Why I Want to go Back to Black (and I'm not Depressed)

I've been thinking about this for a while, and it very much goes against the grain of both conventional thinking, and the look of my own personal wardrobe from the last couple of years at least. 

I've got everything going for me right now. I'm a Dad for the first time. Little Jasper has arrived in our lives and I couldn't be happier. I have a beautiful girlfriend and a relatively idyllic home out in the countryside. But of late, I've been hankering to get back into some old ways, namely my dark toned wardrobe choices. 

Since meeting Tuula I've enjoyed switching over to some vibrant colours, some looser fits and eye-popping patterns. And I've enjoyed the switch. Having colour in your wardrobe, can make mixing and matching the various looks more interesting than simply sticking to a colour wheel, or coordinating block layers. Start light, fade to black etc.

 But then I had a wash day, and threw on some old dark clothes that has survived the revamp, and I have to admit as crazy and as borderline vain as this might sound, I looked cool again. I looked like Lee Van Cleef reborn, especially with my black fedora. 

So I wanted to know, can one wear black and still be happy? 

I found a lot of comments interesting in a Reddit thread about colour analysis. The biggest tip I've learnt over time was to always wear a colour that promotes your eyes. For those with blue eyes I really envy you, because it's easy to put on a blue t-shirt, a blue tie, something that's going to give your look a POP. 

I've got quite dark coloured eyes, so boosting those with a clothing staple can be hard. Especially if I'm looking to go dark all over. But whether or not I can be happy wearing dark clothes is surely subjective. As one writer comments,

"Correlation does not equal causation."

In the morning I normally have some quiet time to myself, Jasper asleep in my arms. I can contemplate on what kind of mood I'm in, how tired I am, or not. My mood in the morning has nothing to do with the colours I'm wearing. 

Stand out by standing back

In an age where everyone is vying for your attention, with colourful thumbnails screaming in shock and awe at a slogan. Or dancing for no reason wearing very little. I'm a little tired of competing in the race to the bottom. I've always believed the quality of someone's content will be the defining rod on whether they will get 'seen' or not. So just feeling comfortable in one's skin, one's clothes and not having to 'peacock' as Neil Strauss would put it, will get you further in the long run. Certainly for peace of mind. 

The mystery of black 

As we discussed in a previous blog about The Bikeriders, having an element of mystery about you is a very powerful attraction. Wearing black gives nothing away, accept that you like black. Having a multitude of logos, or colours, can be very expressive. Which I'm sure is intentional for the wearer. But the man in black is not letting on, hence many action heroes wear black suits. John Wick, James Bond, The Transporter. Etc. 

Ways to wear black that are interesting

If you're opting for all black, then try different fabrics of black. For example a black flannel shirt has texture, that doesn't make the look so flat and politician-like. Wear accessories such as man bags, neckerchiefs that are colourful to break up the look. I'm currently looking into buying more fedoras, but felt fedoras with ribbons and maybe a few feathers stuck in for good measure. Laird Hatters, Lock & Co, Mister Miller, Wolf & Badger are on my radar. 

Best quote about black 

“Vivian Cash: You can't wear black. It looks like you're going to a funeral.

Johnny Cash: Maybe I am...”