Siân Lloyd

I bought this dress in Paris. I travel there twice a year, once for my sister's birthday at once at Christmas. We always do the same - we'll enjoy a fantastic meal, drink too much champagne and then the two of us will go shopping. On this particular day, we went to Dolce and Gabbana, which is located in a very expensive part of the city, and bought this black dress. After drinking champagne, shopping's like a dream, it's wonderful and full of pleasure! I get a warm feeling in my heart when I wear this dress. At the end of the day, when there's a big occasion I can be completely confident, completely safe and feel great wearing my little black dress.

Sarra Elgan

I think that the little black dress can take you anywhere; out to dinner or a formal lunch, wherever. It doesn't matter what the shape is, it's a safe bet if you have nothing else in your wardrobe to wear.

This is a Moschino dress and I bought it about a year ago on sale so it wasn't too expensive. I went to shop in Cardiff and went to Flannels because I knew that I wanted a black dress, and this was there saying, "Sarra, buy me', so I said,'OK!' and bought it!

It's quite tight but I love the length so it doesn't look too tarty! I don't think that you need too much detail on a black dress because the style is a classic. This one's so simple, with a little velvet bow on it. I don't know if it will fit me forever, but I'll keep it forever. I'll never throw it away.

Valerie Wynne-Williams

When you get to my age, you have a number of little black dresses. But I have four in particular. The one that I wear the most has a red petticoat underneath which I can wear with boots. You can dress it up or dress it down, and it always looks smart. It has some red stitching around the neckline which adds a bit of colour, as well as red buttons on the cuffs. Gina Fratini, the designer of the dress, is known for adding extra touches to clothes to make them more feminine. When I walk, the dress flows with me and when the wind catches it you can see the red petticoat peeking out from underneath.

What's the story behind this black dress?

There used to be a great shop called Hobbies in Cardiff, and I remember making some money and going there to buy this black dress. This one's a little short, a mini. I still wear this dress, but nowadays I wear it with trousers. I have a pair of Yves Saint Laurent earrings which look lovely with this dress, you don't need anything else.

The latest dress that I've bought looks like a 1920s dress, like a flapper. There are a few interesting details on her, the square neckline and the pleats across the front. The sash then ties around the waist with a bow to the side. It's a lovely dress to walk in, because it flows with you.

I have one dress by Mary Quant, it's a simple design, but the details are important. It has a frill around the neckline and the back plunges quite low.

Did you have your hair cut to the same style?

Yes. I used to go to Vidal Sassoon himself on Bond Street. I remember one time, there was a big New Year's Eve party by Sir Michael Duff at the Faenol estate and I wore my Mary Quant dress. I walked down the grand staircase, and at the bottom a gentleman came up to me and gave me a kiss. It was New Year's Eve of course, but his wife stormed out because her husband had kissed me. Now that's something to remember about the dress!

Shân Cothi

This isn't an old dress, I got it last year and it was made especially for me for an occasion by Brian Mallam. He designs a lot of dresses for the stage because you need something a little more 'stagey' when you perform. But this dress is a little more subtle, a little bit more delicate than others that I wear. I think the dress was inspired by a vintage Dior design and I love the 1950s style, simple and minimalist but with a lot of fabric - it makes me feel very sophisticated. Wearing a dress, especially a black dress, does something to you and they do say that it makes you appears slimmer. It makes you feel very sophisticated.

Nia Roberts

I bought this dress about five years ago in New York when I was staying with a friend who was making a film there. I went down to Greenwich Village, and I had a book with me that named all of the vintage shops there. I went into this shop that sold a lot of second-hand designer clothes, lots of different things. I saw this dress and it fitted me perfectly. The lady in the shop said that the dress had been there for years because it hadn't fitted anyone properly, so I got it in the end. I paid about $80 for it which was a bargain as that everything else in the shop was quiet expensive, but for some reason this was cheap. The label's been cut out so I have no idea who the designer was, but I'd like to think that it's by a great '50s designer. I feel great wearing it because it fits so well, and it's boned along the top so it feels like I'm wearing scaffolding which makes me stand straight. If I can't wear it forever then I'll keep it forever, just because of the memories.

Angharad Mair

I bought this dress in March 2001 and I remember the date exactly because I was in Paris celebrating my fortieth birthday. My husband-to-be (at that time) and I had just had a meal on top of the Eiffel Tower and we went to Gucci to buy a white suit for the wedding and I bought this. Of course, the Gucci in Paris is much cheaper than the Gucci in London so that was an added bonus. The best thing about this dress is that it's so easy to wear. It can't be worn in the summer which is a shame because it's a polo-neck, but I can wear it for a business meeting or at night. Sometimes I change the belt to give it a new look. But the dress' greatest asset is that it's easy to wear, that's why I love it so much. That's why I've worn it every winter since I've bought it.

When you think about the little black dress someone like the Princess Diana comes to mind. And you think of someone like Audrey Hepburn as one of the first people to make the little black dress famous, but I believe that the little black dress will be around forever.

Heulwen Haf

What do you think is the appeal of the little black dress for any woman?

In a word? Style. A wardrobe isn't complete without a little black dress, or a large black dress, it doesn't matter what size you are as long as the dress hangs from the shoulders and then fills up, with a brooch or any sparkly jewelry, something to make a statement, shoes, a bag and away you go!

I have a Chanel original. I was twenty one years old and living in Corwen with a boyfriend who lived in Bala. There was an antique shop there where I'd always buy bits and bobs and I saw this dress there and thought that it was fantastic. Pure lace, the material just falls around the body. It's so simple yet so gorgeous. I paid £2.50 in old money for it. There's also a little bit of satin around the cuff and neckline. I thought that I was so stylish and it still fits me today. It's been everywhere; it's been to Monte Carlo with me and has met Prince Charles and the Prince [of Monaco] himself. We were at a celebration and he was walking down the line of guests and I wasn't even supposed to be there, I was standing in for someone else. He came straight up to Elinor and I and said; "how do you do?' and I thought he was gorgeous. He was concentrating a lot and I asked him, 'May I write to you?' So I wrote to him and he wrote back to tell me that he had enjoyed himself and that "he was touched by my presence', which was very nice of him.

How do you feel when you wear the Chanel dress?

I feel special, luxurious, feminine and grand. There's something noble about it that makes you stand stylishly. It makes me feel like a Chanel person, someone special - it's fantastic.

What's the story behind this dress?

This one's very special to me, it fits like a glove. It's gathered but glides around the body. I like materials that move with me like wool or something soft. I'm not that good in structured clothes, maybe that say's something about my personality because I am a little dippy!

What to you is sexy in a dress?

I have a dress that's very Marilyn Monroe'ish. I remember a picture of her where the wind was blowing her dress up and the skirt had pleats. I own a similar one where the skirt is pleated and the bodice is similar to a stocking, you can see right through it so you need to wear a corset or body underneath.

I remember being invited out to dinner recently and when my fella came to the door to pick me up he opened the door and saw me in my black dress he said, "Oh! I didn't realize that I was taking the three of you out!' Well, we laughed that night on the basis of that. And the three of us had a good time! There's a lot of fun to be had, just to wear something and enjoy.

Siân Philips

This is a Jean Muir dress from the 70s and I haven't worn it since then. I like Jean's clothes, although the dress is a little long for me now and so today I'm wearing it with some new shoes and beads form New York. I bought the beads from a thrift shop in the Hamptons for about £7. I'm wearing a pair of Andrew Logan earrings, and he always uses broken glass and pearls for his jewelry which I think is very interesting. Jean Muir was a friend of mine and I wore this dress to a global exhibition of Jean's clothes. Her clothes always make me feel comfortable, there's no strain at all when you wear them.

Nia Parry

This is a Jean Muir dress from the 70s and I haven't worn it since then. I like Jean's clothes, although the dress is a little long for me now and so today I'm wearing it with some new shoes and beads form New York. I bought the beads from a thrift shop in the Hamptons for about £7. I'm wearing a pair of Andrew Logan earrings, and he always uses broken glass and pearls for his jewelry which I think is very interesting. Jean Muir was a friend of mine and I wore this dress to a global exhibition of Jean's clothes. Her clothes always make me feel comfortable, there's no strain at all when you wear them.

This is my favorite little black dress. I have about eight dresses, but this is my favorite one.

I bought it about six years ago when I was a guest on a television show. I had a complete panic attack! I was shopping in London and it was about five o'clock and I thought I have to have a dress, and so I went into Armani. I never like these expensive shops, but as I sat there a lovely man came up to me and said that I looked tired and then he said to me, "don't worry love, I won't let you leave here today without a dress'.

I would find it very peculiar if I spoke to a woman without a little black dress in her wardrobe. It would be so weird because and LBD is so loyal When you don't feel great about yourself you just put on your dress and you feel alive again.