My Favorite Color

My favorite color is brown. I know that might not be the most glamorous answer, and I am fully aware that brown does not typically make anyone's list of exciting favorite colors. Most people gravitate toward vibrant shades like red, blue, or pink when asked that question. But for me, brown holds a meaning that goes far deeper than just a color preference, and the journey to falling in love with it is one I am proud to share.

It was not always brown. Growing up, my favorite color was purple. At the time, pink felt too girly for my taste, and purple felt like the perfect middle ground. It was feminine but not overwhelming, which matched exactly how I saw myself back then. I was a girl who loved being a girl but still had a tomboy spirit. Dresses, skirts, nail polish, and earrings were not my thing at all. Looking back now, it is pretty funny because I have grown into someone who loves all of those things without hesitation.

As the years went on, my favorite color kept shifting. Purple gave way to yellow, and then yellow gave way to orange. Eventually, I stopped having a favorite color altogether. When people asked, I would simply say I did not have one, thinking it made me seem unbothered and cool. The truth was I had lost my emotional connection to colors entirely. That disconnection lasted for a while, until brown quietly and unexpectedly changed everything.

My love for brown started with a brand called Skims. The clothing line caught my attention because of how intentionally it was designed to complement a wide range of skin tones. I made my first purchase, a brown shirt in a shade called cocoa, along with a lighter shade called sienna. When I tried them on, something shifted in me. I had never really considered how beautiful the color brown looked against my skin until that moment. It was simple, warm, and effortlessly flattering. From that point on, brown began taking over my wardrobe and honestly my entire life.

My obsession grew quickly. Brown phone cases, brown nail polish, brown shoes, brown everything. If something came in brown, I wanted it. At first I could not fully explain why the pull was so strong. It went beyond just liking how it looked. There was something deeply personal about it that I could not quite put into words yet.

The answer came to me during a trip to New Orleans for the Essence Festival, a celebration of African American culture, community, and excellence. Walking into that convention center and being surrounded by beautiful Black women who were laughing, dancing, and moving through that space with so much joy and pride was an experience I will never forget. The energy was electric. The theme that year was 50 Years of Hip Hop, and the music alone made the entire room feel alive.

In the middle of all that beauty, I spotted a large sign that read Black is Beautiful. Standing there in my all-brown outfit, everything clicked. I finally understood my deep connection to the color. Brown was not just something I liked to wear. It was a reflection of the beauty I had come to see in myself, in my skin, and in my identity as a Black woman.

Growing up, I absorbed messages from the world that did not always affirm Black beauty. Those messages took time to unlearn. My love for brown represents that unlearning. It represents my journey toward self-love, confidence, and pride in who I am.

Brown is warm, grounding, and beautiful. It complements every skin tone and carries a richness that other colors simply cannot replicate. When I wear brown, I feel like myself. And that is exactly why it is my favorite color.