BLACK BEAUTIES; ALISON JONES TAKES A LOOK AT THE TIMELESS CLASSIC LITTLE BLACK DRESS.

Byline: ALISON JONES

That Coco Chanel did for quilting Audrey Hepburn did for the black dress.

In Breakfast at Tiffany's Givenchy's gown transformed her from naive good time girl to a Park

Avenue princess (though, geographically speaking, Tiffany's is on Fifth).

Such is the power of the famous shift that she wore so well while insouciantly munching her brunch, that it sold for a record breaking pounds 410,000 at a recent charity auction at Christie's.

Though this is a little beyond budget for the average shopper, they can still enjoy a little black magic with the plethora of party pieces currently packing the rails.

As Henry Ford once allegedly said of the Model T "You can paint it any colour, so long as it's black."

CAPTION(S):

AUDREY HEPBURN IN BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S' BEST BARGAIN: BLACK SEQUINED DRESS (pounds 12) BY ETHEL AUSTIN' BEST FOR UNWRAPPING: BLACK WRAP DRESS (pounds 45) AND GOLD OBI BELT (pounds 14) BY WAREHOUSE' BEST FOR FRENCH FLAIR: BLACK TAFFETA BODICE DRESS (pounds 185) BY NOUGAT AT HOUSE OF FRASER' BEST FOR COMFORT: WRAP EFFECT DRESS (pounds 29.99) BY DAMART' BEST FOR FLIRTING: BRAMBLE DRESS (pounds 75) BY MONSOON' BEST FOR DETAILING: LACE DRESS (pounds 49) BY FREEMANS. FOR A CATALOGUE RING 0800 900 200 OR LOOK UP FREEMANS.COM' BEST FOR HEIGHT: ROSETTE WRAP DRESS (pounds 69) BY LONG TALL SALLY' BEST FOR CURVES: BLACK BABYDOLL DRESS (pounds 30) BY SIXTEENTWENTYSIX AT TESCO