I never used to feel comfortable in bright colours.
Too conspicuous somehow. Too visible. Too out there.
No, I needed my camouflage of basic black to blend in and be at one with the crowd.
Black was classic, wasn't it? Chic? Slimming?
I used black to cloak my insecurities and hide behind.
But that all changed. I wasn't happy in black anymore. I didn't want to feel drab in my head to toe dark shades. I didn't want to look the same as everyone else. I wanted to look like me.
I suddenly seemed to crave colours. Blooming pinks. Sunny yellows. Passionate purples. Zesty greens. Brightening blues. I wanted zingy, tangy, delectable shades of the rainbow. I wanted outfits in every hue, every pattern.
And now, looking at my rainbow hued wardrobe, I feel satisfied. Happy. Complete.
The colours I wear reflect the mood I am in.
The colours I wear reflect the different aspects of my personality.
The colours I wear are me.
I do still wear black, but only in small doses. A jacket here. Tights there. A cardigan to throw in the mix.
I've found that just a little goes a long way after my years of black overdose.
And that is why I just can't seem to wear this divine wool vintage dress that I found last year. It is so overwhelmingly black! It feels amazing on, and is beautifully made but it is most definitely, indisputably black.
(Isn't it terrible that I have the most gorgeous head piece on and all I can focus on is the big scar on my forehead!I try and tell myself that I look like Harry Potter but sometimes I just don't believe it.)
So I tried to brighten up my black with lots of stunning vintage beaded lovelies.
This newly thrifted bag was working over time but I still think the black was just too overpowering.
Next time I will try the dress with a bright belt and multi-hued necklace and see if that lifts it.
I think I fared a bit better with this outfit with the green giving a nice little punch of colour.
And I have learnt that after a day with more than a dab of black on I need to let loose and don wild and crazy colours and prints the next day so I can feel a little more like me. Colour me happy!
With all of my misgivings about black you can understand my dilemma when I attended the Soundwave music festival in February. This is a music festival where heavy metal fans mingle with punks and goths and the uniform is black, black and some more black.
Add the issues of comfort, port a loos and drunken festival goers who would not have any respect for my pretty frocks, and I was in a real pickle. I didn't want to blend in with everyone else, but I didn't want to ruin a vintage dress and limp about in heels either.
So I caved. I wore black. But only some. The purple I added to the outfit managed to get me through the day.
That and awesome bands. Lots of awesome and loud bands. Oh yeah!
Hello Brooke,
ReplyDeleteWell, if you should look into our wardrobe you would possibly think that you had gone blind as it is difficult to make anything out. Black, black and more black with an odd lightning bolt of white is the monochrome order of the day here. And, we think that your little black number is terribly chic.
Livened with the emerald green, it really does look fabulous on you and certainly makes you look far from drab. More like a woman with great taste and who is very self assured. Perfect!
Sweet Brooke, I could very easily have written every last word about black and your sartorial relationship with it that you have here, because the same rings true for me as well. Though I've always loved and long been drawn to bright, diverse colours, until around my mid-20s, I often turned to black (or other very dark hues) a lot of the time as well, using them (unnecessarily, I now see with the wisdom of hindsight borne of age) to try and hide a myriad of (perceived?) shortcomings about my figures and also to help me, woefully shy critter that I am, not standout too much in crowd (more than wearing vintage already makes one by default, that is). All that changed though as I grew more confident about my appearance with each passing year and for a while now, it's been colour, colour and more colour for me and I couldn't be happier. I feel much more myself usually sporting a rainbow than I do the hues of the sky at midnight.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, dear gal!
♥ Jessica
As a blonde I could almost guarantee I'd turn heads so was very lazy with colour and for a long time my entire wardrobe was black and grey. With black hair I felt like more effort needed to be made and colour not only suited me but got me noticed. its a great icebreaker. Strangers will often make conversation based on how bright my eye shadow is or how my dress is blinding them.
ReplyDeleteI love a bit of metal but never feel the need to do the corset/all black thing. If the metalheads judge me on wearing neon that's their loss.
You look gorgeous in black but the green just sings! x
I still wear black occasionally, and when I do I feel utterly chic and glamorous! for me it has to be worn with killer accessories - and I love your black dress with your killer accessories! everything is divine, it is different from your colourful beauties but I think you wear everything so beautifully! live music is just fab! and scars always tell stories, I had a stitched lip when I fell on a brick (seriously! who falls on a brick? not over it, no I face planted it!) x x x
ReplyDeleteI love black and I wear it very often, one of my fav colours. I like your combination of black with white and green, still black but a bit different, very nice!
ReplyDeleteI used to wear a lot of black, but like you, I now prefer colour and pattern. But now and again, a shot of the dark stuff is fine - it can look very dramatic and elegant, as your black dress and gorgeous headpiece and bag attest. I adore that outfit, it's so polished and beautiful. Love the black and green too.
ReplyDeleteI have long since passed the point of worrying about dressing to fit in with any particular crowd; it would be awesome to wear a girly frock to a metal gig and rock it! xxx
I'm glad you have brought black into the mix. I'm also in the same boat as you. I love black in vintage but am also liking other colors. It is interesting how much black we do see in vintage styles. I have quite a few black dresses. I love how you styled up your dress and who's to say you can't bring black into the mix too? :))
ReplyDeletethe beaded hat is a dream. totally in love with that piece ... black ... since i'm back to the office world i end up a lot wearing black lately ... good to see that i'm not the only one. ;)
ReplyDelete