I have just returned to New Zealand from Europe and whilst the 24 hour journey may have seemed an ordeal to most people, I actually relished the opportunity to have some ‘my time’. I love to watch the movies, read, write down new ideas and sleep whenever I want to but more importantly, I want to be totally on my own. How do I achieve this? Quite simply, I wear the colour black.
Black, whilst being seen as a sophisticated and classy colour, also communicates a message of ‘do not come too close, just let me do my own thing’. Black is a great colour to wear when you just want to ‘hide away’, or are feeling vulnerable and do not want to be noticed. The properties found in black effectively create a ‘barrier’ between you and anyone else. When wearing black you are very difficult to ‘read’ the barrier created reveals nothing about your emotions or personality, creating a certain amount of mystery about you.
Traditionally teenagers go through a black faze. They do not want any interference in their lives from parents or teachers. When taken to the extreme teenagers will become ‘Goths’, wearing clothes and accessories and makeup all in black. The message in both instances is ‘just let me be’ ‘do not disturb’.
Black is a strong and classy colour. Women will wear the ‘lbd’ (little black dress) to create this very persona. In marketing black is used to promote masculine products again creating a strong and classy image. Executives and presidents will be driven in black cars representing style, class and power.
Whilst black is a great colour to use, excessive use will affect your emotions and can sometimes cause depression and a feeling of ‘emotional invisibility’. Black can also hinder your true potential within all aspects of your life and wearing it to often may seem to hold you back.
So, the message is, wear black when you want to feel classy, create mystery or just ‘blend into the background’! Just be careful not to wear it too often or too much; nobody likes to be invisible for too long!
Have an undisturbed week,
Thelma van der Werff, Colour Comfort
www.colourcomfort.com
