Ask Drs. Mead, 10/2007
Dear Maggie and G.H.,
I am invited to a multi-cultural event and I am not sure what to wear. Rainbow coloring does not go with my eye color and skin tone. (You are probably also expecting me to say that rainbow striping might make me look fat, but actually in my culture ideals of what is a healthy body do not make that issue of any concern to me.) With your vast knowledge of fashion across cultures as well as across age, class, physical types, gender and ethnicity I am hoping you can help me.
Generalized Other
Dear “Generalized Other,”
This is certainly a challenging decision you are faced with!
While white is celebratory in some cultures, in others, as those of indigenous peoples of Australia, white is associated with the color of ash and death and the totem category for such objects. I think you can guess to what category the first Europeans to visit the island were assigned.
Black as a color of elegance to be worn after five in some societies also finds symbolic reversals elsewhere and here. Just think of “blacklist,” “black hole” and “black humor.”
Certainly green is a color of hope and fertility, but for some cultures too much fertility of “nature” in close proximity threatens the “culture” category. Being a multi-cultural event, we would advise against this color.
For many in China the color red is one of celebration and luck and often worn by brides. Yet, you do not want people “to see red” when they see you.
Yellow for the Dakota Sioux is associated with the direction of the south that brings peace and warmth and can represent the passing of tension and conflict. Yet it can be disturbing if overused. Some psychologists have shown that babies cry more in rooms that are painted yellow.
Who doesn’t love purple: spiritual and royal! It was Cleopatra’s favorite color. However, it is the color of mourning for widows in Thailand.
We could go on for the other 2-11 universal color categories, but we would only add to your conundrum.
We suggest that you wear “neutral” tones and try to blend in as best you can, perhaps by taking the role of “the other.”
Maggie and G.H.
