Pop

Pop
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

There must be a scientific reason why the color red draws the eye. I was on Facebook (*cringe*), and the status update of a friend I haven't personally or electronically spoken to for many years caught my eye, not because it was anything interesting, but because she's wearing a red coat and carrying a red picnic basket in her profile picture. The photo stuck out of the jumble of FB blather because so many other people seem to have neglected or avoided color in their profile photos.

I notice it when I walk down the street, too, this avoidance of bright colors. It's all grey, tan, black, brown, beige, peach, pale pink, light blue. Some people are shy and don't want to attract unwanted attention, others just don't think bright colors "fit" their personality (or their shape). I have to admit that I giggle a little when I see someone wearing garish, clashing colors. My empathy soon takes over and I chide myself for silently mocking their choice to buck the herd mentality, but my first reaction is uncomfortable shock.

Why should I be shocked? When I'm feeling blue (metaphysically speaking), the sight of a nice, bright color can snap me out of it. When we're shopping, why do we finger the bright red pants, but ultimately pass them over for something "more sensible" in a boring beige or tan? Why do we only let little children run around in orange, pink, yellow, blue and green rompers when those colors would make us and other crack a delighted smile?

The only answer I can come up with is this fear of "what others will think." We don't want to deal with people staring, judging our clothing choices and dismissing us as infantile or clueless. That's a shame. That's a real shame. It would be tougher to be gloomy and stressed if everyone around us looked like the circus threw up all over them. We'd laugh at our ridiculousness and then we'd feel lighter and we could exhale and say, "It's really not so bad."