Why wear blue? Well, it looks great and is incredibly easy to wear – transcending both gender and season as well as suiting all skin tones.
Both Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell made classic albums about the colour, perhaps because it’s known to not only invoke calm, but also help with productivity. Blue is present in 53% of all national flags (second only to white) and blue suits are worn by politicians to convey a steady hand without being grim. Oddly though, “blue” can also convey sadness.
Blue has a fascinating history, but this year in particular, blue takes on special relevance.
A LUCKY BLUE YEAR
While 2020 was the Chinese Year of the Rat (and general bad vibes), 2021 is the Year of the Ox – a faithful friend, representing diligence, persistence, and honesty – three values we can all get behind.
People born under the Ox (‘61, ‘73, ‘85, ‘97 and 2021) are said to be industrious, cautious and helpful and blue is their lucky colour, providing career success and good fortune.
"According to Chinese tradition, when the Year of the Ox kicks off on February 12th, blue will provide some with career success and good fortune."
Whether or not the Ox is your zodiac, we all could do with a little more blue in our lives. And here at Citizen Wolf we’ve got a blue for every occasion, skin tone and mood – from vibrant Majorelle, to evergreen Midnight, classic Navy, user-friendly Faded Denim or expressive Deep Teal.
A FASCINATING HISTORY
Regardless of your zodiac sign blue has a fascinating past. Outside of the ocean, the sky, blue jays and butterflies, blue is rare in nature.
Due to the scarcity of natural ingredients which could be used to create blue dyes and paints, ancient artists didn’t frequently use the colour. Tones like red, yellow and black were their key pigments. Many ancient cultures didn't even have a word for blue (really!), for example Homer's Odyssey uses phrases like "wine-dark" to describe the sea.
The Egyptians considered blue a divine colour, which would protect the dead against evil.
Back then, many people weren't lucky enough to don the sapphire tint because the colour was expensive to import depending on where you lived. The Egyptians considered blue a divine colour, which would protect the dead against evil and reserved it only for the most important people – think King Tut's mask.
Things changed in the Roman era, where blue was the tone of the working-class due to the increase of international trade. In the eighth century, Chinese artists used cobalt minerals to paint those ceramics you can find at the museum. Later, in the Middle Ages, Europeans used blue in stained glass windows. At the same time, commoners wore cobalt clothing stained with the vegetable dye Woad, which comes from a plant of the same name.
THE STORY CONTINUES
Today, blue is everywhere, thanks in non small part to the success of Levi Strauss and his indigo jeans, another natural substance utilised for over 6000 years.
But this month, the first blue shade in 200 years is on the market. Named YInMn blue, it was discovered by researchers at Oregon State University. Admittedly, not exactly catchy, the name YInMn is derived from its constituent chemicals: yttrium, indium and manganese.
Thanks to its chemical makeup, YInMn is so durable, it doesn't fade, even in oil and water.
The discovery of the vibrant tone was actually a happy accident. Scientists were initially experimenting with new materials that could be used in electronics. When they heated the materials to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, one of their samples turned out to be extremely blue in colour.
Thanks to its chemical makeup, YInMn is so durable, it doesn't fade, even in oil and water. The revolutionary colour is also heat-reflecting and UV absorbing. This makes it perfect for things like house paint which are subjected to sun, rain and snow.
Resembling the vivid azure of a Morrocan dye-house or the famous YKB (Yves Klein Blue), its not dissimilar from our limited edition Majorelle Blue.
What are you waiting for?
FIND YOUR BLUE
FADED DENIM
55% HEMP / 45% ORGANIC COTTON
MAJORELLE BLUE
55% HEMP / 45% ORGANIC COTTON
MIDNIGHT BLUE
180 GSM ORGANIC COTTON
NOT AN OX?
For the rest of us not lucky enough to be born during the Ox years, white and silver are also lucky colours for 2021. Both tones represent purity and wealth.
If you don’t wear silver or white, here are a few more customarily pleasing colours.
Overall, Chinese culture considers red, yellow and green to be positive tones. Red is one of the most popular colours in the country, used on flags, signs and lanterns. It also represents happiness, beauty, vitality, good luck, and wealth.
People wear red to weddings and other celebrations. Red envelopes containing money are also exchanged during Chinese New Year. This practice is a way of blessing someone with good fortune and keeping evil spirits away.
How about the other two? Well, green, like in many Western cultures, conveys health, harmony, nature and hope. Meanwhile, yellow corresponds to freedom, beauty and was a royal colour most commonly worn by the Chinese Emperor.
No matter what your colour, lucky or otherwise, Citizen Wolf has the tone and the fit to suit your style.