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I’ve spent the past hour tearing apart the September issue of Vogue – literally, not critically. For my first bead class on Tuesday, I am creating an inspiration scrapbook, because my aesthetic is limited, if not limiting. While ripping I stopped to read an editorial about colour that caused me to laugh out loud – the mocking, not the shared humour kind of laugh.

The point of the editorial was that colour was the new black. Vogue was granting its readers permission to spice up their wardrobes with coral, pumpkin, yellow and teal. The article gave the impression that wearing colour was a bold new fashion trend, one that its readers might be hesitant to follow. Be brave, Vogue reader, be brave!

A few years ago, a pal from Quebec told me that she was coming to Toronto to attend the parent company’s Christmas party. She asked me for some fashion advice, as she wanted to make a positive impression on the Head Office folk.

Aside: My pal’s fashion sense was impeccable, with a decidedly French and colorful flair. Anything she would have chosen to wear would have been beyond perfect. That she asked my advice told me that a possible culture clash rather than a fashion faux pas concerned her.

My advice to my pal was to wear black. I said, “You’ll find that most of the woman will be wearing a LBD with variations in lengths and sleeves. Woman in Ontario do not use color in party situations. My pal raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow in skepticism. A few weeks later, she emailed me, “You were absolutely right – black was the predominant colour!”

Despite Vogue – the American version – some women have eschewed the Little Black Dress – for quite some time. Perhaps, it is time for those women to start wearing black?