How gear brands pick colors

[ski diva]

An interesting article at Outside.com about how gear companies decide what colors to make their outside gear.

How important is color to you (we're talking mid layers, pants, and jackets here), and are there certain colors you stay away from?

 

[Tvan]

When we first started skiing, and the godchildren were little, we outfitted everyone in basic black: ski pants, gloves, long underwear, socks, balaclavas... all in black. Bad decision. It was a major pain in the butt to sort the laundry in the ski condo every night. We abandoned black at the first possible moment.

I keep away from earth tones, which remind me of my listless business casual work-wear, and embrace the “anything goes” theory of ski clothing. My jackets and ski pants are bright, both solids and prints and I mix and match with abandon.

Along with earth tones, I tend to avoid pinks. But orange, red, green, turquoise, purple... all appear in my ski wardrobe.

Ps. I’m a quilter, and I have a reputation for wild color combinations in my quilting, too. So, precedent!

 

[marzNC]

I have colors I stay away from in general. Got a book years ago when I was starting to buy professional clothes and learned about color palettes in relation to skin tone. Anything yellow or remotely close to yellow is a non-starter. That means orange-red or greens that aren't blue-green or brown don't get a second look. Never liked pink.

What I go for are most shades of blue and red-red, whether solid or in small patterns. Lately purple works too for outer wear or tops.

For pants worn under ski pants, I generally have black because that's what I find that fits. And black goes with anything else in terms of tops.

For ski pants, I used a pair of black insulated pants for a few years when I started skiing more out west but didn't want black after that. Have been using the same grey shell pants for quite a while. Also started using the maroon shell pants I bought for my daughter and also had professionally shortened when it became clear she would never use them. Bought a pair of purple HH shell pants @50% off but wasn't my first choice for color. Although it turns out to match the purple shell jacket I bought on sale a few years ago.

 

[newboots]

I’m a quilter, and I have a reputation for wild color combinations in my quilting, too. So, precedent!

We need pictures!

 

[Tvan]

We need pictures!

https://quilteddimensions.com

Enjoy!

 

[Albertan ski girl]

https://quilteddimensions.com

Enjoy!

Gorgeous @Tvan !!!

 

[Jilly]

https://quilteddimensions.com Enjoy!

I so need your help for a project I want to do.....that's for a PM or another thread.

I've usually strayed away from coloured pants as I don't like chairlift grease on my butt!! My last 3 suits had grey, red and pinky-red coloured pants. The 2 jackets are colourful, and one is a herringbone check black/grey combo. My avatar set.

I will say that I have had issues with one manufacturers pants. I seem to rip them easily. So no more of that brand!!

 

[CarverJill]

I am such a color person. The color of an item often makes me buy it or not. Personally I usually opt for purples, blues, greys or greens but like almost any color except red.

 

[ski diva]

Yeah, I'm all for color, too. I especially love jewel tones, like emerald green, fuchsia pink, or sapphire blue. Last year I bought a jacket purely because I fell in love with the color:

 

[santacruz skier]

Really think this quote from Stio is interesting - “The higher the price point, the more we want to respect longevity,” Hill says. “At a lower price point, we can be more forward thinking.” Agree - I don't want to pay big bucks for a "new" color that will be very outdated looking in 5 years.

I like color when skiing and like pants/jackets to look good together but don't have to match at all. I often wear my older dark turquoise patagonia with either lime/bright green marmot pants or magenta kjus pants. Will have to admit I wear a red jacket or black jacket (I know boring) with my red plaid pants. Just remembered I bought a few months ago purple Strafe shell pants to wear with my new very light turquoise patagonia goretex shell and discovered to my surprise the zippers are light turquoise. So i'm okay with that kind of matching.

Love bright helmets and definitely can even clash. BF says it's easy to find me as my clothing is unpredictable as what I'll be wearing..... unlike him.

 

[mustski]

I like color - all colors- so for me it's more about how I feel at the moment of purchase than about the colors. However, I notice that I do lean more towards reds, blues, and greens and the various shades therein. I did just buy a pink jacket for the first time in about 15 years. I liked the shade and the pattern so I bought it even though the jacket is a bit big on me.

 

[VickiK]

I finally made a rule for myself that base layer bottoms can be black but base layer tops should be anything but black. It's easier to get dressed when lighting is poor in a rental.

 

[VickiK]

https://quilteddimensions.com

Enjoy!

Oh wow. Love it!

 

[GeoGirl]

@Tvan WOWWW your skill and color sense are amazing

I sure hope the industry is over the trend of muddy 1970s throwback colors... coughPatagoniacough

I may just be biased, though, I'm a fan of unapologetically girly teal, pink, and purple in general.
Over the summer sales I've scored a teal insulated jacket, navy blue insulated pants, purple/pink softshell, and white/pink/teal floral shell pants. In addition to my pre-existing bright aqua rainjacket (profile pic).

 

[newboots]

@Tvan - having seen your clothing choices, I was not surprised, but still somehow blown away at these quilt designs! Gorgeous!

 

[Analisa]

I like whichever color is the last one on the clearance rack Sometimes I'll find a cheap beanie with similar colors that makes it look intentional.

 

[HikenSki]

I like whichever color is the last one on the clearance rack Sometimes I'll find a cheap beanie with similar colors that makes it look intentional.

View attachment 9514

OMG that pic freaks me out. You are a brave woman!

The last color on the clearance rack in size L/XL is how I've come to obtain most of stuff. You can tell the "hot" colors of the year. I own a lot of stuff on the purple/eggplant spectrum...

 

[Cantabrigienne]

I used to think about what colours flattered my appearance - I had an all-black outfit (Orage jacket, Helly Hansen pants) about 10 years ago - but now more concerned with visibility. A mountain host at Vail told me she had switched to extra bright colours after nearly getting hit several times & people always saying "I didn't see you" so now I have a navy blue jacket paired with bright pink pants so at least something on me is highly visible. Ideally the pink should have been fluorescent so I could be seen in the Whistler fogs, but at least my bro-in-law can find me in crowd aka liftline now.

My other outfit is a light grey jacket with black pants so I have to think about how to punch that one up - hoping to find yellow or orange pants.

 

[VickiK]

I don't like the muddy colors either. But them being in fashion means the brights I like are on sale! The closest I came to the Skittle look was light blue pants and bright pink jacket, which I liked a lot and will still wear, but my newest purchases have been the classic bright jacket, black pants.

 

[lazarus]

It's quite important to me; I'm quite fashion conscious generally and if I can bring that into every area of my life whilst also not compromising on quality and its ability to serve a purpose then I'll do it lol. As for colours that I avoid then it has to be things that are all white, or white with a little bit of coloured trim. My mother once decked herself out in all white which was all well and good until she accidentally skied off-piste and directly into a tree, snapped her ACL and no one could find her for at least half an hour because she blended into the snow