ruched cocktail dress Macy Satin Off The Shoulder Short fits true to size for special occasions. Sparkly Gold Sweetheart Metallic Ruched

This is an easy way to make black mini dresses more versatile for more occasions

Its power was immortalised in the 17th-century court portraits of Diego Velazquez, and by John Singer Sargents 1884 portrait of Madame X (actually Virginie Amelie Gautreau), which was unveiled at the 1884 Paris Salon and scandalised the world thanks to the juxtaposition of skin, cleavage and black velvet

Going solo

Conclusion From the ethereal elegance of the Regency era's empire silhouette to the bold rebellion of the 1960s mod style, we've explored how to bring these iconic looks into the present with flair and sophistication

She slipped into a sparkly Christian Cowan x Elias Matso crystal gown

An all-black outfit doesn't have to be one-dimensional