To think a crowd of people all wearing black coats is depressing and dreary?

[PurpleParrotfish]

School Christmas concert this morning. Kids all in cheery Christmas jumpers. Parents looked like a funeral.
Why, nowadays does almost everyone wear black winter coats? It’s dreary enough in the dark days of winter, there’s no law against having a bit of colour.
In the row of 23 adults in front of me, I counted one cream / light beige coat, one brown, one emerald green, one dark khaki - and the rest all black, maybe with the odd dark navy among them. No cheery coloured scarves or anything like that.
Anyone else agree that it makes winter more depressing when commuters or even Christmas shopping crowds are wall to wall black (with occasional navy/dark grey if you’re lucky) and wish colourful coats were fashionable again?
Yes, I know, first world problems, bigger things to worry about etc…

I agree. Mine is bright yellow. I also have a floor length bright red wool one.
Black may not show the dirt but it’s not a great colour for most complexions. (Annoyingly it does actually suit me - I just don’t like wearing it.)

Must have been a thrilling school concert if you were counting coats 🤣

Exemplary stealth boast. 9/10

Dark colours go with lots of things, a neutral light coat is going is going to pick up dirt easily.

So we are supposed to match our coats to our COMPLEXIONS now??

How fucking surreal!

I don’t detect a sneery tone from the OP. It was merely an observation. So much offence and chippiness, grievance and as for ‘it’s not professional’, man alive the pompousness. And of course the now-mandatory ‘there is a cost of living crises on you know!!’. I’d be sure many people are wearing coats bought before 2022. They are generally a bit pricey and last a while.

Mumsnet really is a hub of grievance which can be mined (mixing my metaphors) out of anything.

I have black and khaki. Not everyone values fashion to the extent of wearing a bright colour for mood purposes.

I don't have the storage space for more than two coats.

1. black for work and formal events
2. khaki for casual wrapping up days

If I had more space and money, if probably have a tan coloured coat too. I don't like bright colours, they don't suit my skin tone.

I do find it a bit strange that other people's coats affect your mood to the extent of writing on Mumsnet. Couldn't you decorate your house or desk to improve your mood? Surely other people's coats won't make you happier?

I did think views on colour of winter coats (seen as a crowd rather than individuals) would be a relatively safe AIBU but apparently it’s strange to notice that almost everyone is wearing black and wish for a bit of colour. And also spiteful and bitchy according to several - seen as a personal attack on everyone with a black coat. Guess I’ve been on MN for long enough to know that there is NO safe AIBU!

People have personal tastes but these are also affected by wider fashions and norms which can change over time, as well as between different places - I don’t see why we can’t discuss them.

Yeah I've always thought this too, however I do agree that darker colours for coats are practical because they go with everything. I have often wondered why it's all dark stuff in the winter and bright colours in the summer. Surely we need the bright colours in the winter more than anything?

I agree with you, I don’t own a black coat. They’re very difficult to see when crossing roads etc and black doesn’t go with many other colours.

What colour does black not go with then?

In Paris I rarely see anyone wearing other than a black coat.

I didn’t see the OP as sneery, bitchy or spiteful. Just an observation. I don’t imagine she constantly judges friends and family on their coat colour.

Black is easy to clean, yes. Some also think it slimming, chic etc. It’s seen as an easy colour to wear.

I have coats in every colour. But often default to black in the winter as there is more choice of styles in that colour. I love bright colours too though.

Anyway I would not take the thread too personally. It doesn’t mean that the OP is mocking others, or indeed that the play she watched was boring.

The problem is that wearing a lot of bright colour requires both an eye for co-ordination and carefully-planned wardrobe, and very few people have one or indeed either of these. Sticking mainly black / grey / navy ensures one doesn’t end up looking like Mr Tumble 🤷🏻‍♀️

Similar in Milan - black and camel, sometimes navy or grey.

Random but was it from Topshop? Think I had retry much the same experience/coat

I don't wear black coats but would wear a navy one

@Abra1t I'm sure you are right, I haven't been to Paris since before the pandemic in winter. I'm going off my European friends in the UK who do seem to have a bit more variety in their puffa jackets, the Spanish/Italian ones anyway, but this could be my very small friend group!

I agree, I find it miserable and dreary, the weather in this country is bad enough during winter without wearing drab sludgy colours to match. I’ve always liked bright colours - I have a coat in pink + yellow wool, mint green puffa, metallic purple puffa, and an orange jacket. I might look like a colourblind kid’s TV presenter but it genuinely improves my mood. Plus less chance of getting mowed down!

It goes with grey, white/beige and black and not much else! Doesnt go with blue jeans. Charcoal or navy is better as a dark neutral. I’m not that bothered about my coat not matching my outfit but if you are black isn’t a great choice

Also, I don’t get coats having to match stuff - they’re worn over clothes and taken off indoors, why do they have to match anything?

Bright colour coats exist. So I assume if people wanted to buy them, they would.

I do have a black coat but have only really worn it for funerals and to the odd evening do. My day to day coats are dark green and navy though, so I'm hardly flying the flag for colourful clothes.

However, I don't agree that black 'goes with everything', it only really goes with itself.

I just bought a black midi length puffa coat and I love it. It wasn’t expensive, I don’t have to be precious with it and I love how light but still warm it is.
It looks nice with my black and grey sketcher boots.

You haven't seen the pink (coats) thread on style and beauty!

But yes, most are black. I own one black evening coat, but my most of my coats are various shades of blue, because it suits me, and I have a burgundy duffle coat.