When a woman dresses up, she wants to look elegant. Elegance usually implies expense-an expensive couture gown, and expensive jewels. However, elegance can also be achieved on a budget. To start with, instead of diamonds, rhinestone jewelry can be worn. An even smaller budget is needed if the elegance is achieved through wholesale rhinestone jewelry.

At the end of the Nineteenth Century and the beginning of the Twentieth, dressing up was a big production. Dresses were long and complicated, with, at various times, hoops, bustles, lace and embroidery, mutton leg sleeves, and other bulky decorations. In the 1920s, 1926 to be exact, new era dawned. Coco Chanel came up with the quintessential dress-up dress: the little black dress. At this time in history, women began to rebel against the confining clothing that they had worn throughout history. They began wearing simpler, shorter, more comfortable dresses. This was just the time when Coco Chanel designed a soft jersey dress that was sleeveless, had a wide neck, and ended just above the knee. Up to this time, women always covered the arms, shoulders, neck, and legs.

Another surprise was the color of the dress. Until this time, black was reserved for mourning and funerals. So, in 1926, the “little black dress” was born. And, while it has evolved as fashion changed over the last 80 years, the original design is still as fresh today as it was then.

The beauty of the little black dress is its versatility. We began our discussion by talking about dressing up with elegance. Nothing is more elegant than a simply accessorized little black dress. For the woman of means, a few well-placed diamonds turn it into a head-turning ensemble. For the rest of us, rhinestones serve the same purpose. The quality of rhinestones varies. Austrian crystals are the finest. These stones, while not as expensive than diamonds, are not inexpensive. They have an extraordinary trait of catching and returning the light. The next more reasonably priced rhinestones are made of glass with metal powder painted onto the back so that they can reflect light. The very least expensive rhinestones are made of acrylic. You most likely don’t want to wear acrylic diamonds with your little black dress, because, after all, acrylic is merely plastic. When you dress up your little black dress with rhinestone jewelry, the old saying that less is more applies. A couple of small pieces will dress up the outfit. More than this will make it look like a child’s dress-up outfit.

However, the true beauty of the little black dress is not that it can be dressed up for an elegant evening but that it can also be dressed down for casual occasions. For a more casual cocktail party, leave off the diamonds or rhinestones and wear pearls. If jewelry doesn’t fit the occasion, a fabulous scarf or colorful belt will dress up the dress in an even more casual way. Another way to accessorize the little black dress is with a jacket. This jacket can be black for a monochromatic look or a bright or light color.

Posted on 12 October '09, under Business.