The NY Times has an interesting story about fashion:
Why Do So Many People Wear All Black?
Link. Vanessa Friedman (2024).
The discussion begins with a mentioning of a middle school in Texas banning students to wear top-to-bottom black, because the color was more associated with “depression and mental health issues and/or criminality than with happy and healthy kids ready to learn.”
The decision [banning all-black attires], not surprisingly, produced such an outcry that it was quickly put on hold to allow for community discussion. And while it does seem somewhat extreme and not entirely realistic, reflecting a very limited understanding of black clothing’s role in the public psyche, it also demonstrates the very real power of wearing all black. More than any other color, it is replete with associations and symbolism, which may mean one thing to a wearer and another to an observer — and which changes depending on the context.
The color is associated with so much things.
Fashion people are known to love black, even though Anna Wintour reportedly hates it. Many designers, including Yohji Yamamoto, are partial to it.
Mr. Yamamoto once told The New York Times: “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy, but mysterious. But above all, black says this: I don’t bother you, don’t bother me.”
I asked Kate Lanphear, the women’s style editor of T magazine and a favorite of street-style photographers thanks to her personal look, which mostly involves black, why she likes it.
“All black quickly became my go-to uniform early in my career for two simple reasons,” she said. “First, it often looks more expensive than it is. This was essential when I was a struggling assistant and couldn’t afford the very best. And second, it’s easy. You could essentially get dressed in the dark.”
This is also what the designer Narciso Rodriguez told me when I asked him. (At the time he was wearing a black T-shirt with black jeans and a black jacket.) “It’s a no-brainer,” he said. “And you always look pulled together.”
You don’t have to worry about clashing patterns, what color goes with what or sticking out like a sore thumb in chartreuse. And precisely because there are so many cultural associations attached to the color black, it comes ready-made with a certain amount of mystery and provocation. Which one is yours?
One more thing. Black (and white) is easier to match. A pink top goes bad with purple bottom but a black goes good with almost everything. So in terms of combinatorial aesthetic value of a whole closet, black previals.
One more idea, from Sally in comment section (link):
Black is a good canvas for interesting jewelry. You can add a scarf for color and pattern if you like. The same can be said for light grey and camel, which along with black, have been the staples of my wardrobe. With these basic colors and a few accessories, it is easy to pull together a professional wardrobe every morning.