Keeping Cool and Comfortable: Why You Should Opt for Light Colored Clothing During the Summer

When it's hot and sunny outside, black is the worst color you can be wearing. You've probably heard this adage before, perhaps from your parents when you were younger, but why is black clothing such a bad choice during the summer? The answer lies in the fundamentals of color theory.

Understanding the basics of color theory can be a game-changer when it comes to your summer wardrobe. In high school, you probably learned that black is a combination of all of the colors while white is the absence of any color, but what does that really mean? Our perception of colors is simply a result of the absorption and reflection of various light waves within the visible light spectrum. Generally speaking, the colors we perceive an object to be is the color it reflects. For example, a green ball appears green to us because it absorbs most wavelengths of other colors while reflecting the light waves corresponding to green.

So when we say that black is a combination of all of the colors, what that really means is that things that appear black absorb all light waves in the visible light spectrum and reflect nothing. Likewise, things that appear white reflect all light waves in the visible light spectrum while absorbing nothing. And since the sun emits a variety of different waves from the electromagnetic spectrum, we can use this knowledge to optimize our summer outfits.

The reason why black or darker-colored clothing is sub-optimal for summer wear is because the color black absorbs all light waves from the visible light spectrum. On a hot sunny day, a black shirt will retain a lot of thermal energy as a byproduct of light wave absorption. Conversely, white or lighter-colored clothing, which reflects most of the light waves, will not retain as much heat, making it suitable for summer wear.