Hooked on Navy

I try not to go to fabric stores too often because inevitably I’ll see fabrics that are pretty and I may be tempted to get more. And I don’t need any more fabric; I have a sizable stash and adding to it isn’t necessary.

That’s not to say I never go. Sometimes I just want to look and see if anything speaks to me. But this time I went because I had a gift certificate (that’s right, a certificate—a paper one) to a fabric store that I intended to use. I went in thinking, “I’m going to get color. A colorful pattern or a nice red or plum.” [Pause.] That didn’t happen. I’m just drawn to navy. Like a homing beacon, I just find my way to it. That’s the color I like. That’s the color I want.

In my fabric stash I have many fabrics that aren’t navy because that’s what the store had on sale or that’s the fabric that the estate sale had. But when given a choice of any fabric in a store, my instinct is for navy. It’s a hard habit to break, and perhaps one not worth breaking. Because if it’s a fabric I love, then that’s reason enough to get it. I shouldn’t just pick a different color merely because it’s a different color; after sewing a garment, I may not love it as much because it’s not in the color I really wanted.

So I got these two fabrics that are navy-based. One is straight up navy with a very light pattern that feels more like a texture. And the other I got has some color in it—a bit of red (I do love navy and red together) and a brighter blue. I was on the fence on getting the second fabric because it has a plaid pattern and I’m a bit scared of sewing plaids (as I have avoided it completely), but I thought it could be cute.

I’ve just sort of accepted that the bulk of my wardrobe is white, black and navy. I have garments that are other colors, but I tend to favor these timeless neutrals. Maybe this will change over time; I didn’t love navy 10 years ago, in another 10 years, who knows? But for now, I love navy.

Getting Color

Color creates an instant impression. Sometimes it’s subtle and subdued while other times it smacks us across the face with its audacity. Colors by themselves create a feeling (e.g. soft yellow is happy, red is bold, lime green is fresh and blue is tranquil), and depending on how those colors are used, they can feel youthful or modern or retro or sophisticated. While we’re often naturally drawn towards certain colors, our preferences can change over time, in part because of current trends and in part because our tastes can shift as we get older.

When I was a kid there were some colors I innately loved and others I unconditionally hated. I went through a pastel loving phase and later a jewel colored loving phase, but I always despised autumn colors like mustard yellow, burnt orange and pea green. It didn’t matter what it was used in, clothing, pillows or dishware, even a hint of these colors made me despise the object in its entirety. I didn’t get it. I didn’t get why anyone would want these terribly drab colors (especially since there were so many other pretty colors to choose from).

Yet, as time has passed I’ve grown to appreciate all colors. Granted some colors are more palatable and more frequently used than others, but there’s a time and a place for any and all colors. While I wouldn’t wear autumn colors (because it would likely make me look sickly), I now appreciate them when used elsewhere. I no longer automatically disregard a color just because I’m not naturally attracted to it because each color has its own purpose. Each color has its own personality that can help to establish a mood and a style for any object or place, and when used correctly, any color can become perfect for its purpose.