Why Do We Feel Cooler Wearing Light Colored Clothes In The Summer?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Light colored clothing reflects most of the visible wavelengths which, in turn, absorbs less heat

. On the contrary, darker or black clothing absorbs more wavelengths, absorbing more heat, hence making the clothing warmer to wear.

Why does white clothing feel cooler in the summer?


A white object is white because it reflects white light

, and white light is a combination of all the visible colors. This means that a white shirt (or pants) will reflect most of the light and not get hot.

Why you should wear light colors?

According to psychologists, the color we prefer to wear most is the color that gives us more room to be ourselves.

Light colors point towards people whose personalities tend to be more sensitive and calm

, while dark colors point towards those who are strong and straightforward.

Why do you feel warmer on a summer day if you wear black?


Darker colored objects have a lower albedo, that means that the object will absorb most of the sun’s rays

. Therefore, asphalt on a hot summer day is hotter than say the white lines of a parking space.

Why does white reflect heat?

A white object reflects all wavelengths of light, so

the light is not converted into heat

and the temperature of the object does not increase noticeably.

What color shirt keeps you cooler?

White light, Allain explains, is a combination of all the colors, while black light is no color. “That means the white paper reflects all the light and the black paper absorbs it and gets hotter.” Easy enough, right? But some research suggests

dark or black

clothing might be the answer to staying cool in the heat.

Why do dark colored shirts get hotter in the sun than light colored shirts?

Certain colors absorb and trap the sunlight more than others. Light-colored clothing easily reflects the sunlight, while

dark clothes have trouble reflecting the sun’s rays

. Because of that, the dark-colored clothing traps the heat from the sun. This then makes you feel much hotter.

What colour clothes should we wear in summer?


Any Color Can Be a Summer Color

There aren’t any fashion rules when it comes to wearing color in the summer. Even darker colors like navy and black can be worn in the warmer months. The key is to choose lightweight, summery fabrics. A short-sleeve or sleeveless jersey dress is one option.

What do we wear in summer?

We should wear

cotton clothes and light coloured clothes

in summers. We sweat a lot in summers. Cotton is a good absorber of water. Thus, it absorbs sweat from our body and exposes the sweat to the atmosphere, making its evaporation faster.

Do colours affect your mood?


Warm colors like red, yellow and orange evoke higher arousal emotions, such as love, passion, happiness, and anger

. Cool colors, like blue, green and purple are linked to calmness, sadness and indifference. Colors can trigger these arousal states and emotions.

Why do Colours absorb heat differently?

The reason for this is that

lighter colors reflect more light

. Instead of thinking of dark colors as absorbers of heat, darker colors are actually better absorbers of light. Darker colors absorb more light. Since light is energy, absorption would increase a material’s temperature.

What colors keep you cool in the sun?


White, yellow, gray, and red

It is commonly said that white is the most appropriate colour for summer temperatures because it keeps the body cool, unlike black which tends to absorb heat.

What colors hold the most heat?

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) The only color that does not attract heat is white because white objects reflect all visible wavelengths of light.

Black – the color that absorbs all visible wavelengths of light – attracts the most heat

, followed by violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red, in descending order.

Do light colors reflect light?

The reason is that darker colors absorb more of the different wavelengths of light energy, while

white or light-colored objects reflect the light of most wavelengths

.

Do light Colours reflect heat?

The key is that

colors do not absorb different amounts of heat, only heat from light

. Dark and light colored clothes coming out of a dryer will be the same temperature. However, because light clothes reflect more light when a person is outside, the accompanying heat from the sun is reflected as well.

Does black reflect heat?

If you consider it a color, black absorbs the most heat. A black object absorbs all wavelengths of light and

reflects none

. Objects that are white, on the other hand, reflect all wavelengths of light and therefore absorb the least heat.

Why white clothes are cooler than black?

Black colour is the best absorber of heat, so black clothes absorb most of the heat whereas

white clothes reflect all the light reaching on them

. This makes the white clothes cooler than black.

Why is a light colored shirt?

So while a white, or lighter colored, shirt

REFLECTS most of the visible wavelengths it is exposed to

, a black or dark shirt ABSORBS more wavelengths. Absorbed radiation is converted into heat, making the darker shirt warmer to wear.

Is black clothing hotter?

The outer layer of fabric does get hotter because the black color absorbs more heat. And that heat doesn’t get transmitted to the skin because of the thick fabric. But

thin black clothing transmits that heat to the skin, making a person hotter

.

Why would a person be cooler on a hot sunny day wearing a light colored T shirt and shorts than in a dark colored T shirt and shorts made out of the same material *?


Light colored clothing reflects most of the visible wavelengths which, in turn, absorbs less heat

. On the contrary, darker or black clothing absorbs more wavelengths, absorbing more heat, hence making the clothing warmer to wear.

Is it better to wear light or dark colors under the heat of the sun?


Darker colors absorb more UV than lighter colors

like whites and pastels. This means the UV rays are less likely to reach your skin. But bright colors such as red can also absorb UV rays. The more vivid the color, the greater the protection—a bright yellow shirt is more protective than a pale one.

Does black or white make you cooler?

“White clothing reflects sunlight, but also reflects internal heat back towards your body, so

the net effect under identical conditions is less cooling than if you wore black

.”

What colors should you not wear in summer?

Wearing lighter colors is a better idea, but you also want to avoid things that are too

light like gray

. Gray is known to be the “least forgiving” color during the summer. As Simplemost points out, light and dark gray shirts and even dresses show the most sweat stains during the summertime months.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.