LITTLE BLACK DRESS. By Sophie Guo.

“Little Black Dress” is an original poem that connects and addresses prevalent issues in our society such as body image, insecurity, consumerism culture, fast fashion, and the exploitation of workers and children.

---

Little Black Dress

An Original Poem by Sophie Guo

Little black dress,
So darling at first.
You hugged the slopes of my body,
Redefining my inches of worth,
You complemented my identity.
Little black dress,
My golden star.
You were a piece of eye candy,
Tender and sweet,
Dilating accounts of 
misattributed prestige,
A mesmerizing spotlight.
But you started to fray at 
your seams,
Little black dress.
Turning to a still gray,
Synthetic fibers lifted into 
ragged pills.
Elastic, once held so tight,
Had dissipated into concave air.
A story remained.
Little black dress,
I can finally hear you.
Your cries of desperation,
Your suffocated screams,
The pounding of your feet as you 
tried to escape 
the crumbling building.
Little black dress,
I can finally see you.
Your crimson gash seated below
your right eye,
Your blistering hands under the 
fogged artificial light,
The salty tears streaming down 
your dusted cheeks.
This.
This was the cost I paid for my 
little black dress.

---

As a society, we have become so detached from reality – from the consequences of our own mindless actions. Through addressing the topics of body image, insecurity, consumer culture, fast fashion, and the exploitation of workers and children, “Little Black Dress” is an original poem that calls for self reflection and change.

Sophie Guo