Forget Diamonds – The LBD Is A (Millennial) Girl’s Best Friend

Marilyn Monroe – she made that phrase as timeless and iconic as it is today: diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But then, I guess they would be – wouldn’t they? – if you were an old Hollywood movie star and model. What about the 21st century female? The millennial woman? I’m not sure about you but I think I have a few other issues higher on my priority list, like making sure the bar man serves me before happy hour ends so I can order 6+ half price cocktails, how the hell do I pay my extortionate London rent without resorting to prostitution, why my latest photo didn’t get that many likes on Instagram, where should I go for my ritual Sunday morning avo-on-toast, or the fact that my student overdraft is formally going to close in three months time and well, hahahahahahahahahaha (help me)

Diamonds. I mean pff, what even are they? I’d rather have the kind of best friends that I can go for a few drinks with and enjoy their company, and I’m not entirely convinced how great an obscenely sparkly rock would be at telling me its worst Tinder dates. What I consider to be a girls best friend – these days, at least, and still in a sartorial vein, is a little less eye-watering and poverty-inducingly priced and exclusive, but still makes it possible to feel just as glamorous. The little black dress.

We all have one (or five). And they have that power to make us feel amazing. Last minute night out with the girls? The Dress! Date with that sexybae you’ve been giving your coolest lines to on Bumble?  The Dress! Funeral? Erm, I mean yeah, The Dress (!) will fit the dress code for that one too…

You organise a proper night out with your friends (one that ventures beyond a pub, anyway) and you don’t even need to ask the group whatsapp “what’s everyone wearing?” because you know the answer already. A black dress.

It’s the most powerful and versatile piece you can have in your wardrobe – apart from, perhaps, a striped top and a good pair of jeans. And let’s face it, when life is as much of a bitch as it is in your twenties (#debt #underpaid #nocareerprogression #what’samorgage – you can read  what I’ve written on all of these kinda #relatable struggles here), it’s nice to have something to put a dose of glamour into your life when you can (even if you leave the bar after happy hour because you can’t afford £10 cocktails and the cheapest glass of wine is still £6.50, go home to eat left over baked beans from yesterday’s dinner – cold. Only joking I hate baked beans. The rest is true though)

I was always more of an Audrey than a Marilyn anyway, and remember what Miss Hepburn said in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (and also cemented the iconic status of the LBD with that opening scene to the film)?

And I agree. But that may be more because I probably won’t be able to afford diamonds until I’m at least 40 anyway…

I’m wearing Never Fully Dressed’s Josephine dress c/o Silk Fred, heels c/o Pretty Little Thing, Gucci Dionysus

– and before anyone questions whether a girl with a spenny Gucci bag can really moan about being a struggling 20-something, I got it with 60% off staff discount which makes it certainly worth eating dust for a month just to afford.

Photography by Rebecca Spencer