I love colors, whether that’s making everything in each class a specific color or making sure all of my laptop accessories are the same color. However, until recently, that love for colors was practically nonexistent in my wardrobe.
My outfits in winter quarter often consisted of black, white, dark wash jeans, and the occasional splash of muted colors, typically a sweater. As I started to experiment with my style this year, I got to a point where many of my outfits were different versions of a black monochrome outfit. After realizing that monochrome black outfits probably aren’t the best for Davis’ hundred-degree spring weather, I vowed to only shop for colorful and light pieces for summer.
After restraining my urge to shop for my usual color palette, I came back to Davis with a handful of colorful clothes, ready to take on spring quarter. Upon showcasing these fits during the first week, I realized I was uncomfortable with having a bright color top since it made me more visible. The few pieces of colorful clothes I previously owned were often because they were gifts, and I realized I could pull off those colors.
However, forcing myself to wear colors has allowed me to embrace the space that I take up, reflect my mood or personality, and it forced me to learn what I like and don’t.
- Embracing the space I take up
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Since walking around campus with bright greens, light blues, and reds, I’ve noticed that most people in my handful of computer science classes wear grays, blacks, and navys. My bright green top and light blue sticker-filled Macbook, complete with color coordination of my keyboard cover and laptop sleeve, clashed with the general demeanor of the gray sweats and black ThinkPad laptops.
I didn’t notice this until I became the colorful sheep of the flock. Maybe I was subconsciously adjusting to the circumstances of my surroundings, but I realized that this insecurity of standing out was due to an underlying belief that I shouldn’t take up space and instead blend in by conforming to everyone else. Now, I’m allowing myself to take up space regardless of the conformist norms that surround me.
- Externally reflecting my personality
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We all have some days where we’re more up for socializing and others where we aren’t. Wearing color has allowed me to portray these different sides of myself. Am I feeling bubbly and warm today? Maybe I should wear a sundress. Am I feeling confident and assertive today? Maybe I wear something dark and bold. Am I feeling drained? Maybe it’s a sweats kind of day.
I can reflect various parts of my personality and mood, or even change how I feel, through my clothing. With a monochrome closet, I wouldn’t be able to do any of that because I don’t have the option to.
- Figuring out what I like
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Without experimenting through trial and error, I will never understand what I truly like. I realized this applies to everything. As long as I’m reasonably safe, I should take risks and figure out what I want. So what if my outfit doesn’t match or isn’t flattering? It’s just one day, and I’ll learn from it.
I like wearing black and white, but I was scared to explore what other colors I liked. I never dared to buy colorful clothes, but then I did and was able to learn so much about myself.
At the end of the day, all I practically did was begin to wear more brightly colored clothes for a week. However, it’s indicative of a larger shift that I believe could benefit us all. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and forced myself to grow. Changing, evolving, and learning from your experiences is a part of life, and it’s important to do so. So, if you’re waiting for an experience to push you, you may be waiting for something that will never come. Despite how frivolous and minute it may seem, I encourage you to start putting yourself in safe but uncomfortable situations. You never know what might happen.