Henry Ford once said, “Any color, as long as it’s black”.
There are two camps when it comes to black. One that thinks black represents darkness, death, and/or mystery (in a Dateline kind of way), while the other camp sees black as vibrant, sophisticated, and powerful. The thing is, a color can and does represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Every color has a dark and a light side and each of us sees color in different ways depending on what we were taught. So, it’s easy to see how some of us think of black as a black hole of sorrow and some of us simply see it as a sassy little black dress.
Initially, in the 14th century, black, like purple, was very expensive to produce so it was only worn by the elite. At some point, during the 16th century, black came to represent bereavement in many cultures, and by the late 1800s, Victorian mourning outfits were the norm. In 1926, a big shift for fashion came when Coco Chanel designed the little black dress and black went from gloom and doom to chic and elegant.
Black mixes easily with other colors and creates balance and contrast. Because black absorbs all light it can be considered low-energy, and to be certain, pure black can be overwhelming. Although it lacks light, it does not lack feeling. A woman dressed in all black with a black veil gives us a sense of sadness, while Rita Hayworth, in her iconic role as Gilda, wearing a satin, strapless, black evening dress is sexy and playful.
To me, black is like a blank canvas that can change meaning simply by pairing it with different things. I wear black mostly in the winter and for a sleek modern look, I pair it with large statement pieces. A huge gold pendant looks amazing when it’s worn with a black turtleneck or a big, gold brooch on a black coat lapel. Black tone on tone brocade is a glamourous scene stealer, and a black patent purse is always the perfect accessory to give an outfit some punch. Black stones like tourmaline and onyx are highly grounding and protective and said to shield against negative energy. You can wear black to create a sense of emotional safety, or when you want to convey efficiency.
Black sometimes signifies the end of something, but we must also remember that where there is an end, a new beginning is just around the corner. So even if you think black is the black sheep of the color family, I encourage you to step outside the box and think of all the different, positive ways black can empower you. Let’s dress with intention and think about how we want to present ourselves, to be ourselves.
XO-
Mel