Black and white.

Are White and Black colors? 

There are just about as many opinions about that as there are people caring about it.

Technically speaking, white is not a color at all, at least not in the sense that there is a lightwave with a wavelength that is characteristic of white. Rather, white is the combination of all the colors of the visible light spectrum. If all the wavelengths of the visible light spectrum give the appearance of white, then none of the wavelengths would lead to the appearance of black.

Once more, black is not actually a color. Technically speaking, black is merely the absence of the wavelengths of the visible light spectrum. So when you are in a room with no lights and everything around you appears black, it means that there are no wavelengths of visible light striking your eye as you sight at the surroundings.

Easy?

Maybe an analogy could be that if you had an ice cream cone with strawberry flavor you would have the taste of strawberry, a ‘color.’

But if you had an ice cream cone with no flavor, it would be bland, without ‘color.’ This would be the same as the color black. For the color of white, you would have an ice cream cone with all the flavors imaginable mixed in, so you wouldn’t be able to pick out just one single flavor of strawberry. This strong flavor where you can’t distinguish one from another because all of them combined makes and overwhelming experience would be like ‘tasting’ white light.

Better?

So why is black such a popular “color” when it comes to clothing?

“In color psychology the meaning of the color black is protection from external emotional stress. It creates a barrier between itself and the outside world, providing comfort while protecting its emotions and feelings, and hiding its vulnerabilities, insecurities and lack of self confidence.

Black is the absorption of all color and the absence of light. Black hides, while white brings to light. What black covers, white uncovers. We all use black at various times to hide from the world around us in one way or another. Some of us use it to hide our weight; others among us use it to hide our feelings, our fears or our insecurities.”

Something to think about?

Dear to use colors.

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