Saturday 24 January 2009

Green-eyed monster

For a long time in my childhood, green was the main colour featuring on my clothes. I think my parents liked the contrast with my fiery red hair, or maybe they just liked green. But then, at some point in the paranoia of my early teens, I was informed by some friends that my eyes were not green, as I had believed for my whole life, but in fact light brown. I was devestated. It felt like an integral part of my identity had been ripped out and deformed by careless hands.

And it was then that I stopped wearing green or brown. I decided that these two colours only made my eyes and hair murkier in shade, in comparison to the true vividity of a brown or green item of clothing. For the majority of my fashion-interested life, I did not allow a single new piece into my wardrobe of these two forbidden hues.

Brown, being the useful colour that it is, has slowly begin to creep its way into my outfits via shoes, bags or belts; any item which is not going to be sitting next to my hair. Green remained outlawed, unless it was part of a floral pattern on a dress or top, where it can rarely be avoided. But recently I have received a couple of beautiful gifts incorporating this shunned shade and realised that maybe, just maybe, it's not too bad.

Maybe it's helped that I don't care quite as much if somebody doesn't realise that my eyes are green. Maybe it's because I like the environmentally-friendly symbolism. Maybe it's because I've got a little bit older... I've even started to enjoy green tea!

5 comments:

  1. I'm not an expert but wouldn't all the colours that go with green go with light brown?

    My eyes are Hazel and they switch from green to light brown. The only way I know this is because my wife reminds me every time they change.

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  2. That sounds traumatizing. People only occasionally mistake my eyes for another color, but it gets me to every time.
    I think it's hard to to break out of conceptions set my your parents. I was forever afraid to change my hair and it's still difficult b/c my parents always err to the side of staying the same.

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  3. Lovely pieces!!!
    I think it's normal having some traumas in teen ages and with collegues that can be cruel.
    Hubby has green eyes, mother has also, but sometimes the shade seems light brown, according to the weather and the light.
    I think you should try to introduce some green and more brown.
    Dear, my mantra about colours is "there are no bad colours", one can wear all colours, just being careful.

    Yeah for green and brown!!!!!

    xoxo

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  4. Yes, trauma and adolescence go hand in hand unfortunately :(.

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  5. I love green! Those earrings and scarf are beautiful! :)

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