LBD... easy as 1,2,3

From left to right - Miranda Kerr (in THAT Jil Sander dress), Rachel Bilson, Leighton Meester, Christina Hendricks and Jessica Alba

So I spent a bit of time last week in London "on business"...kind of, not really, but it sounds cool, right? I also got to hang out with some of my favourite people and one in particular, let's call her "Molly", inspired this post. She was raving about a new black shift dress which, bought on a whim when she needed something smart to wear, had proven to be one of the most versatile items in her wardrobe.

Now, I'm pretty sure that every fashion-conscious lady on this side of the galaxy is well aware that a little black dress is a staple piece in any wardrobe. If you weren't aware of that, don't worry, I won't judge you. But my friend Molly is very, very right; the beauty of a really good LBD is that it's versatile. As long as you've got one of those de-fluffer things (because fluff on black stands out a mile) a black dress can be worn in about 24501 different ways. (I've got research to back up this figure...) Whether it's with a cardigan and some flats for daytime or a pair of heels and a clutch bag for the evening, a black dress (or two) is definitely something worth having in your wardrobe.

Of course, the other good thing about a black dress is the instant chic factor it gives you on a night out. The epitome of effortless glamour, a simple LBD automatically makes you look a million dollars without you having to really try at all; think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's - black shift, heels, maybe some jewellery - badabing badaboom... did I really just say that? Think I may need to be more of an old-style New York mafia boss, less 21st century Scouse mentallist to really pull that off, but let's not worry too much about my random outbursts of hitman-speak and get back to the lovely clothes, yes?

Oh Audrey...

Anyway, I've often heard talk of the "perfect" LBD; it's probably a different style and shape for every person, but somewhere out there, there is a dress with the ability to make you look bloody fantastic as soon as you put it on. The fun comes with trying to find it. And with fashion designers doing more and more clever things with tailoring, hemlines, fabric, embroidery and everything else, there is no better time to go out and find the perfect LBD.

I started browsing through a few fashion sites thinking I'd get a handful of photos to post but I found so many amazing dresses I got a bit carried away. Enjoy the pics and let me know which one is your favourite! I'm loving the amazing chain detail on that Sheri Bodell dress in the picture below and the gorgeous strapless Nathan Jenden one in the third picture.

Alexander Wang, Sheri Bodell and T-Bags

Alice + Olivia, Vera Wang Lavender Label and Diane Von Furstenberg

STRAPLESS

Clockwise from top left - Miu Miu, ACNE, Luella, Paul & Joe Sister, Chloe and Nathan Jenden

Preen, Giambattista Valli, Catherine Malandrino and of course, Herve Ledger

High Street

Clockwise from left - Warehouse, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, H&M, Karen Millen and French Connection