melancholic aura / aura of melancholy

[alpacinou]

Does it work to collocate "aura" with either "melancholy" or "melancholic"?

Are these okay?

1. She lost her child in an accident a few months ago, as a result of which she has a melancholic aura.
2. Gary has an aura of melancholy about him. I think he never recovered from the death of his wife.

 

[alpacinou]

Also this:

3. There's an aura of melancholy about Jane. Even when she smiles, it doesn't reach her eyes.

 

[teechar]

I wouldn't say it's impossible, but note that "aura", unlike "melancholy", has a positive connotation.

 

[Barque]

Does it work to collocate "aura" with either "melancholy" or "melancholic"?

Are these okay?

1. She lost her child in an accident a few months ago, as a result of which she has a melancholic aura.
2. Gary has an aura of melancholy about him. I think he never recovered from the death of his wife.

The second sounds all right. The first sounds a little stiff to me.

 

[Barque]

Also this:

3. There's an aura of melancholy about Jane. Even when she smiles, it doesn't reach her eyes.

I don't like this one. The one about Gary sounded okay because there was a definite reason. I don't know if that makes sense.

 

[jutfrank]

It will sound better if you say an air of melancholy instead.

 

[tedmc]

What about "melancholic vibe/vibe of melancholy"?
"Aura of melancholy" is like an oxymoron.

 

[Tarheel]

Maybe you could use "gloom" there. Perhaps: "Fred is very gloomy these days. He's trying to get over the loss of his son."

(The word "melancholy" used to be used for what we now call depression.)