What Is Considered Professional Attire For White People Isn’t The Same For Black People
I’ve always struggled with this one, now I know why
Business attire, yes that’s what they call it, and it bothers me. Do you want to know why? Because what it means for white people is different from what it means for Black people.
For white people, it's all about black, beige, and neutral colors — in pants, blouses, skirts, and dresses. For Black people, it's all about vibrant colors — indigos, fuchsias, yellows, oranges, and violets. The problem is that white people think that these colors are too bright and too unconventional for the workplace.
When Black people wear these colors, we get comments: “Wow, that looks lovely on your skin color, but maybe too bright for the workplace”, or “That color is beautiful on you, it wouldn’t suit my white skin” or, “You should maybe save those for a non-work event”.
Yep, I’ve heard all these microaggressions and even worse. You may be wondering why I haven’t told these people to go to hell, but remember, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. If you can remember one fundamental rule about being Black in a racist world, it is this: white people are in control and can destroy us with the snap of a finger, so we comply with their rules: spoken and…
