When the sky is green and the grass is blue, wear black.

Some mornings, even if I can't put my finger on the reason why, I just know I have to wear my go-to confidence color.

And that means black. All black. From my eyeliner to the bows on my peeptoes.

Perhaps it's just another advantage of being supremely vain that something as inconsequential as wearing a particular color can elevate me from meek to headstrong, unsure to self-assured, damaged to proud. Whatever it is, wearing a fitted black scoopneck pencil sheath, opaque black tights, a cropped black wool bolero and black suede peeptoes with matte leather piping gets me through days I couldn't otherwise face.

Black works for Eva Mendes as well, who here in a figure-hugging Dolce & Gabbana turtleneck dress and Claude Montana corset belt (let's pretend those awful Sergio Rossi shoes are today's "Sugar Daddy" Brian Atwood D'orsays), gives off an undeniable give-it-to-me-I-can-take-it purr. A hint of bright color in this outfit would still look good - better, in most people's opinion - but it would also soften her message, which is something a woman can't afford on the days she draws strength from her confidence color.

Ali Larter is another woman wearing an outfit I would use to pull myself out of a temporary confidence deficit. Gaining major ground in this black Balenciaga sweater dress and classic Louboutian peeptoes after her misstep with the pink Thakoon minidress, Ali comes off in a very prim but take-charge kind of way. This is a woman who might have engaged in "a mistake" two days ago with the man she loved but who couldn't - who wouldn't - be hers, but when you look at her, you would never know she was nursing a broken heart. In fact, you'd probably assume she was the one leaving behind a wake of destruction.

And that, right there, is why the confidence color is so important.

When bouts of self-pity hit you on a weekday when you have no choice but to go into work and be the vivacious one at social events you can't excuse your way out of, wear your confidence color and charm your way through the pain. Just sip your flute of Moët and Chandon like a lady, make sure your black polish is chip-free, and even though you don't feel like it, make everyone believe you're the willful, bright, can-have-any-man-she-wants woman you think you are every other day of the week.