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Why do we choose dark coat colours for winter?

Admiral Beez

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In the autumn I bought myself a bright yellow high visibility jacket for riding my motorcycle. My thinking was that car drivers might have a better chance of seeing me, and thus not unintentionally crashing into me. So far it has worked well. To be clear, I am not saying car drivers should not be wholly responsible for their actions, but I know the odds, and thus wanted to improve them.

As I drove around parts of the blacked out city this past week, it struck me just how invisible people have chosen to be. The vast majority of pedesterians I saw wore black coats, black boots, black gloves and black hats. Those not in black wore blue or other dark colours. Only children had reflective tape or bright colours on their coats.

When we know that dozens of Torontonians are hit by cars each winter season, why do we continue to choose the closest thing to cloaks of invisibility we can find? I'm not better, wearing my black leather jacket, gloves, etc.
 
I'll bet that most of the pedestrians hit by cars are not drivers and just assume that because they can see the car approaching them that the driver can see them equally well. A sense of entitlement drives some pedestrians to walk out into traffic situations with often lethal consequences, their tombstones likely read "I had the right of way".

Cars are required to be equipped with lights for travel at night as much to be able to see better as to be seen better.
 
Black winter clothing is practical for various reasons, but the short answer is style versatility and added warmth. Most people don't have multiple winter coats and when faced with picking a colour or shade that will be appropriate for almost all occasions, black is the clear choice. On top of that, it gets very cold in the winter and dark colours are better at drawing in and holding heat.
 
I doubt a black coat is much warmer than a white coat in the middle of winter. And even if it's slightly warmer, I doubt that has anything to do with why people purchase black coats and jackets. I'm sure it has more to do with style (black goes with almost everything) and because black is easier to keep clean. While a black coat may not actually be cleaner than a white coat, it hides dirt better and appears as if it's cleaner.
 
This has been a topic of conversation in our family too.

There was a police officer on the tv news awhile back who was cautioning against the wearing of an all black wardrobe in regards to pedestrian visibility. I myself have the usual dark wardrobe but I try to offset that by carrying a bright shopping bag and of late I have taken to wearing a 'safety orange' knit hat.
 
We don't have much choice. Go to the men's clothing section. All the coats are black, brown and grey! a few years back i picked up a beautiful reddish brown coat from Harry Rosen's. I get a lot of complements when i wear it. I have yet to see a guy with a coat like mine.

For a a splash of colour in the winter, i usually wear colorful scarves and gloves with my black winter coats. Although a few times i have had to buy scarves from the women's section, because the men's section was full of drab colours. Things are getting a little better now. i have seen more purple and mauve in the men's section lately.

Some men might find wearing colour in the winter a little too "girly" But Mr Bowie is a good example how dapper a man can look with right shade and fit.

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To be fair, not many can pull off Bowie's style :)

When I moved to Toronto, one of the first things I wondered was about all the black coats! I've heard the argument that they don't get dirty, but they do show the salt -- but that is easily brushed off whereas other stains show more.

I don't think that black is just popular for coats. Go to a large conference or gathering and look around the room -- black is the predominant colour. I think, as others have noted, it's because it's so versatile and goes with anything. A couple of basic black pieces can expand your wardrobe quite easily without having to spend a lot of money.
 
Elementary: Because if you're gonna wear a big puffy coat that will add 10 pounds, slim it down by making it black.

Seriously, I have almost hit people myself, usually while making left turns, because I just don't see them. And I am an accident-free driver. As a pedestrian, I always catch the driver's eye, even at lights when I have the green.
 
Not sure and i do wear a lot of darker colours in this season too. I think when it comes down to it, if people aren't going out of their way to look flashy for a party or event, the darks are a safe choice for looking good and comfortable in.
 
When we know that dozens of Torontonians are hit by cars each winter season, why do we continue to choose the closest thing to cloaks of invisibility we can find? I'm not better, wearing my black leather jacket, gloves, etc.

There's probably several hundred million pedestrian road crossings in the city each winter before/after sunset, maybe even billions. I don't see a reason to be concerned.
 
When its snowing and/or when snow covers the ground, a person wearing all-black clothing is more visible than one in all-white clothing. Just sayin'.
 
I would like to believe that there are a number of reasons. The first reason is that the winter is so void of life. There is the beauty of the white snow as it lays on the trees and blades of grass, but there are no colors to be seen. Earth tone colors match the season, but still allow us to create a sense of color in a bland world. I also believe it harkens back to our ancestors. For centuries, we have worn furs and clothing made from the skins of animals. We often depended on this clothing to hunt our food, as well. We had to hunt more in the winter because we couldn't gather plant material, and we also required heavier clothing in order to fight the cold and stay warm.
 
I just got a bright pink coat as a gift. I feel like I stand out so much!

It's probably because black is easy to match. My "nice" winter coat is black for that reason.
 

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