Imagine yourself in a country during fall (or imagine your country if you're already experiencing it). It is a Saturday afternoon, the sun is shining brightly yet the climate is cool. You geared up, prepping yourself to keep your body warm, whilst heading to Starbucks (or any coffee joint you'd prefer) to grab a fresh cup of hot coffee (or hot chocolate/hot tea). When you're waiting for the barista to call out your name, you looked around the joint. You noticed something. Everyone is in hues of navies, oxbloods, pine greens, khakis, mahogany browns and blacks. Perhaps we throw in a little rare sightings of dark salmon and dark tangerine. That is when you finally realized the normality colors - for outfits - for fall-winter season would be bounded within the region situated at the end of the color spectrum.
So why are darker shades granted this unique 'ability' to be automatically deemed as appropriate color for fall-winter? Is it because that the colors are much more relatable to what we are realistically going through: more nights than days? Or is it because we are just inherently more comfortable in darker hues when the first mandarin orange leaf falls onto the ground?
I oscillate towards the latter more despite believing that both of the reasons play a part in it. Darker hues have always been noted to be signature colors for fall-winter season. It has been reflected in runways for so many seasons that it is almost somewhat predictable. The ivories, pastels and neons gradually fade away during the interphase between seasons whilst the navies, maroons and khakis emerge.
From past runways to present day, we are already subconsciously taught that darker hues equates to fall-winter whilst brighter - somewhat more jovial - hues means spring-summer. This indirect approach that translates through runways and then to fashion and fast fashion and then proceeded on to real people themselves have indirectly instilled in us that darker hues are directly proportional to fall-winter when we were able to first see and think. Some of us who are more intelligent and verbal would have already questioned its pattern repetition back then.
Do you think we can ever reverse such an idea? Designers have been trying - can be seen in Rosie Assoulin, Altuzarra and even Alexander Wang during their latest FW '14 collections - and even us, as street style go-ers, have also been doing so. Yet, I believe that such an innate idea is hard to shake off. Are we just purely stubborn that we'd change out our closets into darker hues because of the chillier weather every season when it hits fall? Or are we just simply more comfortable in clothes that are forest green as compared to neon green during fall-winter?
This time round, I vacillate fairly between both. Brighter hues naturally emanates the impression of loud, fun and happiness whilst darker ones are more prone towards sensual, comfort and safety. We'd love to change out our closets to welcome new clothes - that also happen to include bags and accessories (link) as well - and naturally prefer to slip into those dark, snuggly pullovers and curl up in a fetus position, like we're back safe as a baby in our mum's womb.
If you guys are craving for reliving that childhood moments of being a pseudo baby, I have three choices that does not have any direct relation towards what we just conversed. Yes, they are not related to pullovers, however, they are indeed in darker hues to provide you that necessary comfort you require. For your feet, these Marc by Marc Jacobs velvet grunge pumps shall do the trick. For your vagina, this Tibi leather skirt would literally re-virginize you. And for your hands and wrists, this Deux Lux weaved pouch should allow you to achieve silky, baby hands without the help of those hand creams.
Formal images from Google: Alexander Wang FW 14, 3.1 Phillip Lim FW 14, Blair Waldorf. Latter images from Google as well, dining room background is none other than Big and Carrie's apartment.