In Purple We Trust?
Barack and Michelle Obama board a plane in Chicago to St. Paul, Minnesota on June 3, 2008 (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
Purple purple everywhere. Purple shoes, jackets, blouses, shirts, ties, dresses, purses, belts- if your wardrobe needs updating, you buy purple, the fashionable color for the past two seasons (arguably, the color since last year). Why this color, the color long associated with royalty?
Do you remember those “Start Wearing Purple” ads by Yahoo? Where they referenced that gypsy punk song from 2005, “Start wearing purple“, by Gogol Bordello? This was around the same time that Yahoo changed their logo from red to purple. Did you see the date on that link? June 12th, 2008. Didn’t Michelle Obama wear a purple dress when her husband recieved the democratic nomination, on June 3rd? Michelle Obama wore a color that blended both political parties…. her color choice was symbolizing her husband’s willingness to work with both parties, to be bipartisan. Purple, the color that said everyone’s ideas would be incorporated, so we as a united nation could solve the many many problems that emerged during, out of, and because of, the last presidency’s handing of political and economic affairs.
Chances are, you have something purple in your closet, and it is new. So why are you wearing purple? Are you aware that fashion houses grabbed onto this color because they love Michelle Obama? I’ve acquired two purple items in the past couple of months- a blouse, and a pair of purple suede high heels (doubling my impractically purple suede heel count), and yeah, I respect the Obama administration and the idea of listening to everyone. Purple wearer, do you too believe in incorporating everyone’s ideas? Do you too want to be inclusive and fix the problems that plague America? Are you willing to listen to the other side? Are you willing to compromise?
The date that marks one year after Obama was elected is upon us, and news outlets are questioning Obama’s accomplishments. The most popular problem of the day is healthcare, and while most Americans believe our healthcare system is broken, the effort to fix this problem stops at party lines (whether it’s over fear-mongering, ignorance, or just plain party line stubbornness), with Olympia Snowe being the exception. All this big government, little government talk is getting us no where in fixing America, and Obama is the only known and willing compromiser. I don’t see much bipartisan action going on, but I sure do see a lot of purple. And frankly, it’s starting to make me sick.
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It’s just a color. I have purple suede high heels, too, and a great purple jersey dress (two years old) and a purple cardigan (ditto) and a new lighter purple H & M cardie.
It’s a gorgeous, flattering color to many skin tones and a great addition to a wardrobe of safe neutrals like black, gray or navy.
But, hey, if you feel like genuflecting…:-)
Ah Fruzsina, you’re too young to remember this, but purple was big in the late 80’s. It’s return also goes hand in hand with leggings, big hair and the dreaded shoulder pads. I loved it then and love it now, my heart soared at the display of purple handbags at Macy’s the other day. I just wish I’d saved the purple leather jacket with buckles and other biker accents. I would, like, totally wear that now.
Fruzsina, I love this piece. Purple has always been the color of royalty, even for Prince. But it can be a much if overdone, like a grape stomp gone wild.