Don’t blame me for nagging. Whenever I talk about dressing, my mind always flashes back to the 36-degree Beijing subway last summer. The girl next to me was wearing a light yellow dress, like an apricot just picked from the orchard, holding a cup of milk tea in her hand. I was wearing a dark blue T-shirt that day, and sweat slid from my neck to my waist, just like a moving hot water bottle. Don’t you believe it? The guy next to her was also wearing dark clothes. The two of them stood together, like two different seasons: she was in early summer, and he was a stuffy can. I took a look around the carriage, and most of the girls wearing light colors didn’t blush or pant, and they really had a cooling effect. Whether it’s a psychological suggestion or not, there are indeed studies on color psychology. People wearing light colors not only look energetic, but even people around them think that chatting with them can lower their blood pressure.
Speaking of professionalism, don’t think that the sports circle doesn’t pay attention to dressing. Do you think Li Na plays hard and relies on her strength on the court? Her light pink jersey can be recognized from a distance when the camera scans over it. Light colors not only complement your complexion, but also make people remember you. In the field of sports marketing, there have been statistics that the exposure rate and popularity of light-colored jerseys are much higher than dark-colored ones. Yes, this is also one of the reasons why SEO keywords “light-colored clothes show temperament” and “summer outfit recommendations” always dominate the screen.
When my mother was young, “dark colors are dirt-resistant” was popular in the family, saying that it was easy. But when she retired, every time she took her grandson out, she wore light-colored short-sleeved shirts, and her whole aura changed. She herself admitted that light colors made her feel less depressed. Do you think this is life experience? A few days ago, a friend complained to me that she changed into a beige shirt, and her boss suddenly praised her for being “energetic today.” She was happy for a long time, and when she got home, she put the black clothes in the bottom of the cabinet.
In fact, dark colors also have their own territory, especially in the workplace or formal occasions. Black is always a “safe card”, and it may even scare a few unfamiliar people. But do you really want to say that black makes you look thinner? Sometimes it’s just shrinking yourself into the background. Look at those women in the workplace, who wear navy blue every day and bring their own isolation belt when entering the elevator. Girls in light-colored clothes can give people the feeling of having just finished a SPA, even if they don’t sleep well. Do you think it’s exaggerated? Try standing at the edge of the company’s group photo next time, and I guarantee that you won’t recognize yourself.
Speaking of interesting things, at last year’s FIBA Women’s Basketball Asian Cup, the commentator said on the spot: “The girls in white jerseys are like a breeze today.” I couldn’t help but get goose bumps across the screen. In that game, the players in light-colored jerseys really felt light when they ran, and some people in the audience sighed, “This is the taste of youth.” You see, the sports field is not just about technology, sometimes you have to compete to see who can use color to “steal the spotlight.”
Of course, don’t think that the whole world is singing praises for light colors. There are always people who think, “Light colors make you look fat” and “not resistant to dirt.” In fact, which girl hasn’t tried to wash light-colored pants three times when they get a little soy sauce on them? But to be honest, who doesn’t have a few light-colored items these days? Just like you can’t help drinking ice cola on a hot day, knowing that there is steam coming out of the can, but you can’t do without the refreshing taste. If you still feel that your skin is not white enough and you are afraid that wearing light colors will make you look tacky, you might as well flip through fashion magazines. Asian female stars all wear light colors when they go out. Who says it’s not high-end?
The tug-of-war between light and dark colors actually has a bit of social flavor behind it. Our parents’ generation pursued stability, while our generation is struggling with “refreshing” and “high-end”. Fast-paced work, subway air, and mobile phones ringing day and night – who doesn’t want to sneak some relaxation in clothes? Even the keyword “summer outfit” on e-commerce platforms, the click volume and conversion rate of light-colored clothes are rising. Designers know that consumers don’t just want to be resistant to dirt, but more want to live a more relaxed life.
By the way, what color to wear is more often to find a sense of ritual for yourself. If you dare to wear a white shirt on the street, it is equivalent to giving yourself a chicken blood of “I want to be the protagonist today”. Dark clothes are like amulets, wrapped in defense and hiding self-doubt. If you wear dull clothes for a long time, you may not even have an expression when you speak. Light-colored clothes are not a universal key, but they can open a small window to let in some air.
Don’t take me as nonsense. Data from the sports circle shows that the average heart rate of players wearing light-colored jerseys in summer is 1.5 percentage points lower than that of dark-colored ones, and the perceived temperature is also several degrees lower. Don’t underestimate these details. Athletes believe in science, and ordinary people like us should try it even more. If you are still holding on to those “universal black” clothes, you might as well give yourself a “white Friday”. Maybe one day when you walk on the street, someone will praise you for being “very energetic today.”
I have said so much, and I won’t keep you in suspense. Are you also struggling with which clothes to wear when going out in the morning? Or have you ever been stunned by your colleagues’ praise for wearing light-colored clothes? Leave a message to talk about it, don’t let our summer rely on air conditioning alone to survive. Who knows, maybe one day you will become the freshest breeze in the subway.