THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS REVISITED,AGAIN

While I love Marilyn Monroe, I have to disagree with her on one very important point: Diamonds aren't a girl's best friend (although they may come in a close second), the little black dress is (and in Marilyn's case it's safe to say vise versa). You see, no other garment has single-handedly done more for a womanÕs wardrobe or ego than the little black dress.

You donÕt believe us? Think about it and ask yourself, what other garment can you wear to meet the Queen of England and also don at a barbeque? Name another garment that can take a woman from day to evening in a single bound. What other garment can be sexy, innocent, chic, solemn and graceful all in the blink of an eye and the change of an accessory? What other garment can be timeless and classic, yet fresh and new at the same time? We don't know of another one, do you?

The little black dress and its magical charm have been documented in paintings and photography for years. And while there have been a numerous amount of books written about it, no other book comes close to giving the "LBD" its proper due like Amy Holman Edelman's THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS.* Ms. Edelman knows so much about this garment one would think that she lives, eats and breathes little black dresses. With the detailed precision of a scholar writing a textbook, Ms. Edelman shares an unlimited amount of interesting and little-known facts about the history of the little black dress. She also adds just the right amount of charm and flare to make each page a delightful read.

With the little black dress receiving so much attention as one of the must-have items of the season, we had to speak to Amy Holman Edelman for a closer look at this phenomenal garment. Currently writing screenplays Š she'd completed three and had begun work on her fourth one at the time we conducted our interview Š Ms. Edelman took time from her busy schedule to talk with us.

Here is some of our conversation:

CGJ: May we call you Amy?

AHE: Definitely!

CGJ: We absolutely loved your book. What an adventurous life this dress has had? Tell us, what inspired you to tackle the illustrious history of this garment?

AHE: I was working in the fashion industry as a publicist. At every event I attended as a working girl I was requested to wear a little black dress. Most of the women attending, from fashion editors to society women, wore little black dresses, too! I began to wonder what made the little black dress such a fashion stapl; so democratic yet chic and exclusive at the same time. The answers that I got are in the book.

CGJ: Aside from being a writer, you also have a background as a clothing designer. How did this play into your approach to the project?

AHE: I was really never much of a clothing designer, but I always loved the history of clothes, the designers, the trends. For me, researching the book was the best part. I spent hours sitting in the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City) library. It was great!

CGJ: We feel that your enlightening chronicle of the little black dress has definitely confirmed that it's for everyone; a statement that few items of attire can boast. In a nutshell, why do you think that this is so?

AHE: I took this from book because I think it sums things up. "The little black dress has become a uniform that expresses a modern woman's contradictions and celebrates her independence. It is emblematic of a woman's freedom of choice, her equal participating in the world and her declaration that, this time, she is dressing for herself. The little black dress is an indication of how far a woman has come from being merely a prettily dressed object. Today, when a woman's potential exceeds her limitations, the little black dress continues to be what she reaches for first."

CGJ: Are there any other garments that you feel even come close to having the popularity that the little black dress has?

AHE: Well, jeans certainly have the icon status. They can be sexy and comfortable, but not chic the way a little black dress is. It's almost like comparing apples and oranges. Still, I'd say jeans are probably closest in terms of popularity.

CGJ: Your book features many version of the little black dress. What's your favorite and why?

AHE: That's very hard to say. Picking a favorite little black dress would be like trying to pick a favorite child, impossible. You'd think it would be easy Š after all they're all little and black Š but within those constraints you have so many to choose from. I think another reason it's so hard to choose is because wearing a little black dress is all about enhancing the woman who's wearing it. And who, after all, could choose from such icons in-a-little-black-dress as Marilyn, Audrey and Elizabeth? Maybe the best answer is that my favorite little black dress is the one I happen to be wearing at any given moment because it makes me look and feel great!

CGJ: Women overall seem to be returning both in beauty and fashion looks to things that are simple and pretty, yet memorable. What are your thoughts on this and how do you feel the little black dress will fit into this trend?

AHE: All women want to look and feel their best in their clothes, no matter what the trend of the moment happens to be. In that way, the little black dress transcends the trends. Simply put, the right little black dress always has the ability to make a woman look pretty (because you notice the woman as much as the dress), simple and memorable, in addition to chic, strong and in style. What more can you ask?!

CGJ: Where do you see the little black dress heading in the future?

AHE: I think it'll be around as long as women are.

We at Cool Girls Japan give a big nod in agreement to that!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Check out Amazon.com or visit your local book store to purchase a copy of THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS in your country.
Please feel free to address any comments for Amy Holman Edelman to us here at Cool Girls Japan.

*THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS BY AMY HOLMAN EDELMAN/1997/SIMON & SCHUSTER
Photo of Amy Holman Edelman by Wayne Jarrett.