Black dresses are always a thumbs up. Like Air Bud, they’re reliable until the end. Like a Barefoot Contessa cookbook, they’re foolproof. They’re acceptable anywhere from a hermit crab funeral to a meet-up for a foot rub from a guy on Craigslist.

We’re not the first to acknowledge the sex appeal, brilliance and versatility of the LBD,  so we’ll say no more and present you with eight of our favorite black dresses so you can always be the hottest chick in the room.