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When painters are at work, they always wear white clothes. But why exactly? Is that because they like it, out of habit or is it for a practical reason? In this article I will tell you why painters wear white work clothes.
No clear answer
The answer to the question is not clear. There are roughly 9 theories as to why painters would wear white clothing.
- In the past, painters had to mix all the paint themselves. If they were wearing colored clothing, there was a chance that this would affect the shade of the paint. White was therefore the safest choice to wear.
- Painters sometimes work in the sun. If someone were to wear green overalls, the sun could cause this color to reflect on the wall. And then you have a sudden green blur on the wall. That’s why white is a better choice.
- The same sun can also make you very hot in the summer. Therefore, white clothing would be best. The color has a cooling effect.
- Because painters sometimes work with chemicals, it is important to be able to clearly see any stains on clothing. You see the fastest on white clothing.
- White used to be the most commonly used paint color. If a painter wore work clothes in a different color, you would quickly see stains. This was not the case with white clothing.
- Work clothing must be able to be washed at a high temperature and still look good. White clothing is therefore ideal.
- The appearance of a painter used to play an important role. That person had to look neat and fresh. With white clothing you make a clean impression.
- Painters in the nineteenth century decided to wear white clothing to distinguish themselves. After all, it was a color that was worn by virtually no other professional group.
- About 400 years ago, painters were inspired by English sailors. They made trousers from discarded canvas sails. The painters discovered that this material was sturdy and lightweight. And therefore ideal to wear while painting.
This is why painters wear white work clothes
So there are 9 theories that all seem logical in one way or another. I think there are several reasons. And those have probably changed over the years. For example, I can imagine that white sail would have been a cheap choice 400 years ago, but that is no longer the case today. However, white painter’s clothing still has its advantages. You will still get warm in the summer when you work outside and white clothing is nice. And being able to wash at high temperatures also remains important.
Which theory do you find most plausible?
Greetings,
Aileen