Glam Slam: The Friday Five — Black Friday

Today I’m feeling the love for a wardrobe classic. The little black dress. Everyone has their favorite go-to LBD and yet, somehow, we always have room for one more in our closets! Want to update yours? InStyle Fashion Features Editor Megan Deem highlights five variations on every woman’s must have.

MINI
Blessed with awesome legs? You probably don’t need us to tell you to show them off. But consider a dress with long sleeves, so that parts of you are left to the imagination. Cindy Crawford wore her short black dress with black cage-strap heels to a recent event in London, although you could also try colorful stiletto sandals.

ONE SHOULDER
This style is equal opportunity sexy – it works for any body type and any age (as evidenced by everyone from Malin Akerman and Amy Smart to Vanessa Williams and Iman). A convertible bra is a must for managing a potentially tricky strap situation.

FULL SKIRT
Its defined waist and volume create curves in women who need them and accentuates the hourglass shapes of those who are naturally blessed. Kristen Bell paired hers with open-toe booties, which offset her dress’ girlie factor.

OFF THE SHOULDER
The wider top of this dress design balances the hips and makes the waist appear tiny. Off the shoulder styles can have a retro vibe, so consider that when choosing your accessories. Open-toe slingbacks are a perfect match or go the other way and channel Mariah Carey and slip on some black knee-high boots for instant edginess.

STRAPLESS
Simple lines make this clean shape a knockout. For underneath, a full-body shaper slip with built-in cups is a good alternative to a strapless bra, as it’s less likely to move around. Both Eve and Carey Mulligan carried sleek, dark clutches when they recently wore this style and kept jewelry to a minimum.

For more little black dress inspiration, check out InStyle’s November issue, on sale today!