Every woman needs a “little black dress” in her wardrobe.  So they say.  (Who are “they,” anyway?)  While the traditional LBD may be a great wardrobe staple for some, it’s not right for everybody.  Why not?  Contrary to popular belief, not everyone looks good in black!

So while that basic staple may be handy, your perfect LBD might be the “little brown dress” or “little beige dress” or “little blue dress”!  Here’s how to choose the perfect basic dress for you!

 1. Decide on a Color

Many of us buy into the black-as-basic trap based on one of two premises.  1) It’s easy to find.  True, but that’s a lousy reason for buying something that doesn’t look good on you!  2) “It’s slimming.” False.  If it’s bad color for you, it’s likely to be the opposite.  When the color draws attention to itself by clashing with you…well, that makes the parts clad in that color stand out; not recede!

So you want to find a color that’s good on you.  Yes, it might take a little more looking.  Yes, you might have to be a little more patient.  It’s worth it.

What neutral is best for you?  It might be a true neutral, like brown, grey, taupe, beige, or navy (or, possibly, black — it is good for some people!).  Or it might be a near-neutral, like olive green or deep eggplant.  The idea is for it to be more of a “background” color than something attention-grabbing.  We want this to serve as a “blank slate.”

 2. Choose a Neckline

Besides the color, one of the biggest deciding factors in the dress that works for you will be the neckline.  You want to choose a shape that suits your face.  Generally speaking, those with more angular features will want angular necklines (square or v-neck), while those with rounder faces will want rounder necklines (like jewel or scooped).

Check for the depth of the neckline, too.  Some people do very well with close, tight necklines, such as mock turtlenecks and jewel necklines.  Others look better in something more open, like a scoop-neck or a boat neck.  And there’s a big difference in the modesty of v-necks, depending on their width and depth!  Try on different necklines if you need to, to get a feel for what works well and what doesn’t.

When choosing your LBD, you’ll want to avoid choosing a neckline that’s very distinctive, like a large cowl, a shawl collar, or anything else that serves as a focal point.  Remember, we want this dress to be the background of an outfit, not the star player.

Examples of necklines that could work well:

Examples of necklines that are too distinctive to typically work well for this. (This is not 100% absolute.  But the more basic you keep your neckline, the more possibilities you leave open for styling your dress.)

 3. Choose a Silhouette

When you know what color and neckline you prefer, you can begin looking for an actual dress.  The silhouette should be pretty basic.  Remember — background!  And in most cases you’ll want something at least relatively slim fitted — not something chunky or super-blousy — because that will make it easier to layer, give more options for belting, etc.  But within those simple guidelines, there are lots of options.

How long do you want it to be?  (If you’re not sure, average is good.  In fact, “average” is a good keyword to keep in mind throughout this process.)  Do you want a bodycon fit, or just body-skimming?  Pencil skirt?  A-line?  Flared?  Sheath dress?  Skater dress?

It’s worth taking the time to locate exactly what you want, because the idea is for this dress to be a frequent go-to wardrobe item.  So you want to like it!

Here are a few potential examples.  (That particular purple is probably pushing it — it’s a bit bright to count as even a pseudo-neutral — but for the right person, it could still work.)

Personally, I prefer for this dress to be sleeveless (but not strappy), as I believe that makes it more versatile than a dress with sleeves, but it’s totally up to you.  This is what my personal “LBD” looks like: brown (I know; it’s hard to tell because the picture is pretty bad!), with a v-neckline, no sleeves, and body-skimming — and in cotton knit so it’s comfortable.  Also, it has no waist seam.  (This is a minor detail, but it makes some difference for me.  I look better with a “long line,” and a waist seam interrupts that line.  A waist seam wouldn’t have been a deal-breaker, but this was even better.)