On the Vitue of the Color Black

Any where you go in Georgia, you will see crowds of people wearing only black. It is the basic color that every child, man, and woman resorts to when deciding what to wear. From head to toes Georgians cover themselves in Black. This makes monochromatic the norm.  There are those who dare to branch out a bit and wear navy, shades of gray, or white. However, the bright colors of red, baby blue, pink, or yellow are rarely seen. It can be a bit overwhelming to walk into school or through the market and just see rolling waves of black. I disturb this cloud of Georgian Black with my bright yellow coat and khakis. There is no better way for me to shout, "I'm a foreigner!" than to wear such vivid colors.  I just can't resist. I like color, and I like seeing the startled reactions of those who notice me.

You might be led to believe that the color choice reflects on Georgian personality. I suppose it does, but not in the stereotypical manner in which Americans think of Black. We see Black as a sign or mourning, hiding, or depression. It works well as a base for clothes but should be accented with something bright in order to negate this convention. It would be easy to assume that the Georgians dressed solely in such a dark color would be an unhappy lot or perhaps unwelcoming to strangers. In reality, Georgians are just bidding their time to embrace you. They are extremely welcoming and quick to laughter and generosity. The color needed in life comes out in their personality and reflects strongly against the color choice of their clothes. The person becomes more vivid.