Getting dressed this morning, I decided it was time to pitch the pair of black tights I was planning to wear, so I went to get a new pair. I have a box of tights in the closet, so I reached in and grabbed out a pair. Nope, these are tan with flowers on them. rummage rummage rummage Hm, are these black or very, very, very dark navy? squint at next to lamp Hm. go open blinds, squint at in natural light. Totally can’t tell. pick up the pair I just threw out, known to be black, and compare the two pairs, in artificial light, then in natural light. Okey doke, I guess they’re black. put them on, finish getting dressed, drive to work, go to use john.
Yup, under flurorescent light – they’re definitely blue.
My mom has that problem with her shoes. She really likes one particular style of shoe for work and has them in both navy blue and black. One day she wore one of each by accident. Luckily, she sits at a desk most of the day, so I doubt many people noticed. She certainly didn’t until she was getting out of the car after work.
I’ve done that, MissMossie. twicks, I highly recommend getting a flourescent light somewhere in your house! I actually have one in my closet, which helps. Closet–flourescent, bathroom–incandescent, window–natural light. I’ve been known to check in all three lights before I decide something’s the right color.
Ha, I checked your location immediately, because I used to work w/ a girl who did that…we had a good laugh when she realized it and showed to the rest of us!!!
You grin, but it’s actually a good idea. This is not the first time I’ve done this – thus the long rumination process before I decreed the tights to be black.
This is another excellent reason to use compact fluorescent bulbs in your house. I have a compact fluorescent bulb in the lamp over my desk, and yes, I do use it to get dressed sometimes.
The black/navy confusion is bad enough, but I also have two corduroy shirts that change color. One is jet black in fluorescent light and very dark brown in incandescent, and the other is clear sage green in fluorescent light and a muddy brown-green in incandescent. Obviously these things are dyed in fluorescent-lit factories. There may also be something about corduroy that makes these color shifts more likely. I’ve learned never to put on black, navy or dark brown cord trousers without checking under the lamp that they actually are that color.
Yep, I’ve done that too. The day that I picked to do it was the day that I was wearing a black and tan suit that has a shorter skirt. Looked fine at home. Got to work and there I was with my black and tan suit, black shoes and navy tights. I felt, well, special that day.
I have this problem with my black boots. I have the exact same pair in brown, and it’s a pain to discern which is which. I’ve resorted to scoring the underside of both the brown ones to make it simple.
One weekend morning I got up, got dressed, and drove myself to Target to see if I could find some appropriate clothes. Lo and behold, I enter the dressing room and look down at my feet; one shoe is brown and the other is black. They’re identical in style, but very obviously different colors. Differentiating between the brown and black is only difficult in low light, when all dark colors appear the same.
I have the same problem with tights, but now I take a permanent marker and write the color (and sometimes the brand) on the little crotch panel, which is usually white, when I first buy them…before throwing away the wrapper that says black or navy!That way I won’t have to worry, and if they fit well/ fit crappy I’ll know which brand to buy/avoid in the future, because so few have the little tag at the back seam anymore.
I recently bought two pair of identical style shoes, in black and navy, and am trying to find my white permanent marker so I can discreetly mark them, too. Because I know it’s just a matter of time…
I actually have one in my closet, which helps. Closet–flourescent, bathroom–incandescent, window–natural light. I’ve been known to check in all three lights before I decide something’s the right color.