Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton finally sat before members of Congress on Wednesday and immediately raised eyebrows by wearing bold green.
It’s certainly not the first time the secretary has donned the color. In February 2012, at a G-20 meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico, Mrs. Clinton stood out in photographers as the lone lime-green shirt-wearer among a sea of white-shirters. Then, she laughed, according to one Daily Mail report. But smiles during testimony Wednesday about the Benghazi attacks weren’t so plentiful during her contentious testimony.
So why green?
Green, according to Paul Brunton on a website analyzing the underlying meaning of the color, “is restful, soothing, cheerful and health-giving.”
It’s nature’s color, Mr. Brunton wrote. The color also suggests tranquillity and good luck, and some researchers say green actually improves reading ability, according to the color analysis. Likely not pertinent to Mrs. Clinton’s testimony — but still of interest — is also green’s symbolism of fertility.
“[Green] was once the preferred color choice for wedding gowns in the 15th century,” the color analysis states. “Even today, green M&Ms are said to send a sexual message.”
But green does have a darker side.
Jealousy, envy — both traits associated with the color, according to legend.
One more point on green: It holds a special place in Islam tradition.
It’s the color used to decorate mosques; the color on the silk that covers the graves of Islamic saints; and the color on a variety of flags flown in Muslim countries.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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