When it comes to clothing, red is not just another color. It is worn by monarchs and devils, and in general by people comfortable with having all eyes on them. A history of the red dress in Europe’s NSS magazine noted that “there are animals that have evolved to make their skin or their plumage red in the mating season, some flowers are red to attract the largest number of bees and birds – and even among humans red is the color of passion and danger.”

In its Feb. 27, 1950 issue LIFE ran a story headlined “The Little Red Dress” which declared that the color was having a moment, and that the red dress “may prove the ’50s first fashion classic.” The lead image of the story, taken by LIFE staff photographer Gjon Mili, showed models high-stepping to The Charleston, a 1920s dance craze that was again having a moment.

The brief story acknowledged the primacy of the little black dress even while talking about red becoming a popular alternative, and going on to explain in frank terms what it takes to pull off the new look:

The turn of the half-century has been brightened by a rash of short red evening dresses. “The little red dress” may be lace, crepe or chiffon, costs from $25 to $450. Designers feel it may take its place beside the “good little black” dress as a similar, if more specialized, fashion classic. The inconspicuous black dress covered a multitude of figure problems, was worn like a uniform with standard accessories (pearls, oyster pumps, white gloves). The red dress, definitely conspicuous, is developing its own requirements. The wearer must have a good figure, a sleek hairdo, matching shoes, and the dress itself must have simple lines to allow a solid concentration of color. This is set off my an emphatic splash of rhinestones.

While black remains king, red has certainly made its mark, including in the early 1950s. A ranking of classic red dresses throughout history had at the top of its list those worn by Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in the 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. LIFE actually had a photographer, Ed Clark, on the set of that movie. Alas, unlike Mili, Clark was shooting his photos of those red dresses in black and white.

in 1950 newly fashionable red dresses were modeled by women doing what LIFE called “the newly revivded Charleston.”

Gjon Mili/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

In a 1950 fashion shoot about the red dress, this model accentuated her look with red rhinestone-trimmed pumps.

Gjon Mili/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

This model accessorized her red dress with a red boa and rhinestone jewelry, 1950.

Gjon Mili/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock

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