Wakeup Wednesday
Posted on by Debbie

That One Little Black Dress (LBD) a story covering 12 years

Hello!

It’s Wednesday again and I’m delighted to share this story of my very own amazing Little Black Dress.

Wednesdays

I’ve made Wednesdays a day for sharing some amazing moments and you’re welcome to join in #wakeupandbeamazingwednesday. Sometimes I do a Wordless Wednesday post but today is not one of those days!

It’s not always big things that take my fancy, it can be simple things like a delightful little black dress that has stood the test of time. The way I see it, looking for the amazing in a day is always a positive way to see the world.

The story of my Little Black Dress

To start with I am not one for wearing black – usually I am the one wearing a riot of colour when others are wearing black. But when I was planning my big birthday bash for my 50th birthday in December 2010, I decided to go rogue and buy something I wouldn’t normally wear – both in style and colour.

I think I wanted to look elegant and different to normal everyday Debbie, turning 50 was a big thing! I started my blog in 2012 so didn’t get around to posting about my 50th celebrations from 2010.

LBD 1 in 2022
LBD

A short summary of turning 50

My 50th birthday was a year of fun and celebrations – I eeked it for all it was worth with a big party, a trip with family to Tangalooma Island where my youngest daughter worked (and my middle daughter surprised me coming from England for the trip and staying for Christmas) and the the following year I went on my European adventure including a Barge and Bike trip with my husband and my parents cycling from Paris to Bruge. Yes over a year of celebrating saw me launch into my 50s in style!

Back to the party – my friend Ros was turning 60 a few days before my 50th birthday, so we decided to join forces and have a 110th party in a local cafe. It was a fun night of celebrations with trivia (about us of course), speeches, photos, kind words and lovely food.

My eldest daughter had surprised me arriving from England just days before the party, everyone else knew (surprise!), and stayed with us for a few weeks. There were more surprises in store for me with the arrival of my middle daughter, just days later, also from the UK. I had all three girls with me on our island adventure, plus my parents and siblings and I couldn’t have been happier.

1. LBD in 2010

I bought my LBD in Albury a few weeks before the party and was a bit nervous about wearing something so fitting and so ‘not me’ but I was turning 50 and bold enough to do it.

So the first time I wore this dress was in December 2010. I wore it with a sparkly choker and bangles I’d bought in India, to remind me that I was a traveller, chunky black wedges and a sheer black wrap around my shoulders. Here I am posing at our event, which was held at Nest Cinema Cafe in Tumbarumba, at the end of the night and I’m still smiling!

Deb December 2010 in that LBD
Deb December 2010 in that LBD
Deb at 50 in that LBD
Deb at 50 in that LBD

2. LBD in 2011

The second time I wore the LBD was November 2011 when I was President of our local Tumbarumba Rotary Club and we were celebrating our 50th year of service. It was a wonderful night with many of the past members returning to town to help celebrate. What was once an all male club had admitted women in 2000 and we haven’t looked back since! I was so happy and proud to be the President at such an auspicious time and decided my LBD was the best outfit choice.

Deb Rotary's 50th 2011
Deb at Rotary’s 50th in November 2011

3. LBD in 2022

So we come to the third outing for my LBD. When we planned our Rotary Club’s 60th celebrations for 2021 Covid was raging and we ended up postponing it until November 2022. Cue my LBD – I had been on a health kick and wondered if I could resurrect the LBD for another outing 11 years since the previous one. And I did it!! No-one noticed I was wearing the same dress I’d worn back in 2011 🙂

LBD2 in 2022
LBD in 2022 with sparkly jacket

The dress hasn’t dated, in my opinion, and this time I wore it with a sparkly jacket which cost me $10 at the local Vinnies charity store. The theme of the night was ‘sparkle’ and so I was set! I really enjoyed the night and felt ‘special’ and judging by my smile in the photo below, I was very happy!

Deb 2022 in that LBD
Deb 2022 in that LBD

The photos all show me wearing my sparkly choker but the only real change in each wear was my shoes. I’ve worn it with chunky black wedges in 2010, with strappy black sandals in 2011 and black velvet wedges in 2022. I rarely wear heels these days!

I had it taken up a few centimetres just before the latest wearing, my friend Cathy measured and hemmed it by hand as we enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat listening to a torrential downpour outside.

Otherwise not much has changed – the dress fit me perfectly and I felt good in it on each occasion. It’s still outside my comfort zone but I’m now a bold 61 year old so I can do anything!

One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.

Karl Lagerfield

So that’s the story of my LBD, over 12 years and still going strong! It’s a pretty amazing little dress isn’t it?

Who knows when I’ll bring it out for another wear?? Maybe when I’m turning 70 I’ll give it another go!!

Do you have a dress or outfit that tells a story too? Let me know.

I’m also joining Denyse for her Wednesday’s Words & Pics linkup – come and join in – there are some amazing posts linking up again this week!

Have a great day – and don’t forget, you’re amazing!

Deb 🙂

Coming Up:

Friday 18 November: What’s on Your Bookshelf – Read more:

When do you stop reading a book you’re not enjoying? #WOYBS

Friday 25 November: Word of the Year (WOTY) update – Read more:

The Gift of being easily amused ‘Mrs Harris Goes to Paris’

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You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.

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Everyone has a story to tell!

Debbie - mother of a 40 year old

Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here

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54 Replies to “That One Little Black Dress (LBD) a story covering 12 years”

  1. The nice thing about casual dresses is that when you put on a dress, you are dressed! So easy. And in summer, when it swirls around your legs, it makes a cooling breeze. But your LBG is gorgeous and seems to carry absolute confidence as well as glamour.

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  4. Pingback: This week’s small pleasures #309 – Thistles and Kiwis

  5. I was not one to wear dresses so for years I had only one. I realized when I was searching for a picture of me without a hat and sunglasses (most pictures of me outdoors!), that I had worn the same dress to every wedding, baptism, and big family event for 12 years. It was not a LBD that you can make look different with a sparkly jacket or pretty jewelry either! I’ve since purchased a few dresses and wear them more often now – sleeveless sundresses which at first were definitely out of my comfort zone but now feel OK at times.

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    1. I too am wearing more dresses these days Pat, mainly casual styles that are pretty and make me feel good when I wear them. You did well with wearing the one dress to many family occasions 🙂

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  6. Well Deb, I appear to be the only male in the mix of those commenting on your essay. About your LBD, I think any male would have a strong opinion of it but the wise ones will keep those opinions unspoken and just meet your eyes, smile and nod quietly to let you know that you looked bold and amazing in it.

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  10. Congratulations you look amazing at all ages..the sparkly jacket was a winner for the most recent event. Gosh, you have had some wonderful, heart-filled celebrations over the years Deb, a testament to the love you give and share. Go well young woman, I do not have a dress or any item of clothing that I could wear as well as you have!! Great to have you link up this week….I hope to see you next week. I won’t be doing WOYBS next time round as I am currently getting back to some kind of normal health after two weeks. I hope to do a December one though. Denyse

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  13. Loved the story of your LBD Debbie and it looks fabulous on you on each occasion. I love how you’ve accessorised and dressed it up each time. Lovely photos! When will you wear it next?

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  15. Loved this post, Deb. Like you, I am more likely to be seen in red rather than black. But I do like black. I never wore black in my younger days but now I understand why my mother and grandmother always insisted that an LBD was a must-have. I’ve had mine since 2014. It certainly won’t date. Mine is also sleeveless and looks great with a wrap. I now wear it to most formal functions which are few and far between now that I no longer live in the city. I am sure that mine will remain in my wardrobe till I die.

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  17. You look exactly the same as 10 years ago Deb still with that sunny smile. I love an LBD and had one for about 20 years. They can be dressed up or down and look so elegant – as you did on each occasion you wore the dress. Here’s to you wearing it for your 70th! Just think, how many women can say they can still fit into a dress they wore 10 years ago! Go you! xx #WWandP

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  18. Your LBD suits you, it’s beautiful! The great thing about having an LBD is that it gets worn to our most significant events, so becomes synonymous with good memories. Thanks for linking

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  20. I loved reading about your LBD Deb. Even though I don’t have one, I do think every girl should have one in her wardrobe. Dresses just don’t look right on me. So Deb, it seems you were living Bold even all those years ago. To celebrate my 50th I went to England for 8 weeks. I stayed with my daughter and we travelled around quite a bit. Thanks for sparking happy memories.

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  22. Great incarnations of your LBD and you look fantastic in each. I find black makes my pale skin look rather drained so my ‘go to’ is a slinky navy dress which I’ve had for absolutely years! Having not been anywhere fancy for the past three years, I’m not sure if I will still fit in it now.

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    1. Thanks Janine, I usually prefer navy too as it’s softer so this LBD is a special one! I was a bit worried it wouldn’t fit but I was pleased it did, it doesn’t hide much that’s for sure!

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  23. No dress to tell the tale but I did have a glittery ‘long jacket’ that came with a dress and was used several times with other dresses. There were shoulder pads involved and taking them out to give it a more modern look just didn’t work- so off to the op shop it went.
    You’ve done well to get three different looks out of the one garment but then with LBDs there’s no end to the changes you could make. Dress up – Dress down… cover up – leave bare…..

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  24. It really suits you Deb and I think it’s great if you can get more than one wearing out of a formal dress. I saved my MOB dress from my daughter’s wedding 10 years ago because I loved it so much, but have never attended anything formal enough to re-wear it. I’m seriously considering selling it…..but you never know….

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    1. Oh thanks Leanne, that’s very kind of you to say! I have my two MOB dresses and have worn them a few times since but as you say it’s not that often that we need a formal outfit these days!

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  26. Since I don’t go to many fancy events, I still have a couple of nicer dresses put away “just in case.” I certainly don’t want to have to buy anything new just for a one-off occasion. I have a similar dress – although mine is dark blue – that is my fancy go-to. You look great in your LBD, then and now!

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    1. Thanks Janis, we are all similar these days with limited places to wear our ‘good dresses’ to. I prefer navy usually but in this case it was only the black available and I’m happy with the look!

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