There's definitely something alluring about the Universal Standard Rita Ribbed Sweater Dress With Pockets. Sure, it's a sweater dress that covers you from neck to knee, but its fitted style hugs every curve, and the wide rib knit gives it a professional flare. This makes it perfect for your next work thing or for a fun outing where you want to be noticed.
We loved the Rita's thick, flattering material, which didn't stretch out, even after being worn for several hours at a desk. The viscose-poly knit is structured, and the stitching is durable, but it doesn't add bulk to the seams (something we noticed with some other form-fitting dresses we wore).
This LBD's fitted silhouette looks good dressed up or down, like our pick from Naadam (which has a similar silhouette). But the Rita's knee length made it more flattering for both our tallest (5 feet 10 inches) and shortest (5 feet 3 inches) testers, as well as those with curvy builds. Plus, its shorter length will keep you marginally cooler, compared with the longer-length Naadam. "This fits like a glove," said Wirecutter research editor Christina Colizza. "It's flattering and would work on a lot of body types. The material is heavy enough to flatten my edges."
We also loved this dress' versatility: Its wide V-neck and ¾ sleeve show just enough skin, and the slit up the left side gives you a bit of peek-a-boo for a sexy yet sophisticated look. The pockets add a flattering dimension to your midsection, and they are large enough to stash a couple of business cards (though they won't fit much else).
The Rita comes in a wider range of sizes than our other picks and most of our dismissals, too.1 This dress is sold in sizes 00 to 40, which Universal Standard calls 4XS to 4XL. Pay close attention when you order—by the company's size chart, our size-2 tester is a 3XS, and our size-14 tester is a S. Most other dresses we tested come in just about a dozen sizes, usually ranging from 00 to 12 or 0 to 14.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Pockets typically have universal appeal, but the front placement of these draw attention to the midsection, which one of our panelists didn't like. The pockets are also smaller and shallower than the ones we loved on the J.Crew Résumé Dress; they're more for show than utility. The fabric is warm, but it's not super-soft on the skin, and the thick knit is heavy. You'll likely notice the weight more when you pick up the dress—it didn't bother our testers while they had it on.
Sizes: 00 to 40
Care instructions: wash inside out, hand-wash cold
An office-worthy little black dress: J.Crew Résumé Dress
Our pick
J.Crew Résumé Dress
A professional staple
This simple black dress is perfect for nailing that presentation or job interview. It's plain enough to personalize with accessories, but the details make it special enough to stand on its own.
How to wear it: This dress is great for the office (if you're going), an interview, or an after-work event. It's more comfortable than most of the workday dresses we tested, and its small details add interest without feeling too frilly or casual.
Why it's great: The J.Crew Résumé Dress is our favorite for rocking a professional—but not boring—look at the office. At first glance, this dress appears to be an unassuming basic, but its small details add subtle flair. Cap shoulders and flattering seaming give the simple silhouette extra interest, especially compared with other sheath dresses we considered. "The shoulder detail is really making this dress for me," said Wirecutter senior editor Jen Hunter. The Résumé also includes everyone's favorite feature: pockets. They're deep enough to hold a coin purse or cell phone without adding too much bulk to the silhouette (or sitting at the midsection, as on the Rita), yet they remain flush against the hips when empty.
The design of this LBD is special enough to work on its own, but the Résumé is also easy to dress up with a statement necklace or bold jacket—which is something our fashion experts said defines a classic little black dress. "The power of the little black dress is it's something you can dress up or down, something that you can accessorize," said Arielle Siboni, ready-to-wear fashion director at Bloomingdale's.
The Résumé is of a higher quality than many of the other business-casual dresses we wore. We liked its strong, even stitching and reinforced waist, which doesn't feel like it will stretch with wear. This dress also has a polyester lining, which we think will aid its longevity and prevent deodorant marks from showing through the fabric (as we've seen happen on dresses that don't have linings). Nearly a quarter of the dresses we tested weren't lined at all. The Résumé is made of a wool-elastane blend that was soft and more comfortable than some other wool dresses we tried, such as the scratchier COS Knitted A-Line Merino Wool Dress. And the fabric has just the right amount of give, so it'll still fit if you gain a few pounds. We'll test the fabric's durability over many wears and report back on that.
This dress ran slightly large for some testers—if you're between sizes, we suggest sizing down. One tester with a straighter figure found the Résumé to be a bit too big everywhere. Our panelists with larger hips liked how forgiving the dress was in the waist and hips, but they found the bust a tad too large (and worth taking in). Sizes range from 00 to 24 in the regular cut, which we tested, and this dress also comes in petite and tall. We recommend trying it on in the store, if you can, or ordering a handful of sizes to find a perfect fit.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: This dress' material is thinner than that of some other workday dresses we tested, though the lining does add some structure. Still, tummy rolls are hard to hide without shapewear (not that anyone needs it!). We also tried the work-appropriate A.P.C. Oleson dress, which is made from slightly more durable viscose fabric, but it was twice the price, and we thought the fabric felt uncomfortably rough. Not all of our testers liked the simple, subtle style of the Résumé. "The dress was giving funeral vibes," said New York City–based curve model Kendra Austin.
Sizes: 00 to 24 (regular); 00 to 12 (petite); 2 to 16 (tall)
Care instructions: dry-clean
Best black cocktail dress for date night: A.L.C. Renzo Pleated Midi Dress
Our pick
How to wear it: This elegant dress is perfect for a party or date night, or to audition for Nicole Kidman's role in HBO's The Undoing. It's lightweight, comfortable, and striking enough to work well for any upscale event.
Why it's great: You're sure to turn heads in the A.L.C. Renzo Pleated Midi Dress. Everything about this stylish dress feels delicate. The handkerchief hemline is soft, and the accordion pleats dance as you move. The design is both sexy and elegant: Pleats give it a flirty feel, while the high neckline and midi length keep it sophisticated.
We especially like the fit of the Renzo. The A-line silhouette and midi length were flattering on our testers who wore sizes 2, 8, and 12. And the stretchy, gathered waist and flowy skirt make this dress forgiving for anyone who wants to hide their tummy. The design features exposed shoulders, which means that regular bra straps may show. If you don't want to skip a bra altogether, our testers found that the flowy pleats on the bodice hid the lines of a strapless bra just fine (a halter bra would also work well).
We were a bit surprised that a dress at this price was made of polyester (instead of silk), but that disappointment was short-lived. The billowy cut made the Renzo very breathable, and its fabric felt softer and more luxurious than many silk dresses we tested. It was also of a much higher quality than cheaper polyester dresses we wore, such as the Universal Standard Sonya Satin V Neck Dress, which tended to feel oddly slippery. Our size-12 tester, Wirecutter research editor Christina Colizza, fell in love with the Renzo. "This dress is so beautiful I almost want to cry. The pleats are so delicate, and the material is so nice," she said. That delicacy will require hand-washing or dry-cleaning. But if it's cared for properly, this dress could remain in your wardrobe for years. (We plan to report back on any potential fraying or button-snapping once we try out the Renzo on the dance floor.)
Flaws but not dealbreakers: At $595, this little black dress is the priciest option we recommend. But if you can swing it, we think the timeless design is worth the investment. The Renzo is also sold in a narrower range of sizes, from 00 to 14 (depending on the retailer) than most of our picks. This midi dress is designed to hit mid-calf, but if you're under 5 feet 5 inches, it may hit closer to your ankles. (Our testers of all heights found the length flattering.) And the three tiny keyhole buttons on the collar can be challenging to fasten, especially if you have limited upper-body mobility.
Sizes: 00 to 14
Care instructions: dry-clean, hand-wash
Why you should trust us
As Wirecutter's pets and style writer, I spent three months digging into what makes the perfect little black dress. I interviewed fashion influencers, stylists, directors, and historians. I learned what makes a little black dress timeless and worth purchasing from Katie Sturino, a body-acceptance advocate, social influencer, and the founder of body-care line MegaBabe; Allison McGevna, an Instagram curvy-style icon who's also senior vice president of content at iOneDigital; and Influencing in Color, a quartet of fashion influencers from Houston. I asked Brett A. Jamison, a Bloomingdale's stylist, and Arielle Siboni, Bloomingdale's ready-to-wear fashion director, about how to find a great dress in your price range. And I spoke with Daniel James Cole, adjunct assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and co-author of The History of Modern Fashion, about what makes the little black dress so iconic.
I also had a panel of four people with different body types (myself, two colleagues, and a professional curve model) wear our dress contenders to help determine which styles have the best shot at becoming staple pieces in your closet. We all identify as women, and our typical dress sizes and heights are 2/S, 5 feet 9 inches; 8/M, 5 feet 3 inches; 12/L, 5 feet 10 inches; and 14/XL, 5 feet 7 inches.
How to choose a little black dress
There's an art to selecting a little black dress that's equal parts stylish and timeless. Pick a look you love, find a flattering fit and cut, and understand quality fabric and good construction. "It's all about being confident in who you are," according to Influencing in Color, a Houston-based group of fashion influencers. Katie Sturino, a body-acceptance advocate and the founder of body-care line MegaBabe, added that an LBD "shouldn't be something you look at in two years and go 'what was I thinking?'" To select a timeless look, opt for simple, clean lines and a cut and hemline that you know you'll want to wear for years.
Consider the cut and fit of the dress
Cut refers to the shape of a dress, such as A-line, empire waist, or sheath. Stylists have long advised people to select dresses that are best cut for their "body type," but we don't believe in that logic—any dress that makes you feel dazzling is the right cut.
This will come as no surprise to anyone who wears women's clothing, but during testing there was no consistency in sizing across labels. For example, I typically wear a dress size 8 or M, and I found myself wearing everything from a 2XS to an XL. To be as precise as possible, our testers measured themselves, and we ordered sizes based on each retailer's bust-waist-hip measurement charts—which also weren't always exact. We recommend that you do the same, and if you're still unsure, order two sizes and keep the one that fits the best. If you're between sizes, our experts encourage that you size up and have the dress tailored. "It's much easier to get something taken in than taken out," noted Sturino.
Seek out quality fabric and construction
The type and quality of the fabric dictates how easy a dress will be to clean, whether it will be comfortable and breathable, and how likely it is to last. The dress' stitching is also a good indicator of quality: Avoid frayed, broken, or loose threads, which will only continue to break down with each wear. Look for shorter stitches, which generally produce a stronger seam, and consistent, even lines. A consistent, short stitch depth—the distance between the stitch's top and lower surface—that's closer to the edge of the garment is typically more refined.
Dresses made with high-quality materials like wool, silk, and cashmere tend to be pricier than some of the inexpensive cotton or polyester dresses we spotted at Amazon or Target, but our experts agreed they're worth the price. "The goal is to be able to wear this dress over and over again," said Arielle Siboni, Bloomingdale's ready-to-wear fashion director, noting that a well-made little black dress can easily last you five years.
"In the era of fast fashion, we buy a lot of cheap, replaceable things for one night out," said Allison McGevna, a curvy fashion influencer, "but if you buy something of quality, it'll really last you and have that versatility as well."
Keep in mind that buying a pricy dress means nothing if you don't care for it properly. Our picks, as well as most higher-quality dresses we considered, all have to be dry-cleaned or hand-washed. Though those methods are not as easy as tossing your dress in the washer, it's important to follow the care instructions to keep your investment looking good.
How we picked and tested
Finding the perfect little black dress is a matter of personal taste, and to ensure we included a wide selection, we scoured style blogs, forums, best-seller catalogs, and social feeds. We also browsed listings from more than 30 retailers, from big-box stores to boutique shops, including 11 Honoré, Amazon, Artizia, Bloomingdale's, Everlane, Joie, Rouje, Target, and others. We found 145 dresses and noted prices, size availability, reviews, style, materials, and any notable features, like pockets or belts. We selected a mix of dresses in a range of styles and prices that ranked highest among these criteria. That left us with 33 dresses—a mix of casual, professional, and date-night attire—averaging $150.
For the initial round of testing, I measured my bust, waist, and hips and ordered each dress in my size according to the retailer's sizing charts. I typically wear a women's dress size 8 or M, but in the often-inconsistent world of women's clothing sizes, retailers' sizing charts put me anywhere from a 2XS to an XL. I wore each dress for an hour and paid attention to the quality, style, fit, and comfort. Then I took a picture of myself in each dress to compare the style and fit side by side. I also noted which dresses were dry-clean-only and which were machine-washable. I washed and dried the 16 machine-washable dresses and noted any color fading, frayed hems, or shrinking.
Then I selected the 14 contenders that ranked the highest to send to a panel. I enlisted three additional testers who typically wear a women's 2/S, a 12/L, and a 14/XL. The panelists paid special attention to the dresses' overall quality, style, fit, and comfort. They also noted how they'd wear each dress and which ones, if any, they'd purchase for themselves.
I also compared our 14 finalists against the US Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor database. None of the finalists were made in the countries that appear on the DOL's list (however, since half of our finalists are made of synthetic materials, they're not applicable to that list). And we couldn't independently confirm where most of these brands source their fabrics because they either don't publicize that information or gave us vague responses when asked.
What to look forward to
The fashion industry is still playing catchup with offering extended dress sizes or even dress lines that cater to curvy people. Most retailers' dresses go up to only a size 12 or 14. Meanwhile, the designers we considered that specialize in plus-size options offered dresses only in bright colors or patterns during our testing window. We hope to offer more little black dress picks for plus-size people, as well as more spring and summer options, when we update this guide. In the meantime, our fashion experts said 11 Honoré, Eloquii, and Veronica Beard are a few of the retailers offering chic and well-made plus-size dresses.
The competition
Notable competitors
We liked the high-quality cashmere of Everlane's The Cashmere Turtleneck Dress—it hardly pilled and didn't stretch out. The dress also had clean, tight seams that didn't fray, as well as a comfy, loose turtleneck. But we ultimately thought the Naadam's midi hem and dual skirt slits were more stylish. We thought this dress' cashmere was also of a higher quality.
The Joie Leonore Silk Dress drapes nicely on the body, but the silk was of far lower quality than our Equipment Essential Silk Dress pick. We liked the matching self-tie belt that allowed our testers to hide their tummies while accentuating their hips. But the cut was a little too long and narrow for half of our panelists, and they didn't find it flattering. It also comes in a narrower range of sizes than the Equipment dress.
Casual
The fit of the ASOS Design Tiered Smock Dress wasn't true to size, and it reminded us of maternity wear. Also, the stitching came undone after one wash.
Our panelists were divided on the ASOS Design Midi Smock Dress with Wrap Top (petite, regular, plus); some loved the fit for hugging their curves, but others found it unflattering.
The ASOS Design Padded Shoulder Sleeveless Mini T-shirt Dress (petite, regular, plus) was too juvenile for our tastes.
The Universal Standard Misa Dress is definitely a contender that looks better in person than online. Our panelists liked its simplicity but thought there was nothing particularly special about it. And the self-tie strap reminded them of the '90s grunge-sweatshirt-tied-around-the-waist look.
Professional
The 100% viscose A.P.C. Oleson dress was too heavy when worn, and it looked shapeless on most of our testers.
The Artizia Babaton Slit Wrap Dress looks killer online, but the fit was all wrong for those testers who normally wear XS, M, and L. (It wasn't sold in sizes large enough for our size XL panelist.) It's also missing a built-in slip, so you're left completely exposed if the self-tie strap comes undone.
The COS Drawstring Mulberry Silk Dress featured a thick, textured cotton front with a silk back skirt—a combination that our testers hated. The silk quality was also poor—almost raw or scratchy—and wrinkled too easily for a piece you'd be sitting on throughout the day.
The neckline on the COS Sleeveless Cowl Neck Dress was uncomfortably high, and the dress' overall fit wasn't flattering. Our testers said this little black dress reminded them of a bathrobe.
Date night
Footnotes
Sources
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Meghan Adams, Nikki Gamble, Brandy Gueary, and Shay Sweeney, Influencing in Color, phone interview , September 3, 2020
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Daniel James Cole, adjunct assistant professor at Fashion Institute of Technology, phone interview , September 8, 2020
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Brett A. Jamison, stylist at Bloomingdale's, phone interview , September 20, 2020
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Allison McGevna, senior vice president of content at iOneDigital, Google Hangouts interview , October 23, 2020
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Arielle Siboni, ready-to-wear fashion director, Bloomingdale's, phone interview , September 2, 2020
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Katie Sturino, founder of MegaBabe, phone interview , September 2, 2020
About your guide
Kaitlyn Wells is a staff writer covering all things pets and style. She has never met a pet she didn't like, although she can't say the same thing about shoes. Her first picture book, A Family Looks Like Love, follows a pup who learns that love, rather than how you look, is what makes a family.
Little Black Dress Under 50 Below Knee Early Thirties
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-little-black-dress/