Not on a hot dog or a bratwurst but on the street in the shop windows. We were in the hip Marais District in Paris and I noticed it was the color of spring 2018. Mustard yellow seemed to add a great accent to each outfit I saw. There were also some amazing mustard colored shoes, mustard lacy shorts paired with a navy striped shirt. I never considered mustard my color so I did not succumb to the fashion edict.

 

A few months later and half way around the world in a tiny shop on Main Street in Rice Lake Wisconsin I overheard two women talking about a mustard colored blouse and how it was the “in” color. Of course the women of Rice Lake Wisconsin would know about mustard.

 

The universal bond of fashion can bring people together. Fashion is a way to express yourself as an individual and also as a group. Wearing what we want is a privilege denied to some, it has the power to fill us with joy. I remember in middle school wanting to blend in yet feeling daring enough to wear a flowered paisley paper dress to school. I was promptly sent home, but I’m glad I had a brief flash of independence in my mod A-line dress. Those moments might cause a disruption, but they are a reminder of our freedoms and the power that fashion can hold. It can be a way to dissent, show our unique identities and celebrate our differences.

 

This summer, as you pull the mustard out of the fridge and liberally apply to your brat or burger, consider all the choices we have and how lucky we are whether it be spicy brown, stone ground, Dijon or that bright bright yellow we have the power to choose.