Choose a Color and Write About It

 Originally Published Dec.2012

Just before I started to write for today, I decided to look up the topic just one more time.  You see, all this time, I thought I should be writing about my favorite color.  And, I had no idea how I could possible stretch a one-word answer into a one-to-two page story.  

Well, now that I know I have the option of writing about another color other than “red,” what color am I going to choose? 

I like BLACK.  To me, black is scary.  Dark.  Morbid.  The color worn at funerals and/or by people in mourning. Not a happy color.  Depressing.  But…. It’s also a “classy” color.  Black signifies sophistication.  One can dress up black with accents of red or white or blue – or stripes.  Or polka dots.  Or anything, actually.  Even pearls. Remember Steve Cannon on the radio giving us the dress code for Fridays – the basic black sheath with a string of pearls?

Black is slenderizing.  So…. I like black.  It is also a color one wears when they don’t want to be seen at night.  One can blend in with the night sky.  Not good if one is walking alone on a road late at night – unless, of course, you’ve got some reflective tape on your clothes.

I also like WHITE.  Of course, I still follow the “rule” of “you can’t wear white until after Memorial Day and you must not be seen in public wearing white after Labor Day."  Today is the exception, however.  It’s been so beautiful out and so summer-like that I have decided to wear white as long as I can.  To me, the color white denotes light, airy, and delicate.  It sort of helps balance out black.  Maybe that’s why one sees a lot of black and white together. There’s even a store in New York called White House/Black Market that sells nothing but white and black colored clothes…. Expensive clothes.  I must not be the only one who thinks black and white go together!  Rich people think so, too!

One can tell what season we are in by color.  It’s spring when you see light pastels … or Easter colors – pale pink, soft yellow, light green, baby blue.  Summer brings a “louder” or brighter form of those shades – bright pink, deep yellow, Kelly green and royal blue.  And then comes fall – with the oranges, browns, dark reds, golds, and dark greens.  Of course, winter starts with the jewel tones – bright reds, blues, greens, -- typical Christmas colors.  Or, Hanukkah blue.  And after Christmas, we see a lot of white – snowy white, of course,

Many years ago, it was popular to quote “have your colors done.”  I was told that I am a “winter” because I particularly look good in the bright or jewel-toned colors that are associated with winter.  One just doesn’t have to go to a “color party” to determine “your color.”  When you find that people tend to compliment you when you are wearing a certain color, you can pretty much figure out what “season” or “color” you are.  I get many compliments when I’m wearing red or blue.  Just the other day, I was leaving the restroom in a restaurant and a woman entering the room said, “wow, is that blue ever a good color on you.”   It’s funny what hearing a compliment can do to one’s ego.  I thanked her for her unsolicited comment and walked out of the room with my head held just a little higher and my back a little straighter than when I entered.  Wearing the colors of my season make me happy.

Well, it looks like I did end up writing about my favorite colors, after all.  And, I managed to write more than a few words.  My assignment is done!