The last color we will analyze together in 2022 is brown. As with the other colors, we will explore the different meanings, both positive and negative, of brown and give you some tips on how to incorporate this color into clothing and more.

“The smell of wood touched my heart, with fingers like jasmine, like some memories“. Pablo Neruda

Symbolic meanings of brown

Brown is part of the complex meanings associated with earth, mainly related to some aspects of the maternal archetype. As the color of the earth, it symbolizes genuineness, fertility, and nature.

It is also the color of wood, conveying a sense of safety and solidarity.

Positive traits of brown

The positive traits of brown are mainly connected to its warm tones (leaning towards red and yellow). On its positive side, brown is associated with the earth bearing fruit, the womb bringing life, warm and welcome.

It symbolizes connection with nature, thus safety, reliability, seriousness, and support. Surrounding oneself with brown, for example in certain areas of your home, can help if you’re looking for stability and security, such as in a study or living room.

Negative traits of brown

The negative traits of brown emerge when it is used excessively or incorrectly in the wrong context. They are particularly evident in its cool tones. In this case, brown connects to barren, sterile earth, which gives no nourishment but produces hunger and suffering.

Brown can therefore appear boring, dull, and lifeless. It can also communicate stubbornness and inability to be flexible or ironic, and in general, it can convey a sense of heaviness.

For this reason, it is better to limit this color in rooms used by children: brown is too harsh and can stifle their natural liveliness.

Communicating tradition

We have said that brown is the color of wood and communicates intimacy, peace, and comfort. This is why it is often found in traditional establishments or hotels and mountain chalets. Its positive side transmits a traditional charm, a sense of sober refinement, and tranquility.

Brown can be strategically used as a marketing tool to keep guests inside these establishments longer. With this color, people feel relaxed, at ease, and are more likely to lose track of time.

When not to wear brown

It is best to avoid wearing brown during activities that require a lot of energy. If you think about it, brown is almost absent in the clothing offered by sporting goods stores, and this is no coincidence.

It should also be avoided on days when we expect a lot of mental energy, such as intense workdays.

Furthermore, historically, brown has been associated with poverty, thus with submission and powerlessness. Bright colors were expensive and reserved for the wealthy and powerful classes. Therefore, if used poorly, it can make us appear ungainly and lacking in sophistication.

Finally, its symbolic connections to the earth and wood can make us seem inflexible and lacking in irony.

When to wear brown

Brown is an excellent choice when you want to communicate reliability and seriousness to others.

We can also wear it when we need to feel stable and grounded in reality. There are days or times when it feels like we have nothing under control, immersed in a whirlwind of tasks and work. Wearing brown helps us feel rooted in reality and gives us a sense of safety.

It is widely used in leather or natural fiber garments, which have positive qualities such as making us feel welcomed and protected.

Feeling like brown?

If you’re feeling like wearing brown, here is our Letizia with a vintage all-brown look (all from the Cambiago store) ready to inspire your outfits.

If you’re looking to buy brown clothing, here are some suggestions directly from our online store.

Emporio Armani Shoulder Bag, Vintage Brown Leather Coat, Vintage Sleeveless Dress.

Emporio Armani Coat, Vintage Suede Sand Dècolletés, Vintage Shirt Roberto Capucci.

80s/90s Tiger Eye Necklace, Max&Co Brown Blazer, Vintage Suede Dècolletés.

This is the last post dedicated to vintage for this fruitful 2022. The sections introduced have been many, and we thank you for reading and following us. We wish you a 2023 full of vintage but most importantly full of happiness and accomplishments.

Bibliography

• Claudio WiIdmann, “The Symbolism of Colors”
• Karen Haller, “The Little Book of Color”

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