The War on Chromaphobia

Thanks to Susie Bubble for reminding me. about this chronic wardrobe malfunction. Every year I tell myself I'm going to wear more color and sometimes I even trick myself into thinking that I am. Once while going on a spirited tirade about men not wearing any color I was silenced by a friend who noted that I myself wasn't wearing any color at the time and usually wear a lot of blacks and grays. A glance down at my outfit revealed that in fact I was only wearing black. How did this happen?

I'd like to say that its just a symptom of being a New Yorker but a New York Magazine article from last spring showed a few examples of New Yorkers who can't get enough of color. Even if those rare examples are strictly monochromatic. It was hard not to get excited about color again looking through the collections shown this year, as sober blues have given way to more vibrant yellows. Cyan, Neon, and Mustard. This year, of all houses, Gucci surprised me with a fun psychedelic collection, even if it was uneven.

Gucci and Jil Sander

Asos Slip On Boat Shoes £34.26

All three looks from Yves Saint Laurent SS09

Stefano Pilati showed a crisp range of delicate hues: salmon, navy, and many different earth tones. Every look combined luxury with comfort and teased a dialectic between vulnerability and strength.

My strategy to break away from black is simple:

1. I buy black because of its versatility, but earth tones and grays do the trick just as well.
2. Accessorize more. After migrating south for spring I found myself dressing down by default and therefore accessorizing more, but accessories allow for an easy addition of color to an outfit.
3. Watermelon sneakers.