a quest: the LBD of my dreams









Think Audrey, think Piaf, think Coco (well, maybe not so much), and the fantasy of the perfect thing is there. You can wear it almost everywhere, you're almost never under- or over-dressed, and you can almost never find it. If the neckline is perfect, the sleeves are wrong. If the teensy hint of bust sets you off just right, there's a slit up the back of the skirt that's just wrong. And on and on. I cut through lots of stores on my way to and from more cerebral (and with any luck more profitable) appointments. It happens that quite often the quickest way from the front entrance, where visitors who have never seen a door on their home planet gather to watch openings and closings, to the side or rear entrance where the taxis wait is often up and down several escalators. So it is with the assurance of one who's done at least some of her homework that I say so far I don't think this is the year I'll find my perfect LBD. Still a little early to spend the LBD Fund on something else, but I have more than an inkling.

So: what would be my perfect LBD-in-Chief? It would be wearable from late September through earliest spring, so it would be woven wool with a silk lining. Long sleeves. Round neck that could take a white collar for some wears, but the Good Pearls for others. Zip down the back or button down the front, but not both. If buttons, solid good-quality black or dark mother-of-pearl. If zip, not one of those snake dancing plastic things. I have a couple of Assistant LBDs: the silk chiffon with short floppy sleeves that doesn't like daytime events, the black velvet thingy that prefers icy winter nights... They try, but they and I know that their reach is limited. I'm waiting.

Do you have a "Grail" dress? Do you sometimes feel like Goldilocks with a shopping bag - too little, too heavy, too short, too long? What's the perfect thing you look for?

14 comments:

  1. Hmm, the photos on your blog don't load for me, I see only black squares with a black and white "do not enter" sign. Are you trying to tell me something? LOL

    I have a perfect LBD from ABS by Allen Schwartz. Very basic style in fine black wool with silk insets around the bust and waist that are very figure-flattering. I also have an Armani wide-leg pant suit that was a hand-me-down from my mother. It's perfect for the business occasions where I want to look formal but serious. I don't need the execs checking out my "assets" while I'm trying to give my elevator speech.

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  2. Hi, xoxo! No idea what happened to my cute clippings of LBDs, but I put in some substitutes and I hope Blogger likes them better.

    I love the idea of the Armani pantsuit as workplace armor. And your dress sounds to die for.

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  3. Aw, thanks WellFedFred, I can see the photos now. Love the photo of Audrey, I always think of her when I put on my LBD. Of course, I look nothing like her but a girl can fantasize.

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  4. She's my fantasy mirror image, too, xoxo!

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  5. No more black for me, sadly, at least close to the face. I have reached that age in which black has started to make me look older, while any other color is fine.

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  6. Hi, Cris! I find that it's the texture of the fabric (shiny, silky, dull, velvety) and the cut of the neckline with all deep colors, not just black, that determine whether or not I look dead or alive....

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  7. I save black for the evenings now, as long as I have bare arms or legs and pearls I can blind folk with enough white to carry it off but during the day I look like the undead. I've had my LBD for about 12 years now, I was bursting out of it for the first three years, now it fits perfectly.

    To your quest!

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  8. wff: i saw this http://bit.ly/n3n3yf and thought of you. Could do with more length, but I like the sleeves.

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  9. Hi, Dinster, love the sleeves, front neckline and belt! Agree about the length....

    Hi, Tabitha, I can't imagine you bursting out of anything.

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  10. I actually have two no-fail black dresses, both sheaths. One is sleeveless with some ruffles at the hem (nothing too frilly though, I prefer the sleek look) and a simple 3/4 length sleeve lined Tahari dress (which I had tailored to fit me better). I love both of them and I can take both dresses from day to night easily with just some accessory/shoe changes.

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  11. I have a black silk shift that can be belted or not. Boat neck, cap sleeves, slight A line, with tiers at the hem, just about the knees. In the cooler months I just throw my coat and scarf on to get between the house to the car to the event, then for warmer months just a scarf. I'm on the hunt for a Dior style LBD, with a wider neck, tight waist and great big skirt, like the ones Elizabeth T or Audrey H wore back in the day in the movies.

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  12. LR, both sound great!

    Closet Crisis, love the idea of belt or not. And a Dior-style is a terrific idea!

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  13. WFF, have you looked on Yoox.com? They have a huge choice that can be narrowed down by size,color and style, although it can be frustrating because not all sizes are available.

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  14. Hi, Cris, yes, I always get great ideas from Yoox, but as you say, the size availability can be spotty.

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