The Psychology of Wearing Black
- May 8
- 3 min read
How many of my beautiful folk own 60-90% black garments in their wardrobe? I am definitely guilty. I always find it so easy to just grab my black dress whenever I'm in a rush. Effortless, minimal and chic.
Many people have different views on black.
"Oh, you shouldn't wear too much black, it's bad for luck."
"Did you go to the gym?", "Oh no, it's just the black dress"
"You don't look too well, you should put on something colourful"
As you can see, black remains as one of the most interesting colours in the world.
Power
There's a reason why tuxedos often come in black than periwinkle blue. When someone is seen wearing black, they are often more respected, and it gives you the feeling that he or she has it all. Sometimes, it might even intimidate you.
When you first start a job, you are required to buy a blazer/coat/suit. The first colour worth investing in is always a black suit. It's universally flattering, hides your love handles and might even make you look like you have Wolf on Wall Street on your resume. However, I do believe that sometimes, we wear black to hide our imperfections because it is the darkest colour, it makes us look fair and it asserts dominance, something like an armor if you will.
Confident people on the other hand, wear black to boost their ego. They often give "I decide what you get to know about me" energy.
Mystery
Let's switch to another scenario. You swiped right on a cute guy. Now it's 7:30pm and your he's coming to fetch you. What do you wear?
I don't want to a red dress, it might attract too much attention and I'm feeling bloated too. Should I go for denim? Might be too casual for the french restaurant we are going to.
Alas, you see the trusty, old favourite, the little black dress (LBD), always have been your best friend.
The LBD knows all your good angles, always flattering regardless of whether you are bloated on not and makes you feel like a million bucks. It also gives you that mysterious vibe that shows you are not trying too hard, but also makes your partner want to get to know you more. Intriguing!
In the fashion industry, you will always see black being associated with avant-garde, cool-girl-effortless-model-off-duty looks, Parisian wardrobes and old Hollywood Glamour too.
Emotional Protection
There's a reason why people wear black when they are mourning. You are less likely to approach someone in black than white, so it acts like a shield. When life feels chaotic, black gives comfort and warmth, something you can always fall back and return to. How ironic!
Mourning does not necessarily mean death, sometimes creatives mourn the loss of inspiration and motivation. Black makes them feel "held together" while they take time to reorganize themselves.
People always talk about body shaming, but I wish people could be more considerate when commenting on basically anything too.
"Oh, she's always in black, that's why there's always misfortune around her"
Now, this is basically a curse. She could be grieving from the loss of her elderly dog, a family member or even a friendship.
Let's try to be more mindful of what we say.
Black is great as both a main and anchor colour which helps pull other colour together. If you want to build your own style, always start with black pieces as they go with everything!
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