Dress down a LBD

“ One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a little Black Dress” Karl Lagerfield

The little black dress, or LBD, is something that every woman should have in their wardrobe, as it is really one of the most versatile pieces you can own.

The LBD is a very affordable addition to your wardrobe, and is likely to be worn on more occasions than most of your other outfits, making it a great investment piece with a low cost per wear.

The great thing about a LBD is that you can choose to dress it up or down, depending on your mood and the occasion. have a look here for why every woman should own a LBD.

Whilst dressing up a LBD is really easy, by adding some jewellery, a sparkly bag and/or some statement heels, dressing down a LBD can be a more thorny problem.

So, here are 6 ways you can dress down a LBD

1 Switch out your jacket/ coat/ top

Pair your LBD with one or two other pieces in colours, prints and/ or textures that contrast with the dress. Pairing your LBD with a leather or suede biker jacket, especially a brightly coloured one (or in summer a denim jacket) is a great way to dress down your look.

2 Change your accessories

You can also dress down a LBD by pairing it with brightly coloured, more casual style accessories. For example, choose a brightly coloured belt to contrast with the dressier nature of the dress, or add a pop of colour with a vibrant scarf.

Add a fun pair of patterned tights to tone down the seriousness of the dress, and opt for fun and oversize bags and jewellery.

 3 Change your shoes

• Pair with sneakers : white sneakers are often seen on the runways and on fashionistas, or
• Wear with “doc marten” type boots or knee-high boots to make the look less feminine. I chose to wear “doc martens” as it is snowing here at the moment, but white sneakers are a great option for summer.

4 Switch out your bag

Adapt your handbag – swap out the elegant clutch for an oversize tote bag or a casual fabric bag

5 Adapt your jewellery

• Style your little black dress with pieces that contrast with the elegant feel of the dress, such as bright colours, vivid patterns or casual textures.
• Select one or two pieces of bold costume/ fashion jewellery to wear with the dress and avoid gold and silver jewellery with expensive gemstones that would make the dress too elegant.

6 Change your hair and make up

Similarly, you will want to change your hair and makeup to be more relaxed and casual.

• Pull your hair back in a casual ponytail or a messy updo if you normally wear your hair tied back. If you prefer to leave your hair down, opt for a more tousled, loose waves look rather than sleek, straight hair or perfect curls.
• Keep your makeup more natural and choose a nude lip colour – keep the red lips for when you want to look more dressed up!

I hope you enjoyed these tips for how to dress down a LBD and have a look here for more style inspiration.

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