# The tyranny of black **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 20, 2005, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410 "2005-03-20T10:52:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/21 "2005-03-20T16:03:55Z")
> [@belladonna](#): > > I say we band together and fight against the true evil on the fashion scene—cutesy embellished casual wear! > You all know what I’m talking about. Poly-knit glorified sweatsuits with little embroidered kittens across the boobs or americana hearts stitched about the wrists and ankles. The owners of these abortions seem to also favor the ‘high-waisted 80’s chinos with tie-neck sweaters and penny loafers’ look. :eek: While we’re at it, can we get rid of women’s clothing with words written across the chests and bottoms… I’m tired of looking like a pervert just because I like to read. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/22 "2005-03-20T16:10:08Z")
> [@Nocturne](#): > > Gah! This stereotype bothers me. There are plenty of bouncy, vivacious people in the goth crowd. In fact, most are NOT lugubrious Edgar Allen Poes, or rebellious teenagers. Relax. It was just a joke. Nothing worth commiting suicide over. 😃 Yeah, I’m the only one that thinks I’m funny ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/23 "2005-03-20T16:11:06Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > I thought it was NYC that wore all black. (they don’t btw and neither do the Parisians, although I must admit that I don’t understand them) Yes, what’s with the Parisians? Wasting every lovely night on romance? ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/24 "2005-03-20T16:12:53Z")
My two favorite clothing colors are black and pink. Does that mean I’m manic-depressive? ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/25 "2005-03-20T16:19:12Z")
Black matches itself (yes, I know that black rarely match precisely, but I don’t care) and doesn’t get dirty easily. If I bought a pair of light-coloured pants, I would _immediately_ spill something all over them. I like black. Black and dark red and purple. I happen to think I look good in dark colours, and I look like a twit in pastels. I am not going to look like a washed-out idiot just so the world is more cheery. Pink and lime green and bright orange and sunny yellow are the ‘in’ colours for the spring anyway. There will be lots of fluorescent teenagers bopping around, making everything brighter. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/26 "2005-03-20T16:19:38Z")
I’ll never give up my Black and Gold. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/27 "2005-03-20T16:25:32Z")
I wear black jeans and black pants a lot. I do try not to dress in all black, so my shirts and sweaters are usually of some other colour or shade. I think that plenty of women look good in all black. Some men can carry it off; others look silly. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/28 "2005-03-20T16:32:10Z")
I’ve worn mostly black since high school. My typical outfit is a black shirt of some kind and jeans. And I have several black dresses, etc. It just looks good on me, and I don’t care for all the colorful shit I see everywhere. It’s not attractive, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/29 "2005-03-20T16:40:59Z")
I used to wear more black than I do now. It doesn’t quite go with everything – e.g. I can’t work black jeans, black T-shirt, and coloured long-sleeve. But other than that I usually wear at least one black piece or so (besides my socks). ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/30 "2005-03-20T17:13:32Z")
I was wearing all-black yesterday. We had a performance and I didn’t feel like changing afterward. I felt like I should be reciting bad poetry or playing the bongos or saying how depressed I was or something. ---
**Author:** ![Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phedre_no_Delaunay)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/31 "2005-03-20T17:18:02Z")
I like wearing all black too. It compliments my coloring, and I’ve been told that I wear it well. I have several pairs of black pants and black sweaters. I do tend to wear less black in the summer though. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/32 "2005-03-20T17:25:35Z")
Pretty much _all_ my clothes are black with the occasional grey or black&white patterned piece thrown in. Multiple reasons: 1. Doesn’t show dirt easily as several posters have mentioned. Also, I’m in Texas where I sweat a lot and non-black thing tend to get that icky yellowing. 2. If everything’s the same color, mixing and matching is a no brainer. Plus, you don’t have to sort laundary. 3. Almost all clothing comes in black, especially cheap clothing, so it’s an easy option to settle on. 4. I’m a redhead and black makes a nice contrast that makes my hair look brighter. 5. (and this may be a result of wearing so much black) I dislike having bright colors near my face and find it distracting. 6. I _was_ a wannabe Goth in high school and do find black comforting. But, I have branched out a bit. I’ve fallen for pink and almost all my shoes are now hot pink and fuschia… ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/33 "2005-03-20T17:53:55Z")
At some point, people have to make a choice- what color shoe and purse they buy. Shoes are either black or brown. Once you buy those shoes, your stuck with clothes that coordinate with black (navys, greys) or brown (creams, earthtones). I believe that we didn’t spend 10,000 years of human history developing synthetic dyes just to walk around in stuff still colored like dirt, so I go with black. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/34 "2005-03-20T18:11:43Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > A few years ago when asked what their first impression of France was, I heard Americans say “they all wear black”. Now it seems the craze has contaminated the whole of North America. Black T-shirt, black coat, black dress, black everything. And that’s been lasting ten years now. Has this anything to do with that gloomy gothic fad ? Black is sadness, sorrow, mourning. It’s the symbol of death. :eek: > Join me and help me find some good slang words to say how much I hate all black garbs. > > Worst of all is dressing all black a 3-year old, angel-faced little girl. I’ve seen it and I think it’s plain stupidity in my not so humble opinion. :mad: :mad: > > If you happen, dear fellow Doper, to wear a black shirt, note it’s not you I despise, but your DOGGONE CRAPPY BLACK SHIRT. > > Oh! One more thing. I have a black shirt for sale. Any takers ? 😉 > I used to wear it along with a white sport coat, white pants, white shoes, a pink necktie… and a pink carnation, of course 🙂 . (You don’t like that style ? Go ahead and tell the world!) Do you realize how ignorant you are being, judging a person by the colors they choose to surround themselves with? You need to educate yourself, THEN speak your mind. Here, I’ll help you to see things from a different perspective. I’m Pagan, I wear black becuase it’s a symbol of Spiritual power, a symbol of Protection, and a symbol of Knowledge/Learning. It’s not that different from other religious symbols for me. > [@](#): > > Q: Why do all Witches/Wiccans wear black? > A: We all don’t. Many Witches/Wiccans actually seem to favor green and/or purple. Black, however, is in many cultures a symbol of clergy. Priests, Ministers and Rabbis all favor black as the main color of their ritual garb. > > Scientifically speaking, color is energy. The colors you see are the ones which are reflected and not the ones absorbed. Therefore, what appears to be white, which is the culmination of all colors in the light spectrum, is actually reflecting all colors and absorbing none. What appears to be black, is absorbing all colors and reflecting none. This is evident in the fact that when one is wearing white, one feels cooler - as the fabric is sending the heat energy outward, and when one wears black - the heat energy is absorbed in the cloth that one is wearing, making one feel warmer. Many Witches feel that wearing black attracts and holds more natural energy. From [here](http://www.witchvox.com/basics/wfaq.html). (Scroll down a bit on the page.) Also: > [@](#): > > 1. Many Witches Do wear black. Black is not an evil color. Clergy of other religions wear black without criticism, although they have forgotten why. Black is the culmination of all things on the material plane. It absorbs light and energy, and helps Witches to be more psychic. White is the combination of all light frequencies, and Witches wear white at funerals to reflect the light and energy of the one who’s died. (From an article in the [Pagan Library](http://www.paganlibrary.com/introductory/dosDontsWitches.php)) [This](http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm) page mentions the varying symbolism of colors in different cultures worldwide. Just because it’s been taught as a “truth” to you doesn’t mean it’s “true” for others. You need to learn the difference between cultural preferances, and hard truth. Strangely enough, I found a page that said in Western tradition black was a good color. I’m not certain how reliable the information on [this page](http://www.qi-whiz.com/McFengshui/color.html) is from a historical standpoint, (leaving out whether Feng Shui is bunk or not) but it sounds at least plausible. > [@](#): > > North Black Career > Dignity, aloofness, solitude. The all-time favorite color of medieval European nobility because of the expense of its manufacture. In Color Therapy it is stability, earthy, reliable. Although I don’t personally practice belief in Chakras, this [page](http://www.gemstonegifts.com/Colors/black.htm) also gives some of my reasons for wearing black. > [@](#): > > Dark colored crystals are very grounding, and deepen our connection to all things physical, (the natural being). They help relieve us of fears specifically associated with our physical existence here on earth. They act as a shield, protecting and deflecting negative energy. I just feel better when I wear black, so I do. Veiw it as a placebo effect if you wish, I sometimes do. I have lots of other vibrant colors in my wardrobe as well, and I wear them and love to wear them. I just like to wear black too. Finally, here is a Wikipedia article on [color psychology](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_psychology), it’s quite interesting. [This](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_colors) article lists some of the countries who chose the color black for it’s good symbolism in their flags. (I notice they missed lots of African nations, as well as Jamaica.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/35 "2005-03-20T19:39:19Z")
Actually, I think that the “all black” fashion trend is on its way **out** at the moment. For the past couple of years I’ve seen fashion magazines advising women that they’ll be more noticeable when they dress up if they wear a red or white dress rather than a black one. Black has apparently moved from “everybody’s-gotta-have-it chic” to “everybody’s-already-wearing-it boring”, and the fashionistas are now figuring out how to use everybody else’s black dresses as a backdrop to show off their own new colors. Soon everybody else is going to start trying to catch up, and we’ll see less unrelieved black around for party wear. Black will always remain a good, dependable basic for everyday wear, for all the reasons people have already mentioned, but it just won’t be considered so chic anymore. The people who wear all black for reasons other than chic won’t care, which is fine. Personally, I don’t mind basic black in everyday clothing, but Lordy was I getting tired of it as the universal choice for party dresses. When you’ve got more than half the female guests wearing black dresses even at a **daytime summer** wedding—bleah! I **do** prefer being able to tell just from a quick glance at the crowd whether I’m looking at a wedding or a funeral. (The currently trendy shades of neon-y greens and oranges and pinks are no improvement, though. Ugghity ugh ugh.) ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/36 "2005-03-20T19:40:26Z")
My wardrobe is probably about 50% black, despite people liking to call me a gawth. However I don’t think wearing a lot of black automatically makes you goth or means you’re depressed. I generally wear black, whites, greys, and warm tones. Red, purple, yellow, gold, brown, (not garish) pink, salmon… very rarely I will wear muted blues and greens. My hair, makeup, and skintone are all on the ‘warm’ side of the spectrum, so it feels off when I wear loud colours. I’m also very pale, and thinks like pastels tend to just make me look ill. Unlike my everyday stuff, most of my “formal” and dress-up clothes are black, though. Have you been shopping for nice “dressy” stuff in the last few years? Black is pretty much the only colour you can find anything cool in, that isn’t too fancy or covered in little flowers, beads, glitter and/or lace. Since lime green and hot pink became the “in” colours, it’s even harder to find something in a nice neutral brown or soft grey, so black is pretty much my only other option. I am NOT wearing lime green. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/37 "2005-03-20T20:26:39Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > help me find some good slang words to say how much I hate all black garbs. Are you saying you hate the [New Zealand All-Blacks](http://www.allblacks.com) and their uniforms? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/38 "2005-03-20T21:27:32Z")
New Yorkers like black because it looks both no-nonsense and arty (a plus in creative businesses), is slimming (professionals here are particularly judgmental about extra poundage), and can go from day to evening without too much trouble (a boon to busy lifestyles). There’s probably also an underlying subtext of cynicism à la Richard Lewis, and perhaps a flavor of piety and wisdom borrowed from Hasidic Jews. Quite a subtextual mess, really. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/39 "2005-03-20T22:21:51Z")
For me it’s a laundry thing. I wear my clothes until they fall apart. And a black shirt will eventually turn into a grey shirt, which is still fine. A red or green or blue shirt turns a pukey color that annoys me. ---
**Author:** ![Marsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Marsie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marsie)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410/40 "2005-03-20T22:43:52Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Most people who dress in black are young and slim… Wrong-o! I’m middle-aged, short and pudgy. I like to dress in black because it gives me a sleek line. I use lots of colorful accessories. Hmmm…I even have a black dog because it makes me look skinny when I walk him. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tyranny-of-black/295410.md?page=3)