Life in a Beige House

Just bought this dress. To some it may seem a veritable cornucopia of earth tones, but for me, this is going out on a major color limb.


I don't know where my neutral roots come from, but for many years my life has been a humble paean to beige. Some have suggested this is a psychological issue (thanks Lisa Bubbers), but I think it was inherited/reinforced by my mostly colorless family -- we have a (sad) inside joke that the greatest Stapleton fashion challenge is how many shades of brown one can fit into a single outfit...and I think almost every fall my mom has assured me that "nudes are back and/or the new black" :(

Beige through the ages...


I Googled colorphobia to find others like me. This is what I found (thanks Benton Shoe Co, owners of arguably the most lo-fi website I have ever seen):

Colorphobia -Fear of wearing a color other than beige ,black ,brown or navy

The above statement may sound kind of funny to you- but think of your closet.Is it filled with neutrals? I love classics and basic colors; however day after day it can get very dull and depressing.
Here is a short list of ways to gently add color to your wardrobe "diet"
1) Wear a colored t shirt or camisole under a basic jacket.
2) Wear a colored piece of jewelry.(pin, earrings, necklace etc)
3) Try a colored shoe with a monochromatic outfit.
4) Buy a handbag in a new color (no grey is not too "out of the box").-And NO -your bag and shoes do not have to match.

I found myself nodding emphatically throughout! Perhaps I will try to gently add color back into my wardrobe diet (nice turn of phrase there Benton).

The thing is, it wasn't always so. The image below is from my sixth birthday (also pictured: my first half-Asian friend). So perhaps there's hope for me yet. Perhaps someday I'll find..my true colors.