Years ago, at barely 20 and as a bicycle racer without a team affiliation, I started wearing black. I then began choosing black shirts, shoes, trousers and jackets (the exceptions being pure white shirts with my suit and, once or twice at Christmas, a red tie). I like wearing black and have continued to do so. But many folks interpret my color choices as a statement of some sort, and I get frequent sarcastic or even mocking comments. Can I keep my personal style? Or do I need to change? — Ron, Hancock, Vt.

In art, where black was the first pigment used, black is an achromatic color — one without a dominant hue but containing all hues in equal measure. Historically, that has led to it being considered, in the decorative arts and, to a certain extent, in fashion, a neutral, like white or beige — a tone used as a base against which other colors can be displayed.