The Little Brown Dress

Christian Dior New York ribbed silk dress with a large bow draped across the bodice.

It is said that every woman should have a little black dress in her wardrobe. But if you subscribe to the "seasonal" skin tone theory, the only people who can truly wear black near their face well are those described as "winter". The rest of us should choose something less harsh like gray, navy, or brown. Granted, I wear black a lot, but rarely on top because I am a "spring". Black near my face tends to accentuate the rings under my eyes and makes me look tired. I do like to wear brown, though. It just works for me. What about you? Do you wear brown as a neutral in your wardrobe?

In the spring of 1949, brown was a popular color of choice for many fashion designers (especially M. Dior), as evidenced in these photos.

Omar Kaim for Ben Reig silk organza and satin evening gown with a large bow at the side.

Christian Dior Couture brown wool suit.

Jo Copeland brown tulle over taffeta dress with low decollete.

Christian Dior Couture silk dress with fly-away skirt panel at the back.