Survey Has Great News for People Who Wear All Black and Only Black

Culture

The color black tends to get a bad rep. After all, it's often associated with being too plain, too goth or just too "dark." (To be fair, isn't black just the "absence of color"?) 

There's good news, though, for those diehard dressers with all-black wardrobes: Those who wear black are actually perceived in a positive light. A new survey says those who wear black are actually seen as "serious, reliable and [a] solid player," and the color channels confidence.

The 1,000-person survey, conducted by Buytshirtsonline — a U.K.-based whole supplier for companies like Fruit of the Loom, Gildan and American Apparel — investigated how clothing colors affect the way others perceive us. For most traits, black actually came out on top, the survey findings state:

"Black is the color to wear when you're trying to impress, reassure or woo. There's a certain trustworthiness about it on a person that would make you hand over your life savings and thank them for the privilege. ... Throughout all our survey, black came first or second in most 'good' traits (for example confidence, intelligence and sexiness) and barely figured in the 'bad' traits (arrogance)."

Black is generally seen as being "serious" and "reliable," so it ranks at the top on the list of colors that both sexes find attractive in another person. The reason? Confidence. Almost half of the women and 64% of men agreed that black exudes confidence. (Mic has reached out to the company for more info on how the data was collected.)

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It shouldn't come as a shock that black has us feeling confident. From a fashion perspective, it helps you feel put-together, eliminating questions of "Does this match?" from the daily equation, and be easily dressed up and down, as many a fashion magazine has reminded us.

On a deeper level, black can feel like a shield or a way to assert some control.

"[Black and white] help me control one of the very few things I can, in a world that seems increasingly, extraordinarily random," noted writer Katharine Jose in the New York Times.

It's no surprise that black makes us feel confident enough to face the word — and that confidence is attractive. All those who wear all black and only black year-round, we salute you.

Buzzfed

h/t Dazed