Is it a myth that wearing dark colours retain the heat during summer?

[stoptheraindrops]

This ^. I've seen a lovely black gauzey kaftan, but then I remembered the dark colour thing...and wondered if it was a myth. The kaftan is linen, so is the fabric more important?

No, it's not, all the Bedouin people in the desert wear white for a reason.

Having said that, it will depend on where you're going to wear that, for how long and hot the place is.

It's not a myth, it's science. Darker colours absorb more heat from the sun. You can test it yourself by leaving items out in the sun and see which gets hottest.

I don't think it is a myth. Darker colours absorb more heat. But as it is just a piece of clothing that moves around, I wouldn't not buy it for this reason.

I live in a hot country. Not many people drive black cars. For the above reason. But they aren't wafty like a kaftan... 😀

It's not that it retains heat, but that it absorbs heat. Put 2 similar things in the sun one black and one white, wait half an hour and you will feel the difference.

If you are out of the sun there will be little difference.

I don't think it's a myth. You can tell the difference when you get into white or black car that was standing in the sun.

I stand corrected! Thank you all

Definitely not a myth. We had a demonstration of this when I was at school. They had two tunnels, one painted white and the other black. We crawled through each of them in turn and the black one was noticeably hotter.

That said, fabric and cut is likely going to make a difference. I suspect you'd be cooler in loose black silk than tight white nylon.

I think it's true. As the weather has been so good, I sat outside earlier this week, wearing a black & ivory striped tee-shirt. I could feel the fabric almost burning my skin after just a few minutes. After I changed into a white top I was much more comfortable.

Find a black.and white horse or dog that has been out in the sun. You can feel the difference between the black and white hair.

If it's a myth why is traditional dress for so many Arab people a black abaya?

Science is our friend!

Dark colours absorb heat. It makes a massive difference on sunny days.

This experiment shows the difference colour can make to temperature.

@AnnaMagnani Good challenge!

It is a myth. When I spent time in North Africa most of the Taureg pretty much wore dark navy most of the time. It is not about the colour of the cloth it is about how it is made and layered.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/aug/19/most-improbable-scientific-research-abrahams

Convection! In the same way nobody needs a fridge int he desert to keep milk cold. I used one made from just stone, sand and water.

That is the surface temperature of the clothing material only. Not the temperature on the reverse of the cloth.

GCSE physics. The leslie cube required practical.

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z32f4qt/revision/5

Dark colours radiate heat as proven by the Leslie cube experiment, doesn’t mean they retain heat

I thought that white was better in direct sun because it doesn’t absorb heat as much as black. However, it also
doesn’t radiate heat as well as black does, so in the shade black is better because it’s superior radiation more than makes up
for its inferior absorption.

Other aspects of
the clothing would make a difference too - I’m sure a black floaty linen kaftan would be better than a tight synthetic white top.

I'm pretty sure a my science teachers told me dark colour,s absorb the heat,and bright reflect the heat .