I think some commenters are taking this as a bit of a personal attack when I really don’t think it’s meant to be! Leena’s not shaming you for your love of “neutrals”, but rather encouraging those of us with a fondness for bright colours to continue wearing them in the months of darkness. It’s also just a wider exploration of why we tend to stray away from colour as soon as the summer’s over. Keep wearing what makes you happy
I think I tend to stray away from colour, and you can see it a lot in trends how spring is really bright and colourful, but tends to skew neutral in winter. I think it's less saying "Neutrals are bad!" and more "it's okay to be colourful even when it seems to be 'off trend'!". Especially feeling like we need a 'neutral' jumper, and can't have fun outerwear colours because it won't go with what we're wearing. I had a really fun bright yellow puffer as a kid, and now I just have plain black even though I love colour.
yeah, reading the comments here is a bit ridiculous. Some comment as if Leena is forcing us to throw out neutral color clothing and replacing it with color lmao
Yeah it tends to be it’s easier to find bright jumpers than coats say, which are hard to come by. But in general if you look at high street shops right now you’ll see very little colour. I was briefly in some high street shops last weekend and it was all greys, beiges and navy blues. Personally I’m with Leena on finding that kinda depressing, but I do get that for some people that’s totally their thing and I can understand being a bit defensive about it. I just thinking some people were a bit quick to jump to “she’s policing what we wear”.
I get that, but why package a positive message in an antagonising way? Why not say "your colourfull wardrobe is a joy for the rest of us, too" if that's what one means?
I’m Norwegian and obviously our winter jackets are kind of important…. and usually black. After spending 15 minutes trying to find my black jacket among all the other black jackets at my office I kind of rage quit and bought a bright orange jacket in protest. I’m so glad I did. It makes me so happy. It is not cold enough for it yet but I am almost looking forward to using it again
I live in a city with too much traffic to not wear neon colors in winter (in addition to all the reflexes) though in my case as vest over my warm and toasty wool coat whose navy blue color was not why I purchased it. Everything else I wear with it is more than bright colored enough and stands out among everyone else's winter clothes. Though I am not the only one to take darkness safety seriously at my workplace.
My husband is a bright color person. When we met at work, he was wearing a full lavender outfit with purple dress shoes. I only wear black, so i like to think we became our own little spectacle.
My partner is the same, he loves color. The brighter the better. I on the other hand, only feel comfortable in black and burgundy. Maybe dark purple if I feel adventurous 😅
House and car colours are all about "resell ability" and that's just sad. Maybe lots of people would want a bright green car if it was resellable. Meaning - the myth of neutrals as resellable is a self fulfilling prophecy. Not many people say silver as their favourite colour. Now imagine if there were many shades of all colours available and everybody could actually chose their favourite colour car!!!
I love seeing weird door colours here in the UK. So much of the facade of houses is unchangeable (usually brick) but the door is easily repaintable, and I always want to meet the people who choose interesting colours like fluorescent pink.
paint colours is a big one for me. I respect that everyone has their own preferences and lots of people love neutrals in their home. But going by the number of people who've complimented my home decor and called my wife and I "brave" for painting our living room salmon pink... I'd wager that a lot of folks don't choose colour because they don't feel it's an option for them.
As a goth who wears exclusively black white and grey I shall politely decline your request for colourful whimsy, but I do support you and your fabulous rainbow winter coat 🫡
A goth will put nuances and effort into the details or styling of their outfit, it is not just plain black. There's usually interesting texture, or subtle pattern or unusual shape. For example, a 'goth coat' will look very different to an everyday black 'commuter coat'. It is a dark kind of whimsical. And I enjoy this too, even if it is not my style, the effect is appreciated 🖤🩶🤍
When I lived in Sweden, I wore a bright raspberry pink winter coat which got me strange looks from people, and I was told by a Swedish colleague that I was "not respecting the winter" which apparently meant you were supposed to wear a black/brown/grey coat. I worked in education though and it was entirely appropriate for my profession. It was also easy to find me in a crowd when meeting people and made me more visible as a pedestrian in dark winter days.
So true about being easy to find amongst a crowd of darker tones. “Not respecting winter”?! Theres a thing in winter with lots of bright, shiny colours called Christmas lol
@@GrungeGalactica Exactly!! For me, winter feels like exactly the right time to bring out the jewel-toned sweaters, because they remind me of richly coloured Christmas baubles and party dresses...
I live in Sweden and I can totally imagine this happening. I find the conformism of the Swedish grey/black/beige winter wardrobe really depressing. I over pointed out to my boyfriend that the only winter hats that anyone wears here are identical beanies that are either grey, beige or if you're reeeeeally out there a very neutral blue, and once you've seen it you cannot unsee it 😂
same here, in sweden I wore a bright purple winter coat, I think I got away with it just because purple is not THAT bright so I never got an unhinged comment such as "disrespecting winter" lol I honestly wanted a rainbow one like Leena's 🥲 I still do...
My mum wouldn’t let us have black coats for school because she wanted to make sure we were visible. I wore her old red coat in primary school and have had red coats ever since. All my coats for at least 10 years have been red now. I love being bright in the darkness, and my friends like that it’s easy to spot me. 😊
This is a huge point actually - the safety dimension is real, especially for those of us who walk a lot. That's a big chunk of the population, when you think how many people walk both to and from school or work in low light at the darkest time of year. If we were driving or cycling, we'd make sure we had lights and/or reflectors, and there's something to be said for a sky blue, lime green or canary yellow winter jacket, besides being cheerful to look at...
This is the reason why I wear a bright colored coat or jacket. I’m 4’11 and people often don’t see me so for safety purposes while crossing the street at night or in dark conditions, I wear a bright yellow, or neon green, even white jacket or coat 😂
As an Indian, I'd say we go in the opposite direction, especially during the festival season(which is currently here!). Colours are the norm. Colourful dresses, with sequences and mirror bits sewn on to catch all the light and reflect it while you dance (during the festival of navratri) is our tradition. It's such a happy sight and even though I don't celebrate navratri with garba (the dance mentioned), I love to watch all this glitz. It really, truly is a dopamine kick. So I do agree with you when you say that the clothes you wear form a part of the outside landscape and affects others. Coz yes! Watching garba gives me joy.
That sounds lovely! Idk why in Britain, one of the greyest countries, we don’t wear more bright colours to counteract the bleakness, it’s currently pouring down here rn as per usual ☔️🌈
I have this a-line wintercoat in a beautiful forest green and whenever I wear it with my green boots and trousers, it makes me feel like a walking Christmas tree hahah. perhaps I should get some ornaments?
Hahaha! I have a pair of green trousers I wear in work, and if it's cold I throw on a jumper, one time they matched so close my sister said I looked like a paramedic 😂
“To pick a neutral colour isn’t a neutral decision” YES EXACTLY!! 🙌 Could not agree more, even as somebody whose wardrobe tends to be black exclusively. Every clothing choice we make is a reasoned choice, just as every purchase is (or should be). Food for thought!
Your discussion on 'dressing for others' really resonates with me. I maybe first thought about this some months back when my mom was going out looking quite happily dressed. When I asked her where she was off to, she said, "To my doctor's appointment." I told her that she looked like she was going to a party (she wasn't wearing party clothes; it was just the whole bright look) and asked why she'd dressed up to see the gynaecologist. She said, "Well, doctors have to meet people who are unwell just all the time, I'm sure they feel quite sad. My happy clothes might be a pleasant change perhaps." I laughed then, she's super cute. Something only tangentially related: I went to Tokyo (I'm from India) last year and though having read all the major do's and don'ts, I somehow missed the fashion code. I wore my really bright yellow skirt one morning and realised how much I stood out and how almost all the Japanese people were wearing neutrals and blacks. It was interesting to think then of how what we wear- including the colors- can be shaped by cultural norms. Thank you for the video. Definitely taking away the thought of ourselves as outdoor murals of fun colors hahaa
Yes, I noticed that too in Tokyo and Kyoto - most people wear black. I also mostly wear black so I fitted in - which is what I don't normally try to do here in the UK lol.
That also makes me think about how stuff like Harajuku fashion is perhaps reacting against that more traditional mode... I love your friend's attitude!
England in the winter can feel like a grey society, especially London. But in defense of all the “sad beige” wardrobes, I’ve found that sticking to neutral colors helps me cut down on clothing waste. I love bold colors, but I get bored with them quickly, and by the end of a season, I’m ready to swap them out. For me, neutrals last longer. If I wore the same bright pink or green cardigan every day, I’d get tired of it. Plus, there’s more to fashion than just color. A unique coat or jacket can still be playful and full of character, even in grey or beige.
I do think winter's a lovely time to play with texture - you can have velvets and corduroys in rich, deep browns or bottle green and those can cheer me in themselves, even though they're not bright colours as such.
Why does "swapping them out" mean "clothing waste"? I don't have a seasonal wardrobe because I'm lazy and that's a lot of work, but some of my friends do. They just put the clothes they don't want to wear into a tote bin and then pull out the tote bin of clothes they do want to wear. Or they shove the clothes they don't want to the back of the closet/drawer and move the ones they do want to the front. After a few months without wearing them, the clothes they were bored of become exciting again
I desperately want to make a blood red cloak specifically for wearing in the snow. The feeling I want to instill in others is a sort of whimsical dread, such as a child might feel when reading a particularly dark fairytale. I can't tell if that's in the spirit of your thesis or the opposite of it
I'm heading towards 30 in the next couple of years and definitely feeling like I should suddenly be wearing more neutrals and 'classic pieces,' which is generally like, a white shirt and a blazer? Rather than my usual bright colours and patterns. Love the reminder to keep wearing what makes you feel good and not give in to the weird peer pressure/classism/ageism of the fashion industry 😊
I'm in my 40s and I love bright colours, as well as vintage 60s/70s style clothing.Trust me, the older you get, the less you care about other people's opinions of you, your style, your taste in music or how you decorate your home. You do you and I'm sure whatever you were, it will be fabulous! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
First of all, 30 is the new 20. Secondly, "grown up" and adult behaviours seems to me like a romantisation of burn out, depression and broken souls. What we define as adult behaviour is informed by our understanding on how a war and post-war society was trying to survive. They were all massively traumatised. Only now, a few generations removed from war, can we see how a healthy and safe generation grows old without all those scars. And you can see how millennials and gen z are suddenly staying playful a lot longer. Being playful is a sign of being safe. We should celebrate playfulness
Age has absolutely no bearing on what you enjoy wearing. Wear what you love no matter your age. I'm 48 and have always worn what I like and let other people deal with their feelings about it. I don't look CRAZY I just look like a person who knows their own mind and that , to me is an admirable state. People often say 'i wish I was brave enough to wear things like that ' !
Hah over 50 now and have exploderade in even more colour and also look at really sucessful female politicians / ambassadors the higher the post the more colour.
In my mid-thirties, I've been trying to buy "classic pieces" in colors that light me up. A raspberry pink silk shirt or an azure floaty maxi dress seem like they are going to stay with me for a very long time. Also: second hand, they tend to be cheaper than neutrals!
My wardrobe is 100% black clothing. I've bought colorful pieces here and there because I felt like I "should" have variety in my wardrobe... but I rarely wore those pieces and when I did I didn't feel like myself. I don't care what anyone else thinks about the color of my clothing because my clothing is for me and wearing black is what makes me feel good.
I’ve recently branched out to… navy. 😂 I’m also a non seasonal “human smudge.” It’s black (or navy) all year round, usually with bright red lipstick. I dress myself for *my* gaze and *my* preferences. My purpose as a human simply does not include being decorative for others. 🤷🏻♀️
I have a light-up rainbow fur coat and people freaked out when I wore it. Someone stopped their car in the middle of the road and reversed to see. A guy even tried to buy it off me. People really do go crazy for colorful coats!
I love your rainbow jacket! It reminds me of Pride and I feel like that would be a really heartening thing to catch a glimpse of in the dead of winter while everyone else in the crowd is in buff/charcoal/black....
I think it also needs to be acknowledged that fashions change, but a winter coat is usually a more expensive garment intended to be worn for many years, so people might be making color selections for their coat that are more muted. And manufacturers respond to that by providing a lot of neutral coats. The chromophobia article is interesting, but I don't quite buy the argument. Western civilizations have been using various dyes for millennia, and as dyes have become cheaper and better, especially in the early 1800s with the development of better mordants, super colorful clothing has been consistently popular. A small number of men proclaiming that use of color is "uncivilized" were clearly not in agreement with women contemporaries who we know were wearing very bright clothing.
I definitely feel the chromaphobia concept is particularly relevant in our society, but more so in architecture and our homes in general. Though I think it's motivations have changed from a strictly racist place to being anti-poor which can include anyone that can't afford the sad beige aesthetic
@@soulsworn13 Great point! I was actually just thinking about chromophobia in architecture. I would rather not place the weird burden of cheering other people up on our individual wardrobes (like...I am NOT going to dress myself just to make other people smile, sorry if that offends anyone?!). But I would absolutely support more colorful buildings and public infrastructure. There is an elevated road near my home with each support pillar painted a different color of the rainbow -- that sort of thing is so fun in a city of mostly boring buildings.
Additionally, some eras and places in Western culture have been incredibly colorful, such as the original colors of statues in Ancient Rome, the paintings of the Renaissance in Italy, and "royal purple." A lot of clothing lacking color in the past was due to high cost of pigments or certain religious movements.
Yeah, you do see this when you visit 19th century fashion exhibitions in museums - we had one locally and even as a great lover of bright colours, I remember going "Whoa!" at one deep fuschia number. And I found myself analysing my own response: I feel like it had tripped some modern cultural wire about "tackiness", but as Leena says, a lot of that can come from quite a racist or classist place, even indirectly. I'd imagine that those wealthy Victorian women, with their strong tradition of paying social calls to each other, liked to give each other something to look at. They must have looked like a fabulous tin of Quality street when they all got together, and they really weren't afraid of any colour - I remember seeing blues and oranges, reds and greens and pinks and yellows...
Totally agree, I mean people in the 19th century were literally dying over the use of 'Scheele green' which was a very vibrant beautiful green; used in wallpapers and fabrics etc, but was also unfortunately full of arsenic.
I like some jewel tone kind of colours and pastels, but to be honest I find bright reds and yellows quite overstimulating which leads to them being more upsetting colours the more they're around me. Also I'm not sure about other neutrals, but wearing black in the winter has a pretty direct impact on me being able to enjoy the outdoors in the cold Canadian winter, because black clothes absorb the sun and warm me up.
I just declutterred my wardrobe, Marie Kondo style, and ended up removing almost all of my grey clothes - which was a decent portion since I used to avoid bright colors and the associated attention. But with growing confidence and long dark winters I’ve realized that letting myself wear more colorful things definitely brings me a little more joy!
I personally find bright colours a bit too overstimulating. I like a more neutral palette, I find it calming. THAT SAID, I'm all for people wearing whatever they want and as a driver, I really appreciate people wearing bright colours in the dark because it makes you so much easier to see when I'm driving!
I don't like super saturated colors. I find them overstimulating as an autistic person. I do like color, just more natural dye colors (I hope that makes sense). Rich colors as apposed to bright colors.
I love "autumnal" colors in the colder months, rich, warm reds/deep greens/browns/yellows/burnt oranges, etc! I think it's kind of fun to dress seasonally, like I'm matching nature, but that being said I did buy a used bright neon yellow winter jacket a few years ago (since I ride my bike to work rain or shine and I wanted to be visible!). It definitely showed dirt more, but I think it legit made my coworkers happy, I got a lot of positive comments about it! At the same time I love wearing black, because I'm a messy person and I work with dogs so it's a messy job, but I usually have black pants and then my bright neon jacket is the statement
I clicked like just for the title. I‘m also proud to say that my winter coat is probably the most colourful garment I ever owned. I bought it in 2017 and only a week ago or so I mended the very tatty looking cuffs (they were frayed) and patched a tiny hole that the strap of my backpack had caused. I have taken the pattern, but making a coat is such an undertaking, I hope the original makes it for some more winters.
So timely, I was just out for a walk in our local country park in a bright orange knit jumpsuit with a bright orange and pink L&Y shacket layered over it… I do hope that brightened someone’s day. Colour has been hugely important for me as a way to reclaim my body after having babies. I am 2 months pp with my second one now and wearing bright colorful clothes really helps with feeling like a full person, my kids need me a lot, I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding non stop for the past 2 and a half years, so what I wear is entirely mine, and I stopped worrying about what other people would think (even at work where I arguably have to be “presentable”, but I have found that there as well dressing in brights has always brought a smile to at least somebody). I think with wearing brights you open yourself to being Marmite, some people will love it and it will brighten their day, and some will think it’s inappropriate. The promise of “neutrals” I think is that it doesn’t affect other people negatively, don’t grab attention, no one can complain. In practice I don’t think that’s how it works, but it’s the psychologically safer option for most people. I do think we would be communally happier if we were a bit braver so here’s to gumption! 😁
My winter coats are yellow, orange, olive and navy. I wear my yellow one the most and lots of people comment on it because it does brighten people's day Yellow is my black. If I don't have some yellow somewhere I don't feel like me
I was just thinking about getting some colours for my closet. Autumn is here, I like "neutrals", but I do want to have a pop of colour that will make me feel happier.
The amount of people here that missed the point of the video is honestly amusing. Leena: if you like colours, dont feel pressured to just wear neutrals in the Winter months. If you genuinely feel good in those colours all year round, pls keep wearing them, this doesnt concern you. Audience: NO! I wear black all year round, Im not Dressing for other people! .... Good for you. I dress in jewel tones all year round and i also dont dress for other people. But i do think it worthwhile to encourage people who like colour to.... Wear colour
The title of the video is literally “Your neutrals video is making everyone depressed”, so people aren’t unreasonable in responding to it. I get that she doesn’t actually “mean it”, but it’s literally what she said/wrote.
I love the idea of wearing colours and I have been making an effort to wear colourful accessories in winter (hat, scarf, gloves, bag etc) but what's standing in my way for a colourful coat is... social anxiety. I often feel unsafe when I'm outside (it's irrational) and wearing something that makes me stand out enhance that feeling. It's a shame cause I'd love to wear something vibrant too! Seeing people wearing colourful outfits always make me so happy ❤ 🧡 💜
Wear colourful that no one can see (t-shirt under a jumper or underwear), so you know it is there, then you get the joy of knowing there is colour but aren't standing out. Today, I have bright tights under a black maxi skirt. No one saw them, but I know they're there
To quell your fears somewhat, should you want to try it as an experiment: I have an electric teal ski coat with pink accents, and not once has it been commented on. Colour is seen as ok on skiing attire, I guess! Even though I'm never even near to heading to a piste when wearing it
I have a rainbow umbrella and it has made me enjoy rain before because of the smiles on other peoples faces! I am having the biggest struggle finding a winter coat now mine doesn't fit... I feel re-inspired!
"most of us have modern washing equipment in our homes". if you ever sit at a laundry mat waiting for an empty machine; your perspective might change on how MANY people use laundry outside of their homes. when it is cold and wet and, in many areas, sleet and snow and slush, it is harder to carry your dirty stuff to get it washed. i like to change my sheets once a week, in the nice weather i enjoy the walk to the laundry. i "repurposed" sheets that i thrifted with the idea of sewing, into "gasp" SHEETS, so that in the winter i can wait until a 'nicer' day to lug the laundry and still sleep in clean sheets.
Erm, Europe has been trading with other countries for dyestuffs, not to mention using locally available dyestuffs, for at least three millenia. The height of fashion in the late medieval period meant looking like a crayola box. Heck, even into the Victorian period there’s a ton of extremely colourful garments. So I wouldn’t really take the article you mentioned at face value.
Hi Leena! I really like colours, but have not dressed in them much after moving to a big city, where most people dress in dark colours, white and beige. I got inspired after this video and found a really beautiful second hand scarf that's pink and red, and also bought yarns for a deep pink sweater that I'm knitting now, and a few striped pink and red second hand shirts from my favourite brand. I've been feeling really happy in them, and excited to break away from the same tones. Loved this video, and I'm excited for your book to come out!!
I really struggle currently with fashion inspiration because neutrals seem to be EVERYWHERE! If anyone in the comments of people they look to for inspiration please let me know!!
Love the way Trinny Woodhall uses color in her makeup and wardrobe -- especially how she mixes neons, adds metallics to almost every outfit, and uses animal prints as a neutral.
I do use Pinterest but you have to look for certain styles or aesthetics that have colour then look at the suggested and build slowly. Although still not the best, you could search up individual people and just make moodboards yourself on somewhere like canva
Timely! I just wore my favorite bright colored shoes and hot pink crop top to a day out with family, an outfit I've loved all Summer, and it felt so odd. The others I was with were wearing classically fall plaid and colors (orange and black, duh!) which made me feel like I didn't "match" the season or the people I was with. I just got the most perfectly holographic purple coat for winter, so I'll look forward to noticing your reflections as I lean in to wearing what I *love* versus what is popular.
I really like the idea of adjusting our wardrobe to carry bright colors into the winter! I've often felt pressured to buy darker colors for winter wear because it's what I could find. I love Leena's coat! It is super fun! Leena maybe you could do a video of brands carrying these brighter colors? Or ways to incorporate more color into our winters (homes, walks we could take, books we could read)? Love the video. Thanks for always brightening my day :)
As someone who loves colour and who has owned bright green, chewing gum pink, tomato red, and orange chevron coats until they have fallen apart, I have to say that it is incredibly difficult to find colourful outwear and that someone might be taking decisions for us. The same goes for shoes where I refuse wearing black or brown. To me matching bright colours is as simple as seeing them as neutrals, they almost go with everything and every other colour. On the other side I find black difficult to combine with any other thing than another boring neutral colour. Here's to a bright colourful winter!
I also want to add bright vibrant colors are everywhere in traditional garments all over different parts of Europe as well. The idea that bright colors = (non-white European) ethnic wear is also a self censored, fabricated idea. :)
I'm still on the hunt for a winter coat that is pink, warm and preferably also keeps me dry. It's been a years long hunt so far and I have turned up nothing...!
You're conflating the mood boost of bright colours on you, someone who personally enjoys wearing and seeing them, with the idea that bright colours objectively increase human happiness in all cases and at all times. Happy to reveal that a widespread preference for darker colours in winter among people who prefer brighter colours in summer is not mystifying (or "suspicious") - dark colours absorb more heat! Some people also feel matching their living patterns to the seasons helps them deal with the transition, like eating food in season and spending more time inside when it gets darker. I love your videos usually, they're so well-researched, but this just seems a bizarre take from someone on the left! I do think we have certain responsibilities towards our community and environment, including to minimise actual, material harm in our wardrobe. But managing Deborah next door's emotions when she sees you in a colour she personally doesn't like isn't one of them!
Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously but something here just doesn't sit quite right with me. I'm someone who looks and feels the best in relatively dark, cool-toned colours such as berry, navy, greys, some blacks, sometimes teal (which I do still wear almost exclusively even in summer). And hearing someone say I basically have a social responsibility to wear happier colours instead just feels kind of terrible. (I know you said you're not saying my neutral wardrobe is making people depressed but you also said you're not NOT saying that.) Also - how much happier will someone truly feel if they look at me and yes, there's warmer, brighter colours such as orange and red but they make me look sick to the point that they might actually feel a bit worried, even if just subconciously? And how am *I* going to feel when I pass by a mirror and alright, nice bit of red going on, but all I can see is the bags under my eyes, exaggerated pimples and skin looking as pale as a dead person? Please don't get me wrong. We should definitely do something about this classist group think of neutral=elegant=worthy and all that but it's very much possible to emphasize the joy and the beauty that can come with colour without implying that people who wear neutral, darker clothing are actively doing something harmful and *should* do something else instead. Like.. there are enough social layers and expectations as it is telling me I should please other people with how I look as a woman. I have a hard enough time feeling good about myself already. (Thank you for adding the "you do you" bit at the end still, I appreciate that part. I guess I just wish the "shoulding" hadn't been there in the first place. Hearing it framed in a positive way instead ("Isn't it nice when bright colours make the people around you happy aswell?") instead of framing it as almost an obligation I have to make that happen would have made a big difference for me personally instead of giving me this rollercoaster in a video that I was hoping would feel warm and encouraging as I usually experience your videos to be, even when you tackle much heavier topics)
I agree with you--this "wear bright clothes to cheer people up" is a concept that reminds me of women being told they need to dress prettily for other people's benefit or whatever. Once, at work early in my career, I was in fact told by a coworker that I wore too many dark, depressing colors and should wear bright clothing. It was humiliating; I felt terrible, and even though it was 15 years ago, I still remember that comment and how it made me feel. And I still think that I owed my coworker precisely NOTHING from my wardrobe choices!
What I got from this video is that everyone should wear what they want - but that they should make an informed decision rather than following peer pressure or 'timeless trends'. If you have a style with colours that works for you and you wear it all year around - this video is not directed at you. It's for people that are wearing all the bright colours when the days are longer than the nights and all the dark colours when it's the other way around. Dark teals and berries are colours that make me personally happy, and blacks too. It's more about making a conscious choice and thinking about why we do what we do ❤
Yes! My freshman year in college, one day in the middle of winter I drove from class to a fabric store, found the brightest fuschia fabric I could, and made a blouse. Wore it for years and years before I finally retired it, but it always made me smile.
I prefer neutrals for outerwear because I prefer not to be too noticeable - I love my peace. But I do like bright colours in the lining of clothes and bags, for my underwear etc. I feel like my colours are private.
I struggle with bright colours and patterns on my body any time of the year (although I like seeing it on others) - it's just too visually distracting for me. I don't want to buy lots of bright coloured clothes but I have been wondering about making/ buying more colourful accessories such as scarves and hats that are less visible to me when I am wearing them. This was a great opportunity for you to have promoted your positive panic patches - they are the kind of things that could brighten any neutral work bag or collared coat!
I 100% agree on the dopamine-effect of colours! I work in a rather conservative environment and always thought I had to dress in neutrals to fit in and be taken serious. Then I had my first child and was envious of all the bright, colourful children's clothing...so I started to dress in brighter colours myself - and have never felt more myself and more confident before 😊
Love love love your thoughts about wearing clothes for yourself when you glance down, or see your arms while moving, and not for how they make you look "better". I have a bright pink winter coat and it gives me so much energy in the winter months!
As someone who proudly embraces colour not only in my clothes but in my makeup, i heartily agree with you. Similarly I've gotten more comments on colourful coats, always positive but definitely not for someone if they don't want strangers looking at them 😅
BIG YES! I had fun colored winter coats as a kid, and then starting in my mid- teens, was encouraged to get black so it would "go with everything". Last year I realized it was making me so sad. I bought the BRIGHT PURPLE, super puffy, giant coat of my dreams. I look like a big bright purple marshmallow. It's my favorite color, and I don't care what other people think about it, because seeing it makes me so much happier about going out in the cold.
It's unkind and silly for "the neutrals wearers" to call you childish and tacky, and it's equally unkind and silly for you to call neutrals wearers boring and depression-inducing.
This. Just because it's boring to them doesn't mean everyone thinks it's boring. Because we're *gasp* all different people with different minds and we like different shit!
I think this is a lil cheeky video thats not supposed to be taken toooo seriously. I agree with you and I also like when people amplify their opinion in order to provide a hot take/entertain.
uhhh I agree but also don't agree? I'm an all black person in general, so I guess there is that, but.. you said it having a neutral coat makes it very easy to use it in different occasions, you don't really need 7 coats, and if you ever have to go to a winter wedding, work meeting r a funeral you can still wear that coat, whereas if you want a more colourful day to day outfit, you can still embellish yourself with a funky hat, colourful scarf or gloves. I actually got a giant rainbow scarf in Vinted this year, and I think it's totally a conversation starter and I can take it off if I want to be unnoticed
I mostly wear nature colours, because they suit me well and i just like the goblin/hobbitcore. I do have a big black coat, because its a warm one and a hand me down, but colourful scarfs are important and easy to match to my outfits!
I have a pretty pink dress I like to wear whenever I go to the airport. I like to think it helps break up the monotony and stress of travel for the people around me. Seems like I always get smiles! I think dressing for others (in a positive way) can be a really nice way to contribute to the collective ~vibe~ :) Agreed!
When I was deciding what Kanken backpack to buy 7 years ago, I was told over and over to choose a neutral colour that would go with everything, but instead I picked a dark pinky/red one with patterned straps, because it brought me the most joy, and I've used that bag happily everyday since! I'm glad past me was wise enough to go with the fun option, because by being fun and joyous it also became practical, and really red is so present in my wardrobe (it's my favourite colour) that the bag actually is more practical in that colour than in a black or brown.
I dress in bright colours, patterns, and florals year round partly as a middle finger to my old secondary school who only allowed us to wear black and dark grey (despite us often walking to and from school in the dark) and partly for that sweet sweet ✨dopamine✨ you can prize my floral midi dresses from my cold,dead hands 😅
I really didn’t think this video would change my life, but the concept of our wardrobe being part of the collective is something I never thought of. It’s such a short video but you packed so many good insights. I’ve been struggling with style content because so much of it now is centered around type-casting ourselves into categories (kibbe, color season, style words, style roots, aesthetics) and overthinking how everything can be the most flattering. But you’re right, why is that more important than having fun? Why can’t WE be the color the world lacks in the winter? Clothes are a form of non-verbal communication. I love the idea of it not just us telling the world about ourselves. Not just for the power of manipulating how people see us, but as a service to others. As a way to put more joy in the world, like a living flower. Like a little sweet treat for the eyes. Dopamine dressing for humanity. I think I have to read your book now! This one video has made me ponder so much!!
It’s so fascinating to me that you drew a different conclusion after exploring your colours. I ironically got the lowest contrast, lowest saturation palette when I had my colours analysed, but I’ve never worn so much colour since! I suppose I found the more intense colours drowned me out so I avoided them, but now my lilac, light blue, blush pinks and burgundy feel right at home in my wardrobe. Also, working in corporate this absolutely resonates - so many people dress in a dull way once the days start getting shorter, like what happened to the bright colours from our summer dresses? There’s definitely an element of subconscious conformity that people are participating in
Most people are still wearing their coat inside their job or hanging it on their chair at their desk. I know it's nonsensical and not fair, but most people also don't want to be seen as unprofessional and not everyone can be the rainbow-striped-coat-girl at work. If you can, that's amazing, do it! I have purple tips/highlights in my hair and that is also seen as unprofessional in a lot of offices and industries still--even though almost every woman in my office dyes their hair SOME colour, if only to just cover their greys. People with tattoos are also fighting this battle of having a lovely, colourful expression of their personality (if the tattoo is not a hateful symbol of any kind!) and often having to cover it at work. Neutrals are not depressing us. Black coats and the goths who revel in creating nuanced and interesting all black LEWKS are not depressing us. Corporate culture and arbitrary rules of 'professionalism' are! 🖤
I think it helps to keep in mind that the way we perceive colours and how they influence us is not innate. (or at the very least, not only innate) Colours and their meanings are heavily influenced by culture. Red is a wedding colour in many countries in Asia, but it has very different connotations in most of Europe. The same goes for black or white. So that impacts which colour are considered drab and sad, or bright and cheerful. It's not just the colours themselves.
I think most of this just depends on personality really, to me the idea of someone coming up to me to comment on something I’m wearing sounds mortifying! And that’s not because I hate the way I look or anything, I’m just generally quite an “understated”, chill person and I feel like if I dressed in super bold colours or patterns it would be like I was playing a character and would feel fake. Personally I tend to wear a lot of earthy colours all year round and to me that makes me feel peaceful and calm, whereas I think bright colours make me feel overwhelmed!
As someone who has participated in Carnival in Trinidad, I can attest to the joy it gives to dress collectively with bright exuberance. Whenever my mother visits me from Trinidad (I live in the northern U.S.) she is constantly dismayed by all the charcoal gray around her, even in the summer.
This resonates with me so much. My personal style is more black and green and sort of earthy punk practical, but at my job as a paedtatric therapist, I wear bright colours and fun prints, I think to connect with my clients and communicate that I'm fun and safe haha
But why do we associate colours and prints with being fun??? I'm an EYE (retraining as an SLT) and I never wear bright colours bc they make me feel uncomfortable. I'm still fun and kids feel safe and connected with me V quickly. I actually would also consider bright clothing and intense patterns to be a little disorientating to some kids
I have a bright royal blue coat that I got from the thrift store. Whoever owned it before me was a professional scuba diver so there are lots of patches on it based on that. It invites a lot of conversations with people that usually start with “no I can’t scuba dive.” I love it dearly.
My wardrobe is composed of 4 sections one for each season, and wouldn't you know, my winter section is the most saturated (bright red, electric blue, lots of white, pink, green and still some black for contrast) and so are the coats (white and red) because I need the dopamine in those times. Though I will admit, my fall section on the other hand is the darkest in palette, I need my darker fashion moment too. Each section work like a kind of capsule wardrobe, it's the best way I found to match my wardrobe with the seasonal moods (in fall I lean more vampy, winter intense and bold, spring soft and bright, summer fun and relaxed). It's also a good way for me to bring a sense of novelty, without buying new clothes (or rarely), throught the excitement of changing clothes at the end of each season !
I understand the sentiment behind this video but I really think it could have benefitted from a discussion about how capitalism and specifically the fashion industry shapes what we wear and how we feel. The reason most people wear neutral winter coats is because most winter coats are made in neutral colours. They are one of the few fashion items that are an essential item to get you through winter and that means the choice to buy one can be heaviliy influenced by other factors most notably budget but also if you bike to work for example you will need to accomodate that. I think framing the prevalense of neutrals as a personal choice people make as oppossed to as a direct reuslt of capitalism thinking that neutrals are an easier sell is slightly unfair. I for one would probably be happier in a colourful coat but I bought a winter coat some years ago in black, it is still in good condition and I'm unable to go and spent upwards of £60 on a colourful coat just for the sake of going against neutrals. No judgement as I can tell that this was a want to get this off my chest kind of video not a heavily researched video on the fashion industry, I just think it might be good to get a second follow up well researched Leena video on this topic.
Yeah, when I bought a coat a few years ago I was completely willing to buy a bright blue or red one, but the ones that were available (in my size and budget) were navy blue and black. I had to pick between those two colours.
I’m soo jelly of your 🌈 coat! It’s as though the rainbow symbolises & inspires cheer through the misery! I have a traffic cone orange vintage coat I bust out this time of year 😁. black has its place in my wardrobe ofc, but I love playing with colour year round.
It is so depressing to shop in Sweden, because most popular brands have 70% 'neutral' coloured clothes and bring me no joy whatsoever! This has inadvertently led to me not buying new clothes, and having to look for interesting pieces in vintage shops. So, that's good I guess.
Oooor, maybe just MAYBE it's because dark colors attract and hold the heat of the sun better? It could even be something so ingrained in humans that it comes from times before dyes were used on "clothing," i.e. animal skins. Winter white because of ermine, polar bears, arctic foxes, etc, and dark pelts because of moose, bears, etc. Neutral colors being neutral because they exist in nature without human intervention? There are probably a lot of reasons why color choices and those reasons could go back further than we ever dreamed. Thay being said, as modern humans with access to dyes: colors for everyone!
I think most people get "boring" coat colors because they only really have one or two. I have owned my winter coat for 20 years. It is a blue jeans blue (not actually made of deam). I don’t regret the color. I wear all my fun crazy colors under it. I am glad young me didn't lock me into a neon purple for those 20 years. You need to be really set on color to pick it for that long. Boring colors can allow you to be more flexible with the rest of the wardrobe.
I also think it's influenced by what's out there too! If most people are buying 'plain' colours, then that will be what most stores will stock, and a viscous cycle ensues! And when shopping for an item of clothing, like you've said, that you want to last years, if you want ethical options, those are usually in smaller collections, more limited colours, more capsule style 'timeless' pieces, so then it's difficult to do both ethical and not 'boring' bc boring is sadly what seems to sell the most
To be frank, I think dressing in neutrals (or all black as I mostly do) is good for having a smaller wardrobe and resisting consumerism, and therefore is much more environmentally friendly
Interesting but not true. I can see why you think so though. A lot of people think that neutrals pair well together, meaning you can make more outfits with less clothing. However, you can replace black, white and grey with green, blue and pink and still maintain a small wardrobe in this way. It's not about the colour :)
You can have a small wardrobe with color. One thing that helps is picking one chroma and sticking to it. Then most of your neutrals and colors in that chroma will go together well. I decided to wear muted colors. My main neutrals are ivory, taupe, and grey. I have other colors, but I don't have a huge wardrobe. I mostly have basic layers.
I have a bright red kimono jacket. It is the only thing I want to wear in the winter. I’ve gotten a few compliments and even people asking where I got it!
Really reflecting on this for myself… sometimes I think it’s also a choice of personal safety and security? Not wanting to stand out? Don’t look at me? Hahahahaha I like color but I think I don’t always love its effects in public…
I noticed the same as you when I went to the high street the other day. God everything was so beige and boring! I’m glad I can buy fabric and make my own clothes and have second hand websites because I have no idea where I would shop if I had to buy all my clothes new these days
5:55 this is so true. I have red loafers that are always commented on when I wear them. The comments are generally positive but I think it stems from more of a surprise that I’m not wearing black or brown loafers. It’s like people didn’t realize this was an option 😂
I have a friend who basically only wears black but they have so many different kinds of whimsical and unusual shirts and jackets, the design of the clothes in itself really brings me joy every time I see them, and I do also like dark colors and dark weather too.
It is so hard to find a good winter coat that's not black. Most of the time I compensate with my hot pink scarf. I also want to add that stores are just not selling a lot of different or bright colored clothes in the winter.
As someone living in a dark but also not too snowy climate. Please wear color so that I can see you when I come with my bike. Also stop walking in front of cars when wearing all black. THEY CANT SEE YOU JFC.
My winter coats are vintage: a 1980's batwing reversible wool (black / gray) and a 1990's navy pea coat. But I never go out without a scarf, and woah-boy are they big and bright colors because they look so good against the simpleness of the coats. I do tend to pick a scarf that (somehow) coordinates with my bottoms.
Funny, there is a big temp and weather change here, but I essentially wear all of my clothes year round just layer up in winter/fall. I wear mostly black with sparing colors so things don’t change for me radically in the seasons. I would say I get more browns and neutral colors in winter but just bc all the hardcore waterproof stuff tends to be in those colors and I’m plus size which also narrows options.
Last winter I bought a new winter coat that’s a beautiful pastel pink! It was a great option for me to embrace my love of colors but still have something that would look nice with most other colors I wear!
In Melbourne wintertime, it's as if the whole city goes into mourning! I have always found it challenging to find winter wear that isn't black/grey/dark doom & gloom. I gravitate to vibrant and warm colours, so I tend to stick out regardless of how out there I intend to be.
This video released a while ago now but I've been on a bit of a TH-cam hiatus and just got to it. thank you for justifying my purchase of a yellow corduroy coat !! I was starting to get in my head about it "not matching" with most of my other clothing and this video was exactly the reminder I needed that it's just not that deep. The coat is cute and it brings me joy
Completely get anxious when my outerwear doesn't match the rest of my clothes. However, a rainbow jacket would go with everything and still make me happy! Great tip!
I just bought a new winter coat. It's the most beautiful mustard yellow and I LOVE it. I mostly wear dark clothes for "must not look fat" reasons, and I'm trying to change that mindset and wear colours that make me happy!
100% yes! I love wearing and looking at bright colours. I've got a lovely red coat but ended up with a dark green one for really cold times since I found it difficult to find a nice fitting one/good brand when I needed a new one. Would love more colours around!
This is such an interesting concept! Just today I received a compliment from my kid's teacher, who regarded that my coat was so bright and fun in compared to everyone else's black coats. I was walking on air all morning because of that compliment. Now my head is even further in the clouds at the thought that not only am I fun and stylish, but I am also CHARITABLE, for my blue and yellow plaid coat is a service to all the people!!!!!
First off, love your rainbow coat. Second, as a fellow bright color-lover, I noticed something when it comes to shopping for clothes, especially winter ones, which is that depending on what city I live in, my wardrobe has tended more neutral or dark colors depending on what’s available in stores. When I was living in Seattle, for instance, I had to actively go out of my way, and frequently shop online, to keep color in my wardrobe because there just wasn’t much available. I’m not sure how much of that is overall trends, regional culture, or what, but now that I’m living in a new city, I’m looking forward to seeing if our winter clothing selection is any more colorful.
I have a particularly bright orange jumper that I wore to class once. As I took the train to college I realised I fully stood out in the sea of black North Face jackets, which for someone who usually lurks in the shadows was very uncomfortable. Funnily enough, a Sport Team was playing that day whose colours were orange, and as I got into the city I passed more and more people in orange who kept giving me knowing smiles - I really couldn’t tell you what made me feel more awkward, sticking out or feeling like a fraudulent fan 🤣 I never wore the jumper to class again but I’m bringing it out more regularly these days as I fight the urge to blend in 🍊 thanks for the reminder!
I tend to dress in bright colors, mostly because they make me happy, especially when I look down and see my outfit. It tends to make other people happy as a side effect, and I’m here for it!
I think some commenters are taking this as a bit of a personal attack when I really don’t think it’s meant to be! Leena’s not shaming you for your love of “neutrals”, but rather encouraging those of us with a fondness for bright colours to continue wearing them in the months of darkness. It’s also just a wider exploration of why we tend to stray away from colour as soon as the summer’s over. Keep wearing what makes you happy
@@360shadowmoonI haven't noticed a difference either, especially jumpers tend to be more colorful I feel like?
I think I tend to stray away from colour, and you can see it a lot in trends how spring is really bright and colourful, but tends to skew neutral in winter. I think it's less saying "Neutrals are bad!" and more "it's okay to be colourful even when it seems to be 'off trend'!". Especially feeling like we need a 'neutral' jumper, and can't have fun outerwear colours because it won't go with what we're wearing. I had a really fun bright yellow puffer as a kid, and now I just have plain black even though I love colour.
yeah, reading the comments here is a bit ridiculous. Some comment as if Leena is forcing us to throw out neutral color clothing and replacing it with color lmao
Yeah it tends to be it’s easier to find bright jumpers than coats say, which are hard to come by. But in general if you look at high street shops right now you’ll see very little colour. I was briefly in some high street shops last weekend and it was all greys, beiges and navy blues. Personally I’m with Leena on finding that kinda depressing, but I do get that for some people that’s totally their thing and I can understand being a bit defensive about it. I just thinking some people were a bit quick to jump to “she’s policing what we wear”.
I get that, but why package a positive message in an antagonising way? Why not say "your colourfull wardrobe is a joy for the rest of us, too" if that's what one means?
I’m Norwegian and obviously our winter jackets are kind of important…. and usually black. After spending 15 minutes trying to find my black jacket among all the other black jackets at my office I kind of rage quit and bought a bright orange jacket in protest. I’m so glad I did. It makes me so happy. It is not cold enough for it yet but I am almost looking forward to using it again
so cute!!!! i love this... am feeling very inspired to buy a bright coat this season
I live in a city with too much traffic to not wear neon colors in winter (in addition to all the reflexes) though in my case as vest over my warm and toasty wool coat whose navy blue color was not why I purchased it. Everything else I wear with it is more than bright colored enough and stands out among everyone else's winter clothes. Though I am not the only one to take darkness safety seriously at my workplace.
My husband is a bright color person. When we met at work, he was wearing a full lavender outfit with purple dress shoes. I only wear black, so i like to think we became our own little spectacle.
My partner is the same, he loves color. The brighter the better. I on the other hand, only feel comfortable in black and burgundy. Maybe dark purple if I feel adventurous 😅
Ooh that sounds like a statement look! No wonder you were drawn to him 💜
You’re birds! ❤ he displays bright plumage to impress you.
@@verseapocalyptica668 omg this is honestly the cutest thing ever! BRB, off to tell my husband I love his plumage 🪶
I feel this about soooo many things. House paint. CAR COLOURS!
House and car colours are all about "resell ability" and that's just sad. Maybe lots of people would want a bright green car if it was resellable. Meaning - the myth of neutrals as resellable is a self fulfilling prophecy. Not many people say silver as their favourite colour. Now imagine if there were many shades of all colours available and everybody could actually chose their favourite colour car!!!
Car colours! They are soooo depressing
I love seeing weird door colours here in the UK. So much of the facade of houses is unchangeable (usually brick) but the door is easily repaintable, and I always want to meet the people who choose interesting colours like fluorescent pink.
Yes and I think its a mistake to make cars the same color as the road, an accident waiting to happen.
paint colours is a big one for me. I respect that everyone has their own preferences and lots of people love neutrals in their home. But going by the number of people who've complimented my home decor and called my wife and I "brave" for painting our living room salmon pink... I'd wager that a lot of folks don't choose colour because they don't feel it's an option for them.
As a goth who wears exclusively black white and grey I shall politely decline your request for colourful whimsy, but I do support you and your fabulous rainbow winter coat 🫡
🖤🖤🖤
To me, goths are always dressed so so good that it just inspires me, it's so different from being sad beige :)
A goth will put nuances and effort into the details or styling of their outfit, it is not just plain black. There's usually interesting texture, or subtle pattern or unusual shape. For example, a 'goth coat' will look very different to an everyday black 'commuter coat'. It is a dark kind of whimsical. And I enjoy this too, even if it is not my style, the effect is appreciated 🖤🩶🤍
As she literally said in the video, you do you. Just wear what you genuinly like to wear, not because you feel like you have to
@@catvalentine4317 It's happy black!
I'm in my 40s and wore head-to-knee flowy orange yesterday-- people said I looked like a festive leaf 🍂🍁
The ideal!!!
festive leaf!!!!! OMG
When I lived in Sweden, I wore a bright raspberry pink winter coat which got me strange looks from people, and I was told by a Swedish colleague that I was "not respecting the winter" which apparently meant you were supposed to wear a black/brown/grey coat. I worked in education though and it was entirely appropriate for my profession. It was also easy to find me in a crowd when meeting people and made me more visible as a pedestrian in dark winter days.
As a die-hard neutrals girly, "not respecting the winter" is an insane comment to make about someone else's coat
So true about being easy to find amongst a crowd of darker tones. “Not respecting winter”?! Theres a thing in winter with lots of bright, shiny colours called Christmas lol
@@GrungeGalactica Exactly!! For me, winter feels like exactly the right time to bring out the jewel-toned sweaters, because they remind me of richly coloured Christmas baubles and party dresses...
I live in Sweden and I can totally imagine this happening. I find the conformism of the Swedish grey/black/beige winter wardrobe really depressing. I over pointed out to my boyfriend that the only winter hats that anyone wears here are identical beanies that are either grey, beige or if you're reeeeeally out there a very neutral blue, and once you've seen it you cannot unsee it 😂
same here, in sweden I wore a bright purple winter coat, I think I got away with it just because purple is not THAT bright so I never got an unhinged comment such as "disrespecting winter" lol
I honestly wanted a rainbow one like Leena's 🥲 I still do...
Could NOT stop laughing at “the amount of back we are, is in the ‘so’ category”. A+. 10 out of 10. Very well done.
My mum wouldn’t let us have black coats for school because she wanted to make sure we were visible. I wore her old red coat in primary school and have had red coats ever since. All my coats for at least 10 years have been red now. I love being bright in the darkness, and my friends like that it’s easy to spot me. 😊
I am that mother :-) my kids wear red
I love that !
This is a huge point actually - the safety dimension is real, especially for those of us who walk a lot. That's a big chunk of the population, when you think how many people walk both to and from school or work in low light at the darkest time of year. If we were driving or cycling, we'd make sure we had lights and/or reflectors, and there's something to be said for a sky blue, lime green or canary yellow winter jacket, besides being cheerful to look at...
This is the reason why I wear a bright colored coat or jacket. I’m 4’11 and people often don’t see me so for safety purposes while crossing the street at night or in dark conditions, I wear a bright yellow, or neon green, even white jacket or coat 😂
As an Indian, I'd say we go in the opposite direction, especially during the festival season(which is currently here!). Colours are the norm. Colourful dresses, with sequences and mirror bits sewn on to catch all the light and reflect it while you dance (during the festival of navratri) is our tradition. It's such a happy sight and even though I don't celebrate navratri with garba (the dance mentioned), I love to watch all this glitz. It really, truly is a dopamine kick.
So I do agree with you when you say that the clothes you wear form a part of the outside landscape and affects others. Coz yes! Watching garba gives me joy.
Do you mean sequins? rather than sequences...?
That sounds lovely! Idk why in Britain, one of the greyest countries, we don’t wear more bright colours to counteract the bleakness, it’s currently pouring down here rn as per usual ☔️🌈
I have this a-line wintercoat in a beautiful forest green and whenever I wear it with my green boots and trousers, it makes me feel like a walking Christmas tree hahah. perhaps I should get some ornaments?
Hahaha! I have a pair of green trousers I wear in work, and if it's cold I throw on a jumper, one time they matched so close my sister said I looked like a paramedic 😂
Maybe some really fun buttons?
I'm sure I've seen tree ornament earrings before. And as someone has said, fun buttons. Or maybe a candy cane brooch? The options are endless! 😍💚
I have a long green dress. I sometimes wear it with brown leggings and I call it my Christmas tree outfit haha
@@sophiaazevedo4013 love it!🎄
“To pick a neutral colour isn’t a neutral decision” YES EXACTLY!! 🙌 Could not agree more, even as somebody whose wardrobe tends to be black exclusively. Every clothing choice we make is a reasoned choice, just as every purchase is (or should be). Food for thought!
Your discussion on 'dressing for others' really resonates with me. I maybe first thought about this some months back when my mom was going out looking quite happily dressed. When I asked her where she was off to, she said, "To my doctor's appointment." I told her that she looked like she was going to a party (she wasn't wearing party clothes; it was just the whole bright look) and asked why she'd dressed up to see the gynaecologist. She said, "Well, doctors have to meet people who are unwell just all the time, I'm sure they feel quite sad. My happy clothes might be a pleasant change perhaps." I laughed then, she's super cute.
Something only tangentially related: I went to Tokyo (I'm from India) last year and though having read all the major do's and don'ts, I somehow missed the fashion code. I wore my really bright yellow skirt one morning and realised how much I stood out and how almost all the Japanese people were wearing neutrals and blacks. It was interesting to think then of how what we wear- including the colors- can be shaped by cultural norms.
Thank you for the video. Definitely taking away the thought of ourselves as outdoor murals of fun colors hahaa
Yes, I noticed that too in Tokyo and Kyoto - most people wear black. I also mostly wear black so I fitted in - which is what I don't normally try to do here in the UK lol.
That also makes me think about how stuff like Harajuku fashion is perhaps reacting against that more traditional mode... I love your friend's attitude!
England in the winter can feel like a grey society, especially London. But in defense of all the “sad beige” wardrobes, I’ve found that sticking to neutral colors helps me cut down on clothing waste. I love bold colors, but I get bored with them quickly, and by the end of a season, I’m ready to swap them out.
For me, neutrals last longer. If I wore the same bright pink or green cardigan every day, I’d get tired of it. Plus, there’s more to fashion than just color. A unique coat or jacket can still be playful and full of character, even in grey or beige.
I do think winter's a lovely time to play with texture - you can have velvets and corduroys in rich, deep browns or bottle green and those can cheer me in themselves, even though they're not bright colours as such.
Why does "swapping them out" mean "clothing waste"? I don't have a seasonal wardrobe because I'm lazy and that's a lot of work, but some of my friends do. They just put the clothes they don't want to wear into a tote bin and then pull out the tote bin of clothes they do want to wear. Or they shove the clothes they don't want to the back of the closet/drawer and move the ones they do want to the front. After a few months without wearing them, the clothes they were bored of become exciting again
I desperately want to make a blood red cloak specifically for wearing in the snow. The feeling I want to instill in others is a sort of whimsical dread, such as a child might feel when reading a particularly dark fairytale. I can't tell if that's in the spirit of your thesis or the opposite of it
I support this urge.
I also want bright red snow clothes, but mainly because Ezra jack Keats’ The Snowy Day is imprinted on my brain. Which is an entirely different vibe😂
I'm just happy I got to read the phrase "whimsical dread" today.
Love this, I’m in full support
oh, that is DELIGHTFUL, I hope you make that cloak!
I'm heading towards 30 in the next couple of years and definitely feeling like I should suddenly be wearing more neutrals and 'classic pieces,' which is generally like, a white shirt and a blazer? Rather than my usual bright colours and patterns. Love the reminder to keep wearing what makes you feel good and not give in to the weird peer pressure/classism/ageism of the fashion industry 😊
I'm in my 40s and I love bright colours, as well as vintage 60s/70s style clothing.Trust me, the older you get, the less you care about other people's opinions of you, your style, your taste in music or how you decorate your home. You do you and I'm sure whatever you were, it will be fabulous! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
First of all, 30 is the new 20. Secondly, "grown up" and adult behaviours seems to me like a romantisation of burn out, depression and broken souls.
What we define as adult behaviour is informed by our understanding on how a war and post-war society was trying to survive. They were all massively traumatised.
Only now, a few generations removed from war, can we see how a healthy and safe generation grows old without all those scars. And you can see how millennials and gen z are suddenly staying playful a lot longer. Being playful is a sign of being safe. We should celebrate playfulness
Age has absolutely no bearing on what you enjoy wearing. Wear what you love no matter your age. I'm 48 and have always worn what I like and let other people deal with their feelings about it. I don't look CRAZY I just look like a person who knows their own mind and that , to me is an admirable state. People often say 'i wish I was brave enough to wear things like that ' !
Hah over 50 now and have exploderade in even more colour and also look at really sucessful female politicians / ambassadors the higher the post the more colour.
In my mid-thirties, I've been trying to buy "classic pieces" in colors that light me up. A raspberry pink silk shirt or an azure floaty maxi dress seem like they are going to stay with me for a very long time. Also: second hand, they tend to be cheaper than neutrals!
Humm I always want to wear neutrals in the summer, and bright colors in the winter...my brain apparently feels the need to balance the weather out.
Same
My wardrobe is 100% black clothing. I've bought colorful pieces here and there because I felt like I "should" have variety in my wardrobe... but I rarely wore those pieces and when I did I didn't feel like myself. I don't care what anyone else thinks about the color of my clothing because my clothing is for me and wearing black is what makes me feel good.
As Leena says in the video, you do you.
Same.
I’ve recently branched out to… navy. 😂
I’m also a non seasonal “human smudge.” It’s black (or navy) all year round, usually with bright red lipstick. I dress myself for *my* gaze and *my* preferences. My purpose as a human simply does not include being decorative for others. 🤷🏻♀️
SAME
@@Shetooktothewoodsneither is mine? and I dress in all bright colors? sorry but it's giving "i'm better because I don't want attention"
I have a light-up rainbow fur coat and people freaked out when I wore it. Someone stopped their car in the middle of the road and reversed to see. A guy even tried to buy it off me. People really do go crazy for colorful coats!
This sounds amazing!! Where did you get it??
Goth here.
No. But go off.
same 🧛♀
Eheheh, yes.
Did you watch the whole video?
I love your rainbow jacket! It reminds me of Pride and I feel like that would be a really heartening thing to catch a glimpse of in the dead of winter while everyone else in the crowd is in buff/charcoal/black....
I think it also needs to be acknowledged that fashions change, but a winter coat is usually a more expensive garment intended to be worn for many years, so people might be making color selections for their coat that are more muted. And manufacturers respond to that by providing a lot of neutral coats.
The chromophobia article is interesting, but I don't quite buy the argument. Western civilizations have been using various dyes for millennia, and as dyes have become cheaper and better, especially in the early 1800s with the development of better mordants, super colorful clothing has been consistently popular. A small number of men proclaiming that use of color is "uncivilized" were clearly not in agreement with women contemporaries who we know were wearing very bright clothing.
I definitely feel the chromaphobia concept is particularly relevant in our society, but more so in architecture and our homes in general. Though I think it's motivations have changed from a strictly racist place to being anti-poor which can include anyone that can't afford the sad beige aesthetic
@@soulsworn13 Great point! I was actually just thinking about chromophobia in architecture. I would rather not place the weird burden of cheering other people up on our individual wardrobes (like...I am NOT going to dress myself just to make other people smile, sorry if that offends anyone?!). But I would absolutely support more colorful buildings and public infrastructure. There is an elevated road near my home with each support pillar painted a different color of the rainbow -- that sort of thing is so fun in a city of mostly boring buildings.
Additionally, some eras and places in Western culture have been incredibly colorful, such as the original colors of statues in Ancient Rome, the paintings of the Renaissance in Italy, and "royal purple." A lot of clothing lacking color in the past was due to high cost of pigments or certain religious movements.
Yeah, you do see this when you visit 19th century fashion exhibitions in museums - we had one locally and even as a great lover of bright colours, I remember going "Whoa!" at one deep fuschia number. And I found myself analysing my own response: I feel like it had tripped some modern cultural wire about "tackiness", but as Leena says, a lot of that can come from quite a racist or classist place, even indirectly. I'd imagine that those wealthy Victorian women, with their strong tradition of paying social calls to each other, liked to give each other something to look at. They must have looked like a fabulous tin of Quality street when they all got together, and they really weren't afraid of any colour - I remember seeing blues and oranges, reds and greens and pinks and yellows...
Totally agree, I mean people in the 19th century were literally dying over the use of 'Scheele green' which was a very vibrant beautiful green; used in wallpapers and fabrics etc, but was also unfortunately full of arsenic.
I thrifted a dusty pink "grandma style" wintercoat during summer and i can't wait until i can wear it 😍
I like some jewel tone kind of colours and pastels, but to be honest I find bright reds and yellows quite overstimulating which leads to them being more upsetting colours the more they're around me.
Also I'm not sure about other neutrals, but wearing black in the winter has a pretty direct impact on me being able to enjoy the outdoors in the cold Canadian winter, because black clothes absorb the sun and warm me up.
I recently bought a bright yellow rain jacket, and it's made such a change in my motivation for leaving the house!
I just declutterred my wardrobe, Marie Kondo style, and ended up removing almost all of my grey clothes - which was a decent portion since I used to avoid bright colors and the associated attention. But with growing confidence and long dark winters I’ve realized that letting myself wear more colorful things definitely brings me a little more joy!
I personally find bright colours a bit too overstimulating. I like a more neutral palette, I find it calming.
THAT SAID, I'm all for people wearing whatever they want and as a driver, I really appreciate people wearing bright colours in the dark because it makes you so much easier to see when I'm driving!
I don't like super saturated colors. I find them overstimulating as an autistic person. I do like color, just more natural dye colors (I hope that makes sense). Rich colors as apposed to bright colors.
Yes that makes total sense! We love a rich colour
I love "autumnal" colors in the colder months, rich, warm reds/deep greens/browns/yellows/burnt oranges, etc! I think it's kind of fun to dress seasonally, like I'm matching nature, but that being said I did buy a used bright neon yellow winter jacket a few years ago (since I ride my bike to work rain or shine and I wanted to be visible!). It definitely showed dirt more, but I think it legit made my coworkers happy, I got a lot of positive comments about it! At the same time I love wearing black, because I'm a messy person and I work with dogs so it's a messy job, but I usually have black pants and then my bright neon jacket is the statement
I clicked like just for the title. I‘m also proud to say that my winter coat is probably the most colourful garment I ever owned. I bought it in 2017 and only a week ago or so I mended the very tatty looking cuffs (they were frayed) and patched a tiny hole that the strap of my backpack had caused. I have taken the pattern, but making a coat is such an undertaking, I hope the original makes it for some more winters.
So timely, I was just out for a walk in our local country park in a bright orange knit jumpsuit with a bright orange and pink L&Y shacket layered over it… I do hope that brightened someone’s day.
Colour has been hugely important for me as a way to reclaim my body after having babies. I am 2 months pp with my second one now and wearing bright colorful clothes really helps with feeling like a full person, my kids need me a lot, I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding non stop for the past 2 and a half years, so what I wear is entirely mine, and I stopped worrying about what other people would think (even at work where I arguably have to be “presentable”, but I have found that there as well dressing in brights has always brought a smile to at least somebody).
I think with wearing brights you open yourself to being Marmite, some people will love it and it will brighten their day, and some will think it’s inappropriate. The promise of “neutrals” I think is that it doesn’t affect other people negatively, don’t grab attention, no one can complain. In practice I don’t think that’s how it works, but it’s the psychologically safer option for most people. I do think we would be communally happier if we were a bit braver so here’s to gumption! 😁
My winter coats are yellow, orange, olive and navy. I wear my yellow one the most and lots of people comment on it because it does brighten people's day
Yellow is my black. If I don't have some yellow somewhere I don't feel like me
I was just thinking about getting some colours for my closet. Autumn is here, I like "neutrals", but I do want to have a pop of colour that will make me feel happier.
The amount of people here that missed the point of the video is honestly amusing.
Leena: if you like colours, dont feel pressured to just wear neutrals in the Winter months. If you genuinely feel good in those colours all year round, pls keep wearing them, this doesnt concern you.
Audience: NO! I wear black all year round, Im not Dressing for other people!
.... Good for you. I dress in jewel tones all year round and i also dont dress for other people. But i do think it worthwhile to encourage people who like colour to.... Wear colour
The title of the video is literally “Your neutrals video is making everyone depressed”, so people aren’t unreasonable in responding to it. I get that she doesn’t actually “mean it”, but it’s literally what she said/wrote.
I love the idea of wearing colours and I have been making an effort to wear colourful accessories in winter (hat, scarf, gloves, bag etc) but what's standing in my way for a colourful coat is... social anxiety. I often feel unsafe when I'm outside (it's irrational) and wearing something that makes me stand out enhance that feeling. It's a shame cause I'd love to wear something vibrant too! Seeing people wearing colourful outfits always make me so happy ❤ 🧡 💜
I'm in a very similar boat, in that I absolutely hate Being Perceived by others and often feel more comfortable in my dark neutrals.
Hmmm perhaps wearing something colourful is actually more safe because percieved as more confident just a thought…
Wear colourful that no one can see (t-shirt under a jumper or underwear), so you know it is there, then you get the joy of knowing there is colour but aren't standing out. Today, I have bright tights under a black maxi skirt. No one saw them, but I know they're there
To quell your fears somewhat, should you want to try it as an experiment: I have an electric teal ski coat with pink accents, and not once has it been commented on. Colour is seen as ok on skiing attire, I guess! Even though I'm never even near to heading to a piste when wearing it
Oooh a colourful hat and scarf is fun though!
I have a rainbow umbrella and it has made me enjoy rain before because of the smiles on other peoples faces!
I am having the biggest struggle finding a winter coat now mine doesn't fit... I feel re-inspired!
Yes! I have a leopard print one that brings me similar levels of joy!
"most of us have modern washing equipment in our homes". if you ever sit at a laundry mat waiting for an empty machine; your perspective might change on how MANY people use laundry outside of their homes. when it is cold and wet and, in many areas, sleet and snow and slush, it is harder to carry your dirty stuff to get it washed. i like to change my sheets once a week, in the nice weather i enjoy the walk to the laundry. i "repurposed" sheets that i thrifted with the idea of sewing, into "gasp" SHEETS, so that in the winter i can wait until a 'nicer' day to lug the laundry and still sleep in clean sheets.
Erm, Europe has been trading with other countries for dyestuffs, not to mention using locally available dyestuffs, for at least three millenia. The height of fashion in the late medieval period meant looking like a crayola box. Heck, even into the Victorian period there’s a ton of extremely colourful garments. So I wouldn’t really take the article you mentioned at face value.
Hi Leena! I really like colours, but have not dressed in them much after moving to a big city, where most people dress in dark colours, white and beige. I got inspired after this video and found a really beautiful second hand scarf that's pink and red, and also bought yarns for a deep pink sweater that I'm knitting now, and a few striped pink and red second hand shirts from my favourite brand. I've been feeling really happy in them, and excited to break away from the same tones. Loved this video, and I'm excited for your book to come out!!
@@emilel thank youu!
I really struggle currently with fashion inspiration because neutrals seem to be EVERYWHERE! If anyone in the comments of people they look to for inspiration please let me know!!
Love the way Trinny Woodhall uses color in her makeup and wardrobe -- especially how she mixes neons, adds metallics to almost every outfit, and uses animal prints as a neutral.
I do use Pinterest but you have to look for certain styles or aesthetics that have colour then look at the suggested and build slowly. Although still not the best, you could search up individual people and just make moodboards yourself on somewhere like canva
Timely! I just wore my favorite bright colored shoes and hot pink crop top to a day out with family, an outfit I've loved all Summer, and it felt so odd. The others I was with were wearing classically fall plaid and colors (orange and black, duh!) which made me feel like I didn't "match" the season or the people I was with. I just got the most perfectly holographic purple coat for winter, so I'll look forward to noticing your reflections as I lean in to wearing what I *love* versus what is popular.
I really like the idea of adjusting our wardrobe to carry bright colors into the winter! I've often felt pressured to buy darker colors for winter wear because it's what I could find. I love Leena's coat! It is super fun! Leena maybe you could do a video of brands carrying these brighter colors? Or ways to incorporate more color into our winters (homes, walks we could take, books we could read)? Love the video. Thanks for always brightening my day :)
As someone who loves colour and who has owned bright green, chewing gum pink, tomato red, and orange chevron coats until they have fallen apart, I have to say that it is incredibly difficult to find colourful outwear and that someone might be taking decisions for us. The same goes for shoes where I refuse wearing black or brown. To me matching bright colours is as simple as seeing them as neutrals, they almost go with everything and every other colour. On the other side I find black difficult to combine with any other thing than another boring neutral colour. Here's to a bright colourful winter!
I also want to add bright vibrant colors are everywhere in traditional garments all over different parts of Europe as well. The idea that bright colors = (non-white European) ethnic wear is also a self censored, fabricated idea. :)
I'm still on the hunt for a winter coat that is pink, warm and preferably also keeps me dry. It's been a years long hunt so far and I have turned up nothing...!
I have a sunshine yellow raincoat, and an emerald green wool coat. Theyre my absolute favourites and I get some many compliments on them!
You're conflating the mood boost of bright colours on you, someone who personally enjoys wearing and seeing them, with the idea that bright colours objectively increase human happiness in all cases and at all times. Happy to reveal that a widespread preference for darker colours in winter among people who prefer brighter colours in summer is not mystifying (or "suspicious") - dark colours absorb more heat! Some people also feel matching their living patterns to the seasons helps them deal with the transition, like eating food in season and spending more time inside when it gets darker.
I love your videos usually, they're so well-researched, but this just seems a bizarre take from someone on the left! I do think we have certain responsibilities towards our community and environment, including to minimise actual, material harm in our wardrobe. But managing Deborah next door's emotions when she sees you in a colour she personally doesn't like isn't one of them!
Ooh, such a good point about darker colors absorbing more heat!!
Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously but something here just doesn't sit quite right with me.
I'm someone who looks and feels the best in relatively dark, cool-toned colours such as berry, navy, greys, some blacks, sometimes teal (which I do still wear almost exclusively even in summer). And hearing someone say I basically have a social responsibility to wear happier colours instead just feels kind of terrible. (I know you said you're not saying my neutral wardrobe is making people depressed but you also said you're not NOT saying that.)
Also - how much happier will someone truly feel if they look at me and yes, there's warmer, brighter colours such as orange and red but they make me look sick to the point that they might actually feel a bit worried, even if just subconciously? And how am *I* going to feel when I pass by a mirror and alright, nice bit of red going on, but all I can see is the bags under my eyes, exaggerated pimples and skin looking as pale as a dead person?
Please don't get me wrong. We should definitely do something about this classist group think of neutral=elegant=worthy and all that but it's very much possible to emphasize the joy and the beauty that can come with colour without implying that people who wear neutral, darker clothing are actively doing something harmful and *should* do something else instead. Like.. there are enough social layers and expectations as it is telling me I should please other people with how I look as a woman. I have a hard enough time feeling good about myself already.
(Thank you for adding the "you do you" bit at the end still, I appreciate that part. I guess I just wish the "shoulding" hadn't been there in the first place. Hearing it framed in a positive way instead ("Isn't it nice when bright colours make the people around you happy aswell?") instead of framing it as almost an obligation I have to make that happen would have made a big difference for me personally instead of giving me this rollercoaster in a video that I was hoping would feel warm and encouraging as I usually experience your videos to be, even when you tackle much heavier topics)
I agree with you--this "wear bright clothes to cheer people up" is a concept that reminds me of women being told they need to dress prettily for other people's benefit or whatever. Once, at work early in my career, I was in fact told by a coworker that I wore too many dark, depressing colors and should wear bright clothing. It was humiliating; I felt terrible, and even though it was 15 years ago, I still remember that comment and how it made me feel. And I still think that I owed my coworker precisely NOTHING from my wardrobe choices!
What I got from this video is that everyone should wear what they want - but that they should make an informed decision rather than following peer pressure or 'timeless trends'. If you have a style with colours that works for you and you wear it all year around - this video is not directed at you. It's for people that are wearing all the bright colours when the days are longer than the nights and all the dark colours when it's the other way around. Dark teals and berries are colours that make me personally happy, and blacks too. It's more about making a conscious choice and thinking about why we do what we do ❤
Yes! My freshman year in college, one day in the middle of winter I drove from class to a fabric store, found the brightest fuschia fabric I could, and made a blouse. Wore it for years and years before I finally retired it, but it always made me smile.
I prefer neutrals for outerwear because I prefer not to be too noticeable - I love my peace. But I do like bright colours in the lining of clothes and bags, for my underwear etc. I feel like my colours are private.
I struggle with bright colours and patterns on my body any time of the year (although I like seeing it on others) - it's just too visually distracting for me. I don't want to buy lots of bright coloured clothes but I have been wondering about making/ buying more colourful accessories such as scarves and hats that are less visible to me when I am wearing them. This was a great opportunity for you to have promoted your positive panic patches - they are the kind of things that could brighten any neutral work bag or collared coat!
I 100% agree on the dopamine-effect of colours! I work in a rather conservative environment and always thought I had to dress in neutrals to fit in and be taken serious. Then I had my first child and was envious of all the bright, colourful children's clothing...so I started to dress in brighter colours myself - and have never felt more myself and more confident before 😊
my winter coat is pastel pink and it makes me look like a giant blob of cotton candy ... i just LOVE it ^_^
Love love love your thoughts about wearing clothes for yourself when you glance down, or see your arms while moving, and not for how they make you look "better".
I have a bright pink winter coat and it gives me so much energy in the winter months!
As someone who proudly embraces colour not only in my clothes but in my makeup, i heartily agree with you. Similarly I've gotten more comments on colourful coats, always positive but definitely not for someone if they don't want strangers looking at them 😅
BIG YES! I had fun colored winter coats as a kid, and then starting in my mid- teens, was encouraged to get black so it would "go with everything". Last year I realized it was making me so sad. I bought the BRIGHT PURPLE, super puffy, giant coat of my dreams. I look like a big bright purple marshmallow. It's my favorite color, and I don't care what other people think about it, because seeing it makes me so much happier about going out in the cold.
It's unkind and silly for "the neutrals wearers" to call you childish and tacky, and it's equally unkind and silly for you to call neutrals wearers boring and depression-inducing.
This. Just because it's boring to them doesn't mean everyone thinks it's boring. Because we're *gasp* all different people with different minds and we like different shit!
I think this is a lil cheeky video thats not supposed to be taken toooo seriously. I agree with you and I also like when people amplify their opinion in order to provide a hot take/entertain.
well said
Except it's sad and boring, so...
@@moonhunter9993 To you...
uhhh I agree but also don't agree? I'm an all black person in general, so I guess there is that, but.. you said it having a neutral coat makes it very easy to use it in different occasions, you don't really need 7 coats, and if you ever have to go to a winter wedding, work meeting r a funeral you can still wear that coat, whereas if you want a more colourful day to day outfit, you can still embellish yourself with a funky hat, colourful scarf or gloves. I actually got a giant rainbow scarf in Vinted this year, and I think it's totally a conversation starter and I can take it off if I want to be unnoticed
I mostly wear nature colours, because they suit me well and i just like the goblin/hobbitcore. I do have a big black coat, because its a warm one and a hand me down, but colourful scarfs are important and easy to match to my outfits!
I have a pretty pink dress I like to wear whenever I go to the airport. I like to think it helps break up the monotony and stress of travel for the people around me. Seems like I always get smiles! I think dressing for others (in a positive way) can be a really nice way to contribute to the collective ~vibe~ :) Agreed!
When I was deciding what Kanken backpack to buy 7 years ago, I was told over and over to choose a neutral colour that would go with everything, but instead I picked a dark pinky/red one with patterned straps, because it brought me the most joy, and I've used that bag happily everyday since! I'm glad past me was wise enough to go with the fun option, because by being fun and joyous it also became practical, and really red is so present in my wardrobe (it's my favourite colour) that the bag actually is more practical in that colour than in a black or brown.
I dress in bright colours, patterns, and florals year round partly as a middle finger to my old secondary school who only allowed us to wear black and dark grey (despite us often walking to and from school in the dark) and partly for that sweet sweet ✨dopamine✨ you can prize my floral midi dresses from my cold,dead hands 😅
I really didn’t think this video would change my life, but the concept of our wardrobe being part of the collective is something I never thought of. It’s such a short video but you packed so many good insights.
I’ve been struggling with style content because so much of it now is centered around type-casting ourselves into categories (kibbe, color season, style words, style roots, aesthetics) and overthinking how everything can be the most flattering.
But you’re right, why is that more important than having fun? Why can’t WE be the color the world lacks in the winter?
Clothes are a form of non-verbal communication. I love the idea of it not just us telling the world about ourselves. Not just for the power of manipulating how people see us, but as a service to others. As a way to put more joy in the world, like a living flower. Like a little sweet treat for the eyes. Dopamine dressing for humanity.
I think I have to read your book now! This one video has made me ponder so much!!
It’s so fascinating to me that you drew a different conclusion after exploring your colours. I ironically got the lowest contrast, lowest saturation palette when I had my colours analysed, but I’ve never worn so much colour since! I suppose I found the more intense colours drowned me out so I avoided them, but now my lilac, light blue, blush pinks and burgundy feel right at home in my wardrobe.
Also, working in corporate this absolutely resonates - so many people dress in a dull way once the days start getting shorter, like what happened to the bright colours from our summer dresses? There’s definitely an element of subconscious conformity that people are participating in
Most people are still wearing their coat inside their job or hanging it on their chair at their desk. I know it's nonsensical and not fair, but most people also don't want to be seen as unprofessional and not everyone can be the rainbow-striped-coat-girl at work. If you can, that's amazing, do it! I have purple tips/highlights in my hair and that is also seen as unprofessional in a lot of offices and industries still--even though almost every woman in my office dyes their hair SOME colour, if only to just cover their greys. People with tattoos are also fighting this battle of having a lovely, colourful expression of their personality (if the tattoo is not a hateful symbol of any kind!) and often having to cover it at work. Neutrals are not depressing us. Black coats and the goths who revel in creating nuanced and interesting all black LEWKS are not depressing us. Corporate culture and arbitrary rules of 'professionalism' are! 🖤
I think it helps to keep in mind that the way we perceive colours and how they influence us is not innate. (or at the very least, not only innate) Colours and their meanings are heavily influenced by culture. Red is a wedding colour in many countries in Asia, but it has very different connotations in most of Europe. The same goes for black or white. So that impacts which colour are considered drab and sad, or bright and cheerful. It's not just the colours themselves.
I think most of this just depends on personality really, to me the idea of someone coming up to me to comment on something I’m wearing sounds mortifying! And that’s not because I hate the way I look or anything, I’m just generally quite an “understated”, chill person and I feel like if I dressed in super bold colours or patterns it would be like I was playing a character and would feel fake. Personally I tend to wear a lot of earthy colours all year round and to me that makes me feel peaceful and calm, whereas I think bright colours make me feel overwhelmed!
As someone who has participated in Carnival in Trinidad, I can attest to the joy it gives to dress collectively with bright exuberance. Whenever my mother visits me from Trinidad (I live in the northern U.S.) she is constantly dismayed by all the charcoal gray around her, even in the summer.
This resonates with me so much. My personal style is more black and green and sort of earthy punk practical, but at my job as a paedtatric therapist, I wear bright colours and fun prints, I think to connect with my clients and communicate that I'm fun and safe haha
But why do we associate colours and prints with being fun??? I'm an EYE (retraining as an SLT) and I never wear bright colours bc they make me feel uncomfortable. I'm still fun and kids feel safe and connected with me V quickly. I actually would also consider bright clothing and intense patterns to be a little disorientating to some kids
I have a bright royal blue coat that I got from the thrift store. Whoever owned it before me was a professional scuba diver so there are lots of patches on it based on that. It invites a lot of conversations with people that usually start with “no I can’t scuba dive.” I love it dearly.
Years ago I had a coral pink mohair coat that I wore around the streets of NYC. Definitely a conversation starter!
Adore!
I was on holiday in London for a couple weeks in December and had a bright pink coat on. People smiled at me a lot!
My wardrobe is composed of 4 sections one for each season, and wouldn't you know, my winter section is the most saturated (bright red, electric blue, lots of white, pink, green and still some black for contrast) and so are the coats (white and red) because I need the dopamine in those times.
Though I will admit, my fall section on the other hand is the darkest in palette, I need my darker fashion moment too. Each section work like a kind of capsule wardrobe, it's the best way I found to match my wardrobe with the seasonal moods (in fall I lean more vampy, winter intense and bold, spring soft and bright, summer fun and relaxed). It's also a good way for me to bring a sense of novelty, without buying new clothes (or rarely), throught the excitement of changing clothes at the end of each season !
I understand the sentiment behind this video but I really think it could have benefitted from a discussion about how capitalism and specifically the fashion industry shapes what we wear and how we feel. The reason most people wear neutral winter coats is because most winter coats are made in neutral colours. They are one of the few fashion items that are an essential item to get you through winter and that means the choice to buy one can be heaviliy influenced by other factors most notably budget but also if you bike to work for example you will need to accomodate that. I think framing the prevalense of neutrals as a personal choice people make as oppossed to as a direct reuslt of capitalism thinking that neutrals are an easier sell is slightly unfair.
I for one would probably be happier in a colourful coat but I bought a winter coat some years ago in black, it is still in good condition and I'm unable to go and spent upwards of £60 on a colourful coat just for the sake of going against neutrals.
No judgement as I can tell that this was a want to get this off my chest kind of video not a heavily researched video on the fashion industry, I just think it might be good to get a second follow up well researched Leena video on this topic.
Yeah, when I bought a coat a few years ago I was completely willing to buy a bright blue or red one, but the ones that were available (in my size and budget) were navy blue and black. I had to pick between those two colours.
I’m soo jelly of your 🌈 coat! It’s as though the rainbow symbolises & inspires cheer through the misery! I have a traffic cone orange vintage coat I bust out this time of year 😁. black has its place in my wardrobe ofc, but I love playing with colour year round.
It is so depressing to shop in Sweden, because most popular brands have 70% 'neutral' coloured clothes and bring me no joy whatsoever! This has inadvertently led to me not buying new clothes, and having to look for interesting pieces in vintage shops. So, that's good I guess.
Oooor, maybe just MAYBE it's because dark colors attract and hold the heat of the sun better? It could even be something so ingrained in humans that it comes from times before dyes were used on "clothing," i.e. animal skins. Winter white because of ermine, polar bears, arctic foxes, etc, and dark pelts because of moose, bears, etc. Neutral colors being neutral because they exist in nature without human intervention? There are probably a lot of reasons why color choices and those reasons could go back further than we ever dreamed. Thay being said, as modern humans with access to dyes: colors for everyone!
I think most people get "boring" coat colors because they only really have one or two. I have owned my winter coat for 20 years. It is a blue jeans blue (not actually made of deam). I don’t regret the color. I wear all my fun crazy colors under it. I am glad young me didn't lock me into a neon purple for those 20 years. You need to be really set on color to pick it for that long. Boring colors can allow you to be more flexible with the rest of the wardrobe.
I also think it's influenced by what's out there too! If most people are buying 'plain' colours, then that will be what most stores will stock, and a viscous cycle ensues! And when shopping for an item of clothing, like you've said, that you want to last years, if you want ethical options, those are usually in smaller collections, more limited colours, more capsule style 'timeless' pieces, so then it's difficult to do both ethical and not 'boring' bc boring is sadly what seems to sell the most
To be frank, I think dressing in neutrals (or all black as I mostly do) is good for having a smaller wardrobe and resisting consumerism, and therefore is much more environmentally friendly
Interesting but not true. I can see why you think so though. A lot of people think that neutrals pair well together, meaning you can make more outfits with less clothing. However, you can replace black, white and grey with green, blue and pink and still maintain a small wardrobe in this way. It's not about the colour :)
@@SH-tf6qc I appreciate your input, I feel best in black clothes but totally can see where you’re coming from. Thanks for your insight!
You can have a small wardrobe with color. One thing that helps is picking one chroma and sticking to it. Then most of your neutrals and colors in that chroma will go together well. I decided to wear muted colors. My main neutrals are ivory, taupe, and grey. I have other colors, but I don't have a huge wardrobe. I mostly have basic layers.
I have a bright red kimono jacket. It is the only thing I want to wear in the winter. I’ve gotten a few compliments and even people asking where I got it!
We love a big splash of red!!!
Really reflecting on this for myself… sometimes I think it’s also a choice of personal safety and security? Not wanting to stand out? Don’t look at me? Hahahahaha I like color but I think I don’t always love its effects in public…
I noticed the same as you when I went to the high street the other day. God everything was so beige and boring! I’m glad I can buy fabric and make my own clothes and have second hand websites because I have no idea where I would shop if I had to buy all my clothes new these days
5:55 this is so true. I have red loafers that are always commented on when I wear them. The comments are generally positive but I think it stems from more of a surprise that I’m not wearing black or brown loafers. It’s like people didn’t realize this was an option 😂
I have a friend who basically only wears black but they have so many different kinds of whimsical and unusual shirts and jackets, the design of the clothes in itself really brings me joy every time I see them, and I do also like dark colors and dark weather too.
It is so hard to find a good winter coat that's not black. Most of the time I compensate with my hot pink scarf. I also want to add that stores are just not selling a lot of different or bright colored clothes in the winter.
I have some holes in my sleeves, and this has inspired me to visibly mend them! :)
As someone living in a dark but also not too snowy climate. Please wear color so that I can see you when I come with my bike.
Also stop walking in front of cars when wearing all black. THEY CANT SEE YOU JFC.
My winter coats are vintage: a 1980's batwing reversible wool (black / gray) and a 1990's navy pea coat. But I never go out without a scarf, and woah-boy are they big and bright colors because they look so good against the simpleness of the coats. I do tend to pick a scarf that (somehow) coordinates with my bottoms.
Funny, there is a big temp and weather change here, but I essentially wear all of my clothes year round just layer up in winter/fall. I wear mostly black with sparing colors so things don’t change for me radically in the seasons. I would say I get more browns and neutral colors in winter but just bc all the hardcore waterproof stuff tends to be in those colors and I’m plus size which also narrows options.
Last winter I bought a new winter coat that’s a beautiful pastel pink! It was a great option for me to embrace my love of colors but still have something that would look nice with most other colors I wear!
In Melbourne wintertime, it's as if the whole city goes into mourning! I have always found it challenging to find winter wear that isn't black/grey/dark doom & gloom. I gravitate to vibrant and warm colours, so I tend to stick out regardless of how out there I intend to be.
It is fun to live up to a cliche!
This video released a while ago now but I've been on a bit of a TH-cam hiatus and just got to it. thank you for justifying my purchase of a yellow corduroy coat !! I was starting to get in my head about it "not matching" with most of my other clothing and this video was exactly the reminder I needed that it's just not that deep. The coat is cute and it brings me joy
Completely get anxious when my outerwear doesn't match the rest of my clothes. However, a rainbow jacket would go with everything and still make me happy! Great tip!
I just bought a new winter coat. It's the most beautiful mustard yellow and I LOVE it. I mostly wear dark clothes for "must not look fat" reasons, and I'm trying to change that mindset and wear colours that make me happy!
My winter coat is fire engine red because the weather makes me mad the whole season, I might as well look like that fiery little chap from Inside Out
100% yes! I love wearing and looking at bright colours. I've got a lovely red coat but ended up with a dark green one for really cold times since I found it difficult to find a nice fitting one/good brand when I needed a new one. Would love more colours around!
This is such an interesting concept! Just today I received a compliment from my kid's teacher, who regarded that my coat was so bright and fun in compared to everyone else's black coats. I was walking on air all morning because of that compliment. Now my head is even further in the clouds at the thought that not only am I fun and stylish, but I am also CHARITABLE, for my blue and yellow plaid coat is a service to all the people!!!!!
First off, love your rainbow coat. Second, as a fellow bright color-lover, I noticed something when it comes to shopping for clothes, especially winter ones, which is that depending on what city I live in, my wardrobe has tended more neutral or dark colors depending on what’s available in stores. When I was living in Seattle, for instance, I had to actively go out of my way, and frequently shop online, to keep color in my wardrobe because there just wasn’t much available. I’m not sure how much of that is overall trends, regional culture, or what, but now that I’m living in a new city, I’m looking forward to seeing if our winter clothing selection is any more colorful.
I have a particularly bright orange jumper that I wore to class once. As I took the train to college I realised I fully stood out in the sea of black North Face jackets, which for someone who usually lurks in the shadows was very uncomfortable.
Funnily enough, a Sport Team was playing that day whose colours were orange, and as I got into the city I passed more and more people in orange who kept giving me knowing smiles - I really couldn’t tell you what made me feel more awkward, sticking out or feeling like a fraudulent fan 🤣
I never wore the jumper to class again but I’m bringing it out more regularly these days as I fight the urge to blend in 🍊 thanks for the reminder!
I tend to dress in bright colors, mostly because they make me happy, especially when I look down and see my outfit. It tends to make other people happy as a side effect, and I’m here for it!