10 Do’s and Don’ts of Wearing the Perfect Black Dress

1. There is the classic LBD and then there is the avant-garde black dress. Own one of both. The first should be a body-hugging Audrey Hepburn sheath style, and the second should be crafted of something utterly unexpected like corduroy, beaded chiffon, or leather.

2. Don’t make the dress do all the work. Invest in a pair of pumps that bear perfect proportion to your hem.

3. Build your wardrobe around the dress: A peony-red swing coat and a black dress. A houndstooth raincoat and a black dress. A white alpaca poncho and a black dress, and so on.

4. Try quirky accessories with a very classic spaghetti strapped LBD a silk bow tie in violet and black, a top hat, a little faux fur cape, or a pair of fluorescent fingerless gloves.

5. Wear serious and large-scale jewels with the same style of dress. Rope some chunky coral, Mexican turquoise, ’50s paste, or a big topaz on a velvet ribbon around your neck. Look at Romantic portraiture for inspiration. The LBD is your frame, your face is the masterpiece.

6. Own at least one LBD with a white collar and cuffs; it is the perfect dress to slide from corporate boardroom to cocktail lounge. White near the face is more flattering at the end of the day.

7. Update your LBD to suit your life and your body. Skin on the d