VIRTUAL The Colorful History of the Little Black Dress

Versatile, dependable, and affordable, the Little Black Dress has become the fashion equivalent of a Model T Ford. It even has its own acronym “LBD”, which has been in the Oxford English Dictionary since 2010. 

In this illustrated lecture, presented virtually,  historian Leslie Goddard, Ph.D., explores the history of this fashion icon. Learn how Coco Chanel pioneered the concept of a loose, short-hemmed black dress and how movie star Clara Bow helped it soar to popularity. We’ll explore the many meanings that the color black can convey, from mourning to wickedness to chic simplicity. And we’ll discover how the Little Black Dress has been reinvented over and over, by everyone from Betty Boop to Edith Piaf to Princess Diana and Gianni Versace. Nearly every woman has owned a little black dress at some point, and by the end of this fun program, you’ll know why.

Leslie Goddard holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and master’s degrees in museum studies and in theater. She has been lecturing and performing on topics in history for more than fifteen years, with particular expertise in the fields of women’s history and U.S. history.

The program is open to all and registration is required. To register visit the Library events calendar at www.livingstonlibrary.org. The zoom link will be sent the day before the event.  

It is  made possible with the support of The Friends of the Livingston Public Library.