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Ubiquitous black

Runcarla

Veteran

When I hung up my (black) puffer in the women's room at the gym this morning, it was the only coat on the rack (early am -9degC). When I was ready to leave, it had been joined by some friends...

Does it drive retailers crazy that we ask for variety and colour, but then all buy and wear the same thing? Or is all this uniform dressing because that is all we can find at retail? Like a dog chasing its tail....

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34 replies

Latest reply was from JAileen

Barbara Diane

Veteran

It’s nice your puffer found some friends
My guess is they can sell more black than any other one color. And if we are only buying one puffer, more people choose black.
Both because lots of clothing only comes in black or maybe white, and because black looks good on me and goes with most everything, I own mostly black bottoms and black winter third pieces.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I quite enjoy plucking my plain black items out of a colorful display.

Bennett

Veteran

That is too funny! The only black outerwear I have is a leather motorcycle jacket. Others are winter white, pale gray, and a rich berry exploded plaid. I like color and pattern in my winter outerwear, since my bottoms are all solids. Besides the fact that solid black shows every speck or hair that ends up on my jackets!

Helena

Veteran

Lol!! There is one navy in the mix too *thumbs up* ... I agree that it's a (almost) no fail pick ... Especially for a puffer which needs to survive dirty, snowy mess!

kkards

Veteran

It drives us crazy lol.
You won’t even look at the rack if there aren’t pretty colors , but then you buy the black one.

Jules

Veteran

It doesn’t help make pedestrians visible to drivers either! Someone from Finland (I believe) told a local forum that everyone there has way more reflective gear just by default, and it’s considered pretty dumb to walk around in the dark in a plain black coat.

Jane

Veteran

Good observation and I like KKards response! I love my black puffy for it is so very practical.

Alicewonderland

Veteran

Haha! I think this might be more true for puffers than other coats and jackets because black is supposed to be slimming and puffers are....puffy. It used to be all black and grey puffers at my house too. But this year I have a metallic puffer, and got my husband and son bright orange matching puffers. I love that I can see them easily in crowd.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

This is a case of a picture saying more than a thousand words.l had to hunt high and low to find a non black puffy.

Bonnie

Veteran

I have a black puffer because it is my only one and needs to go with everything. If I needed another one I'd get gray to go with white pants. A third puffer would let me add color - probably red.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I noticed last night on the subway that I was wearing the only non-black footwear (fake brocade boots, partially metallic). My cold-weather outerwear is red, pale pink, brown, navy, and cobalt (5 items, not one kaleidoscope). I know it's normal to "fall into" black or wear it "by default", but that line of code seems to be missing from my program. I find it a severe color, generally wear it sparingly, and always with consideration of how it makes the rings under my eyes look. (Allergic circles, been there my whole life, cover-up is of some, but limited, utility). My son, on the other hand, loves it and his coats would fit right in at your gym!

Anonymous

Well ...... I was the park today. I saw fields of black and grey jackets punctuated by COBALT! The cobalt really stood out and was magnificent to behold.

Roberta

Veteran

I saw someone in a really bright metallic silver puffer yesterday and cheered. I could see her from my second floor window across the street.
People are very anxious about a non-black coat getting dirty, but I agree with Bennett that a black coat shows cat hair and lint like mad. Like my black countertops show every drop of water. I try not to worry too much about cleaning things since i am naturally messy, and I have chucked my non-wool coats in the washing machine successfully more than once.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Super funny! Here in China at several time of year (lunar new year, national days), we’re talking ubiquitous RED. It’s why I have pretty much eradicated red for my wardrobe. I wear it only if absolutely necessary (ie, an official banquet or function).

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Cee

Veteran

Well, it is a useful tone if you ever decide to go crime fighting vigilante.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Interesting. My short puffer is medium gray, but my daughters have pink, burgundy, teal, and my friends have mulberry, teal, green, orange, and silver.

NancyW

Veteran

When I have looked at myself in a black puffer, I can’t take it off quickly enough! Black is harsh with my coloring and I have a totally emotional response to it.

My favorite one ever was a soft white and I did have to wash it monthly and twice a month in the coldest months. That seemed a small price to pay for the lift in my spirits in the darkest part of the year. As an urban dweller for 39 years I have to chime in on how hard it is to drive in the city when the pedestrians are in head to toe black!

That said, many puffers look muddy to my eye so I find shopping for them quite a challenge.

Sal

Veteran

Funny! Ubiquitous here too:).

Glory

Veteran

I’m checking Monday at the gym but I anticipate I will see a sea of black here as well. This year I added a pink puffer!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Here too! Everyone wears black puffers as soon as the weather dips below 70F. Brrr !

Style Fan

Veteran

Black puffers and black footwear. They are everywhere. Olive green is very popular around here. Jules brings up a good point about visibility.

Adriana

Veteran

Guilty. All my (serious) coats are black. For sport, camping etc I have a yellow puffer. For spring I have a pink one ready in the closet. Will see how I feel about that.
When driving in the dark in Rotterdam it is awful. Everybody on foot and bike, hardly visible.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have zero black outerwear

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Drives me insane. The point about drivers is valid, too. Here in Vancouver, the black coats are a menace.

Anonymous

2 black coats, 1 wine, and 1 beige here-though havent looked too hard at everyone elses coats. Im just focused on getting my bum back indoors this time of year! Jessikams all the red makes me happy

LaPed

Veteran

Huh, come to think of it I don't own a single black puffy except for a thin layering vest. All my puffy jackets, both gear and casual, are shades of blue, from navy to turquoise. I do have -- and enjoy -- a long black wool coat. It feels polished, formal, minimalist. I don't think it would be as much of a workhorse for me in a different colour, but I would like my next winter coat acquisition will be a wool coat in a light(er) colour. Red or hunter green would be great.

I live in a mostly rural area of small towns interspersed with farms and woodlands. Roads tend to have extremely poor visibility and street lights are rare. It is definitely part of the culture for walkers and bikers here to take hi-vis clothing and lights/reflectors very seriously. DH was taken aback by all the neon when we first moved here, because in the city where he's from it would be patently "un-cool" to commute in an orange safety vest.

Cee

Veteran

Angie may not possess a stealth mode !

Helena

Veteran

Now that I think of it, I actually don't have any black coats or puffers either ... But they ARE dark (ink and charcoal) so I stand by my logic

Joy

Veteran

I think it is because black sells so other colors get pushed out and are seldom available. It took me 2 years to find a non-black puffer that fit. (Landscape End and LL Bean are too big in the smallest size ). I would like to find another puffer in a color but doubt it will happen unless it is a short jacket.. I regret not buying a short orange puffer at the Rack when I saw it. I went back but it was gone. Warm colors seem to be the hardest find.

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