Black is the color of New York dress. Everywhere one goes, New Yorkers are wearing the darkest and most inconspicuous colors possible. I suppose the choice in wardrobe is consistent with the tone of the city. In a society of anonymity, it makes sense that people would adopt an unremarkable uniform. What I find interesting is that this style transcends social and economic barriers. Black pants and a black coat from Gucci cannot be easily distinguished from black pants and a black coat from The GAP. Since people of all socioeconomic classes clad themselves in black, at first glance this is a city full of equals. Natives and immigrants, educated and uneducated, young and old; everyone wears black. Yet, this uniform masks great socioeconomic disparities.
Posted February 9, 2004
