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The basic black tube dress is a classic in most wardrobes but it can get a little dull if you only wear it with black shoes. Here are some tips for jazzing up your look with accessories:

1) If you are going casual, try a thin silver necklace that hits above the neckline and does not compete with it. A silver watch to match and a pair of metallic shoes complete the look.

2) For a classic look, drop pear earrings, a string of pearls (real or fake) and a large clutch will be dramatic and classy.

3) For a more dramatic look, select a small metallic clutch, chandelier earrings and bold shoes. With this look, simple hair and makeup (perhaps with slightly dramatic eyes) are a good choice.

4) Go for a bold choker that calls attention to your face and does not get in the way of the neckline. Go with a simple black evening bag and simple but sky-high black heels.

5) Loosely loop a thin silver belt around the waist to create the illusion of curves.

6) Wrap a luxurious cashmere shawl around yourself, grab a clutch and push your hair up into a classy twist. A pair of simple high heels complete this easy and elegant look. This look is perfect for outdoor events where you might be a little chilly, too.

The black tube dress is certainly not for the weak of heart. Styled after it’s close cousin, the tube top, the black tube dress is a strapless and sleeveless dress that is essentially a sheath of material that wraps around the body. The reason many women practically hyperventilate when they think of the little black dress is because in the 1990s and before this dress got a bad reputation thanks to some designers’ takes on it. Back then, form-fitting and unflattering short tube dresses made of cheap, stretchy material were the norm. Fine for 16-year-olds, this sort of look tends to make most women feel a little on the sleazy and undressed size.

Luckily, designers have smartened up and now the black tube dress is not something scary you wear to the dark club in the bad part of town. Today, nicer materials, unusual detailing and better, more flattering fits are the norm. There are even styles out there for the larger girl and the girl who likes a longer dress.

When shopping, consider looking for tube dresses that fit. Forget clingy stretch materials. If you have the slightest bit of healthy stomach, your curves will look like you’re hiding a shar-pei under there. Plus, wearing a little clingy dress anywhere but a club is often a little inappropriate – a teeny, tight tube dress just leaves too little to the imagination. If you need some help or inspiration, check out the pencil skirt tube dress (), the great Mossimo tube dress for plus sizes , or this great Nui formal tube dress (yep, there is such a thing).