I've always felt that white is a rather intimidating color. It requires caution and extra care while cleaning. It just seemed to require too much work to justify adding much white to my wardrobe. After all, I use to think, I want to be able to eat without having to worry about staining my clothes.
There are some huge disadvantages to wearing white, and I would say the biggest is how easy it is to stain white clothes, especially bright white. But if you can see past the flaws of wearing white, you'll begin to understand why it's such a great color to wear.
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| Even with his arms crossed, this doctor still looks friendly (Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com) |
In a lot of ways white is the antithesis of black; both literally and figuratively. Whereas black is often seen as an ambiguous, somewhat aggressive shade, white is usually seen as a more serene, peaceful, and calm shade. Consider doctors and dentists. Why do you think they wear white overcoats and not black ones?
Because the color white conveys a more appropriate message to patients. How would you feel if your doctor was wearing all black? Probably a little off, I would guess.
It's true that white does require a bit more effort to wear, but I think it is a great choice for shirts and even pants in some cases.
My love for white is definitely newer than my feelings for black, but these are the reasons that I started to fall for the color:
-White goes with absolutely everything. While there are certain colors that do not work well with black, there is not a single color that doesn't work with white. Of course, there are certain white pieces that don't go with everything if they have a bit of color on them, but for the most part it's a very easy shade to pull off.
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| Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby Note how his suit suit makes his cane, tie, and vest stand-out (Photo Credit: fanjackets.com) |
-White is simple and therefore really helps show off your other pieces; that is, it will not be the center of attention. While darker colors like black or purple demand more attention, because white isn't an attention-grabbing color, it can potentially emphasize your jewelry, hat, fragrance, et cetera, in a way darker shades cannot.
-White is perhaps the safest color choice. This is because it is a passive color. Typically, when we envision someone who's dangerous and aggressive they are going to be wearing a darker color. White, on the other hand, is a color you would expect to see on someone who's safe, friendly, and trustworthy like a medical professional.
-White can easily be worn casually or professionally. In fact, you can wear white for nearly any occasion and look appropriate. Not only that, but you can easily dress white up or dress it down depending on the occasion. For example, note the gentleman to the left. He appears to be dressed for some sort of event, but because he chose to forego the tie, his outfit isn't overly professional and his white shirt becomes more noticeable.
-White requires no thought. It is essentially like a joker in a deck of cards--i.e. a wildcard-- and can be used to complete any outfit. The only thought that should go into wearing white is does it make sense to wear white for a particular event. For example, if you're going to an Italian restaurant, it may not make sense to wear a white suit for obvious reasons.
-White is mature and professional. I don't think there is anything more professional looking than a crisp, well-fitted white Oxford shirt. When I think of someone like a CEO or a business executive, I envision them wearing a white shirt.
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| White makes any business outfit appear more professional |
I recently went from owning one white Oxford to having one for every day of the week. In fact, I barely wear any dark color shirts any more. I just love the simplicity and professional vibe that I get from wearing a white shirt. It just feels crisp and clean, and the fact that it goes with everything is a huge plus.
I feel like, in a sense, white is the mature version of black.
Even though I don't think white needs to be defended as much as black, I just wanted to highlight all the positives of wearing the color. Of course, as with pretty much every piece of fashion, these are my thoughts and opinions. Yours may be, and probably are, at least slightly different.
I'd love to know what you all think! Do you love wearing white, or do you think it's too basic?
Let me know in the comments or send me an email at tnpersona@gmail.com.
-Ryan S.
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