8 Audrey Hepburn Worthy Little Black Travel Dresses

Little black travel dresses are my favorite fashion trend right now.

I’ll admit, I am by no means a fashion expert but I always feel chic when I’m traveling in a little black dress. It’s my go-to Audrey Hepburn copycat look (no shame).

But lately, I’ve been seeing little black travel dresses pop up all over the Internet. And this post is actually inspired by a spaghetti strap Marc Jacob’s dress Margot Robbie wore a short while ago. It was one of those effortless pieces that I fell in love with all-too-quickly. But sadly, that dress was upwards of $400 so I couldn’t eye it for long. This morning, I said my goodbyes, gave it the classic “it’s not you, it’s me and my wallet” speech, and moved on.

But on that note, I thought it would fun to talk about my favorite little black dresses. I own a lot of them and when I say a lot, I really mean an unreasonable, unfathomable, why-do-I-even-own-this-many amount. But here’s my defense: little black travel dresses are timeless, classic, and easy to dress up or down. In the winter, I just throw on some fuzzy leggings and big over-the-knee boots – instant chic. In the summer, I can just slip on some flats and not have a care in the world.

I can look fashionable without even trying (score).

Y’all, LBDs are my fashion drug of choice.

I wanted to keep the travel theme in this post so I’m skipping out on my Instagrammable little black dress, my I-can-only-wear-this-once dress, my there-is-so-much-fabric-how-do-i-walk dress, and of course, my all of the above dress (side note: I have never worn that one but it looks like a museum piece so I’m keeping it).

So without further ado, here are the best little black travel dresses (tried and tested).

Longwu Loose Casual Little Black Travel Dress

For mild activity days in slightly colder weather, I love a good loose dress that’s still flattering. This bandage dress is curve hugging but also a little flowy. It’s a weird combination that somehow works.

I love to wear this dress (alongside some cute boots) while strolling through botanic gardens, walking in a park, or switching between indoor and outdoor activities. I fell in love with the adaptability of this outfit first. It’s a perfect travel staple.

P.S. I also love wearing this little black travel dress to the airport. Most days, I’m a hoodie and sweatpants in the plane kind of girl, but if I need to hit the ground running, this dress is my go-to.

White House Black Market Little Black Cocktail Dress

I think a good half of my grayscale wardrobe comes from White House Black Market (though, it’s no secret that I’m obsessed with their blush tone collection as well). White House Black Market always carries staple monochrome pieces that are more about the shape and fit than the color palette.

And while I own a lot of dresses from them that are feasible for travel, I ended up stamping this cocktail dress as one of my personal favorites (though, I love this one and this one too). The fabric is a little thinner so on a hot summer day, it isn’t overwhelming. Even though it’s not a fit and flare, the dress certainly feels like one. It’s flattering and doesn’t slip from the top (y’all, I hate when I have to tape up clothes and walk around knowing I’m a Mummy on the inside).

Side note, a lot of the clothes at White House Black Market are perfect for business travel. Yes, this dress is an exception, but I highly recommend this store for formal wear.

Forever 21 Little Black Travel (Not A) Dress

On windy days, I refuse to wear a dress while traveling. But if I’m still in a little black travel dress mood, this number from Forever 21 is my go-to.

I went through a phase of being obsessed with Forever 21. I splurged on several off-shoulder dresses from them but realized later that they had a tendency to ride up (I think it might just be my size, I’m not sure). So while traveling, I’d be awkwardly looking at my chest in the middle of a cafe and shimmying down the fabric, hoping no one would notice.

We’ve all had those moments, right? (*laughs nervously*)

Part halter and part romper, this dress is the best of both worlds (I can’t believe I quoted a Hannah Montana song – I’ve reached a new low on the blog). I never have to worry about the sleeves pulling up and I can walk without a Marilyn Monroe moment on a windy day. Cha-ching!

The best part? The romper’s on the baggier side so it looks and feels like a classic little black travel dress with a small classy embellishment.

Lulu’s Little Black Dresses

Lulu’s knows how to make versatile and cute little black travel dresses. Their whole collection is spot on, but I personally love this scallop-necked skater dress. It’s fun, flirty, casual, and perfect for a day out exploring.

Now, I am also a fan of this dress (the one pictured above) too. While it’s more for the night, I happen to get a lot of daily use out of it as well.

And y’all, this might be my favorite dress EVER. It’s more daring than the others I mentioned with a mesh line around the waist, but it’s off-shoulder and actually stays off-shoulder. It doesn’t slip down or ride up so you don’t have to constantly adjust it.

I love Lulu’s. I discovered the brand through one of my favorite YouTubers and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. They really know how to strike the balance between feminine and practical (I own a lot of clothes that are one or the other and I wish were both).

MISSMAY Vintage Little Black Floral Dress

Remember when I said I wouldn’t include Instagrammable dresses on here? Well, that wasn’t the whole truth (*sheepish smile*).

To be honest, I didn’t want to include “made for Instagram and Instagram alone” little black travel dresses on this list. I wanted to include dresses that make you feel good with or without a camera in front of you.

That being said, this vintage floral dress is photo-ready perfection. It’s great for engagement shoots, wedding shoots, I’m-out-of-ideas-but-I’m-sure-there-are-other-special-occasions shoots.

You can travel easily in this dress. The fabric is soft and comfortable to walk in. The detail is charming but it doesn’t take away from the practicality of the dress. Instead, it enhances it. The way the dress is threaded makes the fabric feel light and airy, something I constantly crave when traveling.

ASOS Little Black Sundress

One of the cheapest items on the list, this little black sundress is also the cutest.

It’s the perfect casual day wear travel dress and I’m crazily obsessed with it (in other words, at the rate I keep wearing it, it will be torn and tattered in a month). The top part of the dress is stretchy so the off-shoulder portion is snug and fits nicely.

P.S. For all the soon-to-be mama’s out there, ASOS also has a huge collection of little black maternity dresses. I’ve never tried them out but they all look super cute.

Floerns Ruffle Little Black Dress

This little black dress is ship-shape and cruise-ready.

It’s not your normal walk-around-a-city kind of dress. Instead, it’s showier. The real reason I’m packing it for a cruise? Loose around the waistline, the dress lets me eat and eat and eat with no hard feelings.

Urban Outfitter’s Little Black Travel Dress

Okay, I ended up buying the dress – the spaghetti strap, effortlessly chic, thank-you-Margot-Robbie-for-introducing-it dress.

Well, it’s not the dress, but a close enough look alike. This Silence + Noise dress from Urban Outfitter is simple but speaks volumes (y’all, the name is perfect).

It’s cute, understated, and perfect for traveling. A classic little black dress – no frills added.

If I had to rank all the pieces in this post, this would easily be the best little black dress. No tie.

But I guess, somewhere, I knew that all along.

Did you enjoy this post on little black travel dresses? I don’t normally include fashion related posts on the blog but I thought this would be a fun way to start. What was your favorite little black dress? Let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you!