“When Coco Chanel invented the little black dress, she told women it was OK to wear black as a fashion statement. She definitely was not envisioning today’s leggings,” said Lindsey Bernay. The New York-based luxury wardrobe stylist argues that we now use the color black “as a way to hide.” We don’t want to take the time to dress intentionally, or dare to reach for exciting colors, because “we don’t think we’re worthy; it’s a defense mechanism,” she said.
Ms. Bernay has been there. After years of working tirelessly at her retail styling career, including positions with high-end department stores, the pandemic hit. “It all came crashing down,” she said. “I lost part of my identity, along with the only career I’d ever known.” She also realized she had begun wearing all black, every day. “I felt like I didn’t have a voice. My focus was about all my clients and their needs, so I had nothing left for myself.”
