The history of what has become a woman's wardrobe staple, The Little Black Dress examines the birth and ascendance of this fashion essential through interviews, photographs and illustrations by the era's top designers and artists.  The book traces the convergence of the desire for simplicity--women were stepping out in the world, shoving fussy, restrictive wear to the backs of their closets, and the emotional response to black — the color of nuns' habits, witches' wear and clothes worn during periods of mourning. But it's also the color of allure, well represented by a bevy of beauties, from cartoon jazz baby Betty Boop to a lithe, black-sheathed Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly.