50 most iconic 'Little Black Dress' moments of all time
Everyone worth their fashion salt has at least one little black dress. We celebrate the 50 greatest LBD moments in history, and if you're feeling inspired shop our edit of the chicest and sexiest little black dresses.
PA PhotosWho: Diana, Princess of Wales
When: 1994
Where: Arriving for a party at London’s Serpentine Gallery in a dress by Christina Stamboulian (dubbed the ‘revenge dress’), on the night that Prince Charles publicly confessed to his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles.
Rex FeaturesWho: Kate Moss
When: 2011
Where: Marking ten years of working with Rimmel London at a lavish party held in London’s Battersea Power Station.
Rex FeaturesWho: Kim Basinger
When: 1986
Where: Sexing it up as Elizabeth McGraw in erotic thriller 9½ Weeks.
Rex FeaturesWho: Debbie Harry
When: 1980
Where: Onstage with Blondie in New York.
Rex FeaturesWho: Natalie Portman
When: 2010
Where: In a striking promo shot for Black Swan.
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Rex FeaturesWho: Courtney Love
When: 1995
Where: Performing at the Reading Festival with Hole in the wake of her husband Kurt Cobain’s death and that of Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff.
PA PhotosWho: Victoria Beckham
When: 1998
Where: Announcing her engagement to David at the Rookery Hall Hotel in Cheshire.
Rex FeaturesWho: Britney Spears
When: 2002
Where: At the MTV Music Awards in New York.
Rex FeaturesWho: Audrey Hepburn
When: 1961
Where: In character – and Givenchy! – as the resolutely fabulous Holly Golightly of Breakfast At Tiffany's fame.
Who: Kristen Stewart
When: 2011
Where: In Marchesa for her first ever cover shoot for British GLAMOUR (biased? Us...?)
Rex FeaturesWho: Katy Perry
When: 2011
Where: Celebrating winning the Best Video Award (in apt sartorial fashion) for her single Firework at the MTV Music Video Awards.
Rex FeaturesWho: Madonna
When: 1989
Where: In that satin slip dress for her controversial music video, Like A Prayer.
Rex FeaturesWho: Coco Chanel
When: 1937
Where: Her Paris atelier.
Rex FeaturesWho: Marilyn Monroe
When: 1959
Where: In a scene from seminal movie Some Like It Hot.
Rex FeaturesWho: Queen Elizabeth II
When: 2000
Where: Visiting the Vatican in Rome, Italy.
Who: Robert Palmer’s band
When: 1986
Where: Rocking out in the iconic music video for Addicted To Love.
PA PhotosWho: Brigitte Bardot
When: 1968
Where: Drawing a copious amount of male attention in Grenada, Spain, in a leather dress and matching OTK boots.
Rex FeaturesWho: Bette Davis
When: 1941
Where: In character as Regina Giddens in The Little Foxes – a role for which she was Academy Award nominated.
Rex FeaturesWho: Beyoncé Knowles
When: 2011
Where: On the red carpet at the Billboard Music Awards – three months before she publicly announced her pregnancy.
Rex FeaturesWho: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
When: 2010
Where: Waiting to receive the African first ladies at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
PA PhotosWho: Elizabeth Taylor
When: 1962
Where: Holding the David movie award she was presented with as best non-Italian actress of 1961, for her role in the film Suddenly Last Summer.
Rex FeaturesWho: Dita Von Teese
When: 2009
Where: The spring/summer 2010 Christian Dior show in Paris.
Rex FeaturesWho: Carmen Miranda
When: 1943
Where: In a still from her most famous movie, The Gang’s All Here (not the scene where she wore the iconic pineapple hat. Obviously).
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PA PhotosWho: Elizabeth Hurley
When: 1994
Where: In ‘that’ Gianni Versace safety pin dress – oft-voted the most iconic dress of all time – as she accompanied then-boyfriend Hugh Grant to the premiere of Four Weddings And A Funeral.
Rex FeaturesWho: The cast of Friends (left to right: Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox Arquette, Matt LeBlanc)
When: 1997
Where: In a 90s-tastic promo for series three of the smash-hit comedy show.
Rex FeaturesWho: Lady Gaga
When: 2011
Where: Emulating Audrey Hepburn’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s look while out and about in New York.
Rex FeaturesWho: Olga Kurylenko
When: 2008
Where: In a still from Bond film Quantum Of Solace with co-star Daniel Craig.
Rex FeaturesWho: Helena Christensen
When: 1995
Where: Modelling Hervé Léger’s iconic ‘bandage dress’ on the catwalk in Paris.
Rex FeaturesWho: Jennifer Aniston
When: 2004
Where: At the premiere of Troy with then-hubby Brad Pitt – a mere matter of months before their split.
Rex FeaturesWho: Joan Collins
When: Circa 1981
Where: Promoting cult television programme Dynasty (and, of course, the power shoulder) as arch bitch Alexis Carrington.
Rex FeaturesWho: Jacqueline Onassis
When: 1970
Where: At an uncredited event, with pearls.
Rex FeaturesWho: Jean Harlow
When: Circa 1930
Where: Posing for publicity shots for her studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer.
Rex FeaturesWho: Kim Kardashian
When: 2010
Where: Putting curves – and herself – on the map at a pre-wedding day celebration for Carmelo Anthony and LaLa Vazquez in New York.
Rex FeaturesWho: Kate Middleton
When: 2007
Where: Heading to London nightspot Boujis, just days after splitting with her long-term boyfriend (and now-husband) Prince William.
Rex FeaturesWho: Kylie Minogue
When: 2003
Where: Performing with Justin Timberlake at the Brit Awards (post-gold hotpants comeback).
PA PhotosWho: Uncredited model
When: 1947
Where: Modelling a Christian Dior dress in Paris, in the designer’s ground-breaking New Look era.
Rex FeaturesWho: Michelle Obama
When: 2009
Where: With US President husband Barack Obama at the NATO Summit at the Kurhaus, Baden-Baden, Germany, which marked the Alliance's 60th Anniversary.
Rex FeaturesWho: Isabella Rossellini
When: 1986
Where: In an iconic still from David Lynch’s Academy Award-winning Blue Velvet.
PA PhotosWho: Paris Hilton
When: 2009
Where: Outside federal court in Miami, having had a lawsuit brought against her for failing to adequately promote 2006 movie, Pledge This!
Rex FeaturesWho: Pippa Middleton
When: 2011
Where: Strolling down the King’s Road, media attention on her having intensified following her sister Kate’s marriage to Prince William.
Rex FeaturesWho: Paula Yates
When: 1985
Where: Onstage at the Fashion Aid charity fundraising event at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Rex FeaturesWho: Rita Hayworth
When: 1946
Where: As femme fatale Gilda, in the film of the same name.
Rex FeaturesWho: Siouxsie Sioux
When: 1984
Where: Performing on The Tube with her Banshees.
Rex FeaturesWho: Sienna Miller
When: 2004
Where: Setting the boho agenda at Glastonbury.
Rex FeaturesWho: Teri Hatcher
When: 1997
Where: As Bond girl Paris Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies.
Rex FeaturesWho: Tippi Hedren
When: 1963
Where: Promoting classic Hitchcock horror The Birds.
WireImageWho: Winona Ryder
When: 1991
Where: Arriving at the 48th Annual Academy Awards ceremony(yes, really), with then-boyfriend Johnny Depp.
PA PhotosWho: Anita Ekberg
When: 1960
Where: Frolicking in the Trevi fountain in a still from La Dolce Vita.
Rex FeaturesWho: Poly Styrene
When: 1991
Where: Keeping the spirit of 70s punk alive with seminal band X-Ray Spex.
Rex Features/NetflixWho: Claire Underwood
When: 2013
Where: TV series House of Cards. Nothing says ‘I am the boss’ like Claire Underwood’s workwear. I defy anyone not to channel some of her (terrifying) business acumen in this form-fitting pencil dress. Even if you’re not actually the boss, your CEO will be watching her back.
