The Little Black Dress is possibly the one wardrobe essential any woman cannot do without. The classic look and simple elegance of the LBD lends itself to any occasion, no matter how formal or casual. Versatile and adaptable, women of the world have Coco Chanel to thank for popularising this timeless garment as far back as the 1920s.
In celebration of the LBD, the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is throwing a special party, which is one of the four annual Silver Palm Lounge Friday Evening Series of parties. These well attended parties set the stage for a Friday night like none other.
“Our Little Black Dress party was such a success last year it was evident we had to bring it back,” said Martin Hoetzl, Silver Palm Food & Beverage Manager at the Ritz-Carlton. “We are delighted to offer Cayman an alternative to the regular Friday night festivities; a night to get dressed up in elegant fashion, sip on Stoli Elit cocktails and partake in choice entertainment provided Spin 94.9 FM.”
The Party
The party will take place this Friday, 4 November, in the Silver Palm Lounge, located off the main lobby, with the DJ and dancefloor located in the adjacent Taikun. Silver Palm will be completely transformed for the event: the room will be draped in black with inviting leather seating for lounging, dazzling lights will set the room aglow and musical rhythms will fill the air. A small stage will be positioned in the centre of the lounge, where the LBD competition will take place.
Women are encouraged to don their favourite LBD and make their way up the red carpet, where the paparazzi will be waiting to capture them on camera, before they proceed to the lounge where special Stoli LBD signature cocktails will be served.
The glamorous party will be hosted by JB and Terri, of Spin FM’s Morning Show and DJ Billy Corduroy will be spinning the decks all night, accompanied by the atmospheric sounds of a saxophonist, to add a live music feel to the event.
The stage is set for a special evening of timeless elegance, but open to all. “The Little Black Dress party is a creative concept because there aren’t too many women without this staple in their wardrobes and therefore there is no reason not to visit Silver Palm this Friday night,” said Nicole Owens, Silver Palm Food & Beverage Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman.
The competition
Later in the evening, a contest will be held to select the evening’s best dresses.
First, one of the gentleman guest will be selected to join the three other judges (representatives from Tortuga, the Caymanian Compass and the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman) at the Spin LBD Signature Table. A short list of eight men will have been selected previously and the audience is invited to participate in making the final choice.
For the ladies, the contest will be to find the best Little Black Dresses in each of four categories:
Most Original Black Dress
Most Fashion Forward Black Dress
Most Coco Chanel Classic Black Dress
Best Overall Little Black Dress
Each judge will be given two cards for each category. The judges will then circulate the room prior to the competition and make their selections, resulting in a eight chosen contestants in each category. At 11pm the selected ladies will present their LBD frocks on stage with hosts JB and Terri for the judges to score.
Why the LBD?
It’s chic, sophisticated and elegant. The Little Black Dress should be short enough to be able to dress it down for daytime wear but long enough to lend itself to evening wear as well. The neutrality of a black dress means it can be accessorised with bold, bright colours for a splash of fun. Wear it with a string of pearls a la Audrey Hepburn, or a printed silk scarf for a touch of Parisian sophistication, or pair it with sandals, or even boots for a more informal look.
Where did the LBD come from?
Before Coco Chanel published a little black dress in American Vogue in 1926, black was considered a colour of mourning and was not considered an acceptable colour to wear under other circumstances. However, being the fashion bible that it is, when Vogue announced the LBD would become something of a uniform for women, it did just that. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the LBD was an economical choice for women who could keep wearing the same dresses for years. Then came technicolour movies, which in the early days distorted colours other than black. Hollywood’s leading ladies were therefore seen dressed in black more often than not.
But it was the iconic, sheath dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s that cemented the LBD as an absolute essential for women.
Related Videos
