On Society: Old black is the new black

4:41 PM, Sep. 12, 2013  |  Comments
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More than 8 million New Yorkers can't be wrong.

But despite the fact that black's always been the color of sophistication and urbanity, it has its detractors. There are those in society who think a little color goes a long way, but nine times out of 10, they're wearing black when they dish it out.

To begin with, black is so easy a cave man could do it. Actually, he did do it. Black was one of the first colors ever used, period. It can be found in Paleolithic pictures in the Lascaux caves in France, which are now more than 17,000 years old. And that's what you call never going out of style.

Then you have August Renoir. When someone reportedly told him black was not a color, he replied, "What makes you think that? Black is the queen of colors." It's good to be queen, but we're wondering why anyone would take on Renoir in the first place.

Black is the color of yin and represents the female in Chinese philosophy. Black is the mystery of it all and holds the energy of power and protection. Feng shui that.

It's also no coincidence that the most famous door in the U.K. is black, No. 10 Downing St., the prime minister's residence. That's because black projects a feeling of power, strength and sophistication.

"I have said that black has it all," said Coco Chanel. "Its beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony." Credited with inventing the little black dress, nobody argues with Chanel. Nobody. Or with Stephen King, who wrote "The man in black travels with your soul in his pocket."

The woman in black will, too.

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