For years the little black dress – fondly known as the LBD – has been a fashion stand-by.

The dress was immortalized by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. That form-fitting black Givenchy gown sold at Christie’s in London in 2006 for 410,000 pounds, the equivalent of about $807,000 at the time.

Years after Holly Golightly wore the little black dress so elegantly, it’s still considered a fashion icon, not to mention a go-to for a wide range of occasions.

Boy band One Direction even titled a song on their recent Midnight Memories album “Little Black Dress.”

German fashion designer, artist, and photographer Karl Lagerfeld, head designer and creative director for Chanel is often quoted as saying that “One is never overdressed or underdressed with a little black dress.”

"One is never overdressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress." – Karl Lagerfeld #Fashion #StyleQuotes

— Zappos Couture (@ZapposCouture) November 14, 2013

No wardrobe is complete without the essential black dress #LBD pic.twitter.com/RdS5Quw99s

— Weekend (@WeekendSherbs) December 5, 2013

The little #LBD never gets old -> http://t.co/Cl7MjWXDqi

— StyleMint (@StyleMint) November 1, 2013

The little black dress is a top choice at the holidays when women pull it out for seasonal cocktail parties.

Party season is here! Check out my guide to the perfect #LBD in this month's @CosmopolitanUK … #CatwalktoCurvy pic.twitter.com/ZoVtspk0zh

— Laura Puddy (@Stylaura) December 2, 2013

Also I'm going to do the 16 day #Homeland marine fitness regime, just in time for Christmas #LBD

— discojunk (@discojunk) December 1, 2013

Can someone please throw a classy New Years party where all the girls wear little black dresses & it's like the movies? #lovethat #lbd

— Shania Lynn (@ShaniaAlda) December 3, 2013

Retailers capitalize on the dress’s fame in marketing campaigns.

Special occasion or everyday wear, a good #LBD serves as a tried & true wardrobe staple: http://t.co/0TqWRooJDM pic.twitter.com/hVLbCj0jqY

— Target Style (@TargetStyle) December 2, 2013

Party till dawn in a little black dress that's darling, daring and totally different: http://t.co/ujlFcY4ubW #LBD pic.twitter.com/zVWtdaLwus

— LuLu*s (@lulusdotcom) November 26, 2013

Wear your #barIII #LBD from night to day with these 3 looks for chic replay. http://t.co/ko0ZD5hJnY pic.twitter.com/FfCeEXi19U

— Macy's (@Macys) November 22, 2013

A little black dress is always in season. #LBD #FallFashion pic.twitter.com/Vtra1y8s2U

— Nordstrom Rack (@nordstrom_rack) October 30, 2013

A night out calls for a #LBD. How do you style yours? #OOTN pic.twitter.com/9qaLJHCrpb

— Forever 21 (@Forever21) October 26, 2013

Even celebrities turn to the little black dress:

long live the girl in her little black dress Taylor Swift #countryartist #PeoplesChoice pic.twitter.com/7BQHMKSI1G

— calypso (@tennesswift) December 5, 2013

We are so obsessed with Kate Middleton's lacy LBD: http://t.co/iz4NXBkKjD. Perfection! pic.twitter.com/PriZtdKoSX

— E! Online (@eonline) December 3, 2013

.@MariaSharapova sports @WorldMcQueen #LBD at the unveiling of @Porsche’s Macan compact SUV. Styled by Petra Flannery pic.twitter.com/ecjBlBlW7J

— Fashion_Rules (@Fashion_Rules) November 20, 2013

Rock that bump! Pregnant Gwen Stefani dresses growing belly in little black dress http://t.co/VnGAtVEyHN

— Us Weekly (@usweekly) December 5, 2013

But Keira Knightley created a stir earlier this week when she showed up at the SeriousFun charity gala in London wearing a dress that looked a lot like her wedding gown.

If it was indeed her wedding dress, it will be at least the third time Knightley has worn the Chanel couture blush pink gown. She paired the same dress with black tights and pumps at an event back in 2008.

Coco Chanel herself was known to emphasize the importance of being true to oneself when making fashion decisions.

"In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different." ~Coco Chanel

— WomenWorking.com (@Womenworking) October 23, 2013

Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening. -Coco Chanel

— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) November 5, 2009

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” —Coco Chanel

— Women's Health Mag (@WomensHealthMag) September 23, 2013

Knightley may have been doing just that she when flouted Hollywood tradition and chose a gown she’d previously worn for her wedding dress, then appeared in the same number again a few months later.

Could Knightley and other fashion trend-setters make it acceptable to wear a dress more than once, even if it’s not the LBD?

Image via Facebook