Oh, yes, we’re talking about wearing black again. I know, I know…it’s everyone’s favorite go-go “color.” It’s slimming. It’s classic. It’s easy to pair with other colors (I’ll give ya that–it’s what makes it a great neutral).
Some of my favorite blog posts are about why you should stop wearing black and (since so many people insist on wearing it anyway), how to wear black intentionally. As a color lover, color expert and general “life is too short to wear boring colors” type, I have to say…
black is so incredibly…ordinary.
At a dentist appointment recently, I wore a magenta dress and got many compliments. Plus the team at the dentist’s office wears pink on Wednesdays so I coordinated!
One of the staff was a young man in his twenties. He commented on my bright dress and how it coordinated with my shoes and jewelry and, yes, even my toenails. We got to talking about my business as an image consultant and said he has a closet full of black, gray and white. He said something like “I always thought black is my color.” I told him that’s incredibly common, especially among men…and how wearing real colors can change how we feel and how we’re perceived. It was obvious that he kept thinking that over because as we passed later in the hall he said something about how he should at least wear more colorful shoes. Maybe I got through to him.
Disclaimer: a lot of my work is with women who want or need to stand out and be remembered because they have a business or are representing a company or non-profit. Even if they feel like black is “their color,” they don’t have the luxury of blending in so I help them find colors they love and that represent their personality and even their brand. No one pays me to tell them to wear black.
In thinking about that guy and his closet of black, gray and white, I reflected on how he had this spunky and friendly personality. That’s not a black personality to me! Then I thought, “Gosh, I don’t really know anyone who I would say has a black personality!”
Frankly, if you have a black personality…maybe you need to work on your personality. Cringe.
So once the nerves from my dental appointment wore off, I wanted to go back to that guy and say, “Black isn’t your color! Find the one that is!”
My message to you? Black is not your color.
Unless you are a dark, somber, even gothic-type person…black is not your color. It’s no one’s color! It’s not even a color in my book. And even if you feel good in black, it is not doing you any favors in terms of elevating your image or helping people connect with you.
There is a real, actual color (teal? coral? army green perhaps?) that IS you. And if you’ve been living in black for a long time, wearing your color could literally change your life.
Sure–wear black every now and then! It’s a great neutral for your wardrobe! But find a better color to make your own.
Maybe it’s one of the seven colors that look good on everyone! If not, I highly recommend Phoenix Color Analysis. Let me know if you get stumped!
My color is teal. It’s great for a Deep Color Code, it’s elegant without being too serious, it feels down to earth and approachable, and it goes with black and white, my two best neutrals.
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