Page 11 - July 2023 Edition

Only BLACK is the new black:

a cultural history of FASHION’S favorite shade

Gargi Pachauri

Black clothing has an undeniable power. Unlike red or green, which
represent specific wavelengths of light, black isn’t exactly a color; it’s what we see

when an object absorbs all visible wavelengths, putting it in a category by itself. Its
singular darkness has a unique visual potency.

Among the endless variety of colors and combinations that fashion retailers
stock, black is a perennially popular choice. In a recent analysis of more than

183,000 dresses retailing online in the US, retail technology firm Edited found

that about 38.5% were some shade of black, making it by far the most common
color available. Only about 10.7% of dresses came in the second-most popular

shade, white.The numbers speak to the breadth and endurance of black’s
appeal. It works with every skin tone, every body type, and is generally a safe

choice for a purchase—because even if demand for it ebbs, it never goes out of
style.

11 • PAGE3 LIFESTYLE • JULY 2023