Earlier this year I was lucky to spend a week abroad. Everyone seemed to wear neutral, along with dark greens and black. I was the only person I saw a bright color. Is a “doll in color” the new signal, such as sneakers, hip packets and staring at Google Maps, that someone is a tourist? – Lynn, Cazenovia, NY
This reminds me of one of the more famous scenes in the “Barbie” film knows, the one where Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) from Barbieland and in the real world break and buy neon pink and yellow from the 80s-style workout clothes to wear during the roles. Everyone around them is in Slacker Army Green and Black. Barbie and Ken protrude a mile, tourists from another universe.
Greta Gerwig knew, just like in so many other dimensions in that film, what she did.
In general, as a guest in the country or culture of someone else, the goal is to behave as respectfully as possible, that is, not make it all about you. You are there to experience, learn and appreciate, and a certain humility and awareness of your own burglary is a good appearance. That means that when it comes to clothing, at least in the beginning, try to insert.
The easiest way to do that is to opt for neutral: black, cream, gray, beige, olive green. There is a reason why these are universal camo colors. That they are also some of the colors of the moment is not entirely a coincidence. (In December Pantone predicted that the color of the year of 2025 would be ‘Mocha Mousse’, a kind of sludgy brown.)
Indeed, a quick poll from some colleagues in different international agencies of the New York Times suggests that neutral and dark shades are the standard dress of choice, especially in urban centers. You can understand it. Spring can be here, but these are not exactly sunny times.
Daphné Anglès, an editor and the manager of our Parisian agency, said that in France, “people who wear flashy colored clothing stand out.” She continued: “The most popular colors are shades of blacks, dark greens and blues, beiges. Wear a brightly colored scarf in the metro and it will frown.” I can confirm that this is also true in London and Milan, the other main fashion week centers.
Motoko Rich, our chef of the Tokyo desk, said in Japan: “You would stand out if you don’t wear black or gray.” When you see a color, she said, it’s usually on a tourist.
Part of this may have to do with the urban environment, which is generally colored in shades of stone, cement and steel. Often what we wear reflects our physical environment (it is that Camo -then weather). If you go for a walk in Nepal or go to the beach in Mexico, it is clearly a different story.
Still, said Mrs. Anglès, even in Paris there are some (Ahem) clear places: sneakers, to be specific. They have become such ubiquitous fashion items that they are no longer the badge of the tourist. “Nowadays they are the real color statements of a cool Parisian,” she said. Especially in “bright orange, electric green and flashy yellow.”
(However, stay away from other items from training clothing. Attracting leggings and sports braas while touring historical monuments is like wearing a neon board blinking ‘tourist’))
However, there are also some important geographical exceptions to the rule-by-tourists of the colors: India and Africa. Suhasini Raj, a reporter in our New Delhi office, said that the norm in India “was an explosion of colors, especially in desert states such as Rajasthan, where it would be difficult to find blacks and sedatal colors” in the Mix of Indigo -Black, Fuchsia Roze and Stollen.
Ruth Maclean, our chief and lives in Senegal in West Africa, said about the same. “I can’t remember the last time I saw someone in neutral colors,” she noticed. “And it’s not about color points either. It is for the most part from head to toe color and prints.”
Your style questions, answered
Every week on Open Thread, Vanessa answers the fashion-related question from a reader, who you can send her at any time via E -Mail or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed.
