Back in Black (Friday)

Black has a long history in fashion. From mourning to classic fashion of today, black can be found throughout the ages. The Ancient Romans were the first to use black for morning. In the middle ages, Benedictine monks adopted black as a symbol of humility. By the 1400s, high quality black dyes were available and black became very fashionable. Later Puritans and other protestant groups adopted black dress as white was the color of the Catholic church.

 Black became the color of the industrial revolution, which started in the mid-1700s. Workers in factories fueled by coal fires favored black clothing because soot and dirt didn’t show as much. In the 1830s and 1840s the Romantics and the later Gothics favored black because it was the color of melancholy. In the 1850s, aniline or synthetic dyes were invented, making it cheaper and quicker to dye clothing, especially black.

 In 1926 Coco Chanel invented the Little Black Dress (LDB). It was originally nicknamed “a Ford” after the black Model Ts that were filling the streets. Chanel’s LBD was a stark contrast to the colorful glamor of the jazz age. It’s advantage was that it offered women a versatile dress that they could wear to cocktail parties and then out to dinner or the theater afterwards just by changing their accessories. Chanel said, “"A woman needs just three things; a black dress, a black sweater, and, on her arm, a man she loves."

To this day, the LBD is a staple of any well-dressed woman’s wardrobe. For the rest of the 20th century, black makes an appearance in 1950s beatnik fashion with its ubiquitous black turtleneck and again in the 1970s punk culture with black leather jacket. Throughout the decades, classic black clothing never goes out of style, like Chanel’s LBD.

Come in the store on Black Friday and find the perfect LBD for you. They’re all 20% off.

Out of the Closet - Weekend Sale on LBDs!

Welcome to Amalgamated's new blog. Here is where we will post pictures, stories, and intereseting information on the clothing that we have.

Today is Friday and this weekend we're having a sale on Little Black Dresses (LBD). Coco Chanel invented the LBD in 1926. It originally debuted in Vogue magazine, which called it a "Ford". This was a reference to the famous all-black model T cars, known for their simplicity and dependability. Not everyone appreciated the LBD at the time. One of her competitor's remarked, "“What has Chanel invented? De luxe poverty.”

 The LBD was the perfect attire for women attending the recent invention of the "cocktail party". It allowed her to go from a sophisticated but less formal evening look to a full evening look with the same dress just by changing one's accessories. Over the years, the LBD has become a staple in every woman's wardrobe. A classic LBD is timeless and can be worn practically anywhere: the office, a cocktail party, a dinner party, or to pick up the kids from day care.

 Follow in the footsteps of Coco Chanel and get your LBD this weekend at the store. 20% all LBDs and other black dresses too.