Pros and Cons of an All-Black Wardrobe
Picture this:
You roll out of bed way after your alarm goes off. You brush your teeth and comb your hair, then go pick out an outfit. If you’re like me, you probably want to look cute but don’t have the time to match colors, or the desire to wear something too colorful, so you wear something black. Whether that be a black shirt and black pants, black shirt and a black skirt, or a black dress, you get the picture. While black almost always looks stylish and elegant without requiring too much effort, one can sometimes find themselves falling into a kind of rut and wonder how to add more color into their wardrobe. Or, in my case, you enjoy wearing mostly black and don’t understand why friends and family always ask about why you don’t wear more color, or joke about whose funeral are you going to. So, allow me to present the pros and cons of the all-black or mostly black wardrobe, along with a little bit of history on the iconic monochromatic trend.
History of Black Clothing
Wearing black first emerged in Ancient Greece as the color of mourning. It largely remained the color of mourning, and is still often associated with funerals, until the Middle Ages. Due to the fact that it was expensive to dye fabrics such dark colors, black became a sort of status symbol amongst the Spanish and Dutch nobility. Notable figures, such as Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and Queen Victoria were known for wearing black and even though this started to mourn someone who had died, nobles at court and the upper class sought to emulate these figures. Thus, another reason to wear black.
Black then had another moment in the spotlight in the twentieth century, when Coco Chanel introduced the instantly classic little black dress. Prior to ladies of society wearing the little black dress, black clothing was associated with domestic workers and people who worked in retail, but with Chanel’s new spin on the color black, there was once again a sort of status to be conveyed from wearing the color. Additionally, the color also grew in popularity for dresses after Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Givenchy dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s made its debut.
Pros of Wearing Black
Now that I’ve presented the history of all-black ensembles, allow me to dive into the benefits of wearing black.
It goes with everything. As a student, the last thing you probably want to worry about is matching clothes in the morning, and black saves you the hassle. Also you won’t need to worry about it not going with your skin tone, hair color, makeup, or accessories.
It’s very flattering! Not only does black work with different skin tones, the clean lines showcase one’s body in a a very flattering way. I have yet to see a person who does not look good in black.
You can go crazy with accessories or makeup. I might not enjoy wearing a lot of bold colors in my clothing, but I certainly enjoy rocking a bold makeup look or a fun purse with an all-black ensemble.
Black is a color that when one wears it, it exudes power, elegance, and maturity. This is why it’s a color that is so favored in a work environment or at a formal event or even for everyday wear.
Cons of Wearing Black
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After presenting the benefits of wearing black, here are some of the drawbacks of wearing black.
It can be repetitive. It can be easy to fall into a routine of just wearing black, since it’s so versatile, but it can get boring to repeat colors and outfits day in and day out.
It has a negative psychological effect on the wearer. Because black is such a serious and dark color, it can make the wearer feel gloomy if worn too often. Also, since black is often viewed as a conservative, safe color to wear, one can find themselves using the color black to not draw too much attention their way, which is fine in moderation, since everyone has one or two off days, but it becomes a problem when you use black as a wall to hide yourself behind.
Black can also lead to others having a negative perception of you. Although I don’t believe in dressing for anyone but yourself, some people might want to be conscious of the fact that because black is a color most often associated with seriousness and maturity, it can make the wearer appear to be closed-off or intimidating.
So whether you choose to wear all black or not, based on the pros and cons, at the end of the day, the decision should be based on what makes you feel great and gorgeous, since that’s what fashion is all about.
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