Regarding footwear: you can get burgundy everywhere in North America, but it's rare in the UK. It doesn't even seem to be on the radar in the UK. In reverse, you can easily find tan/tobacco in the UK, but harder in N. America.

"....If the English observer is most likely to see pink first, it's pink even if there is brown or green in the pattern... "

That says quite a bit.

Next, why would an Englishman tend to see "XYZ" first?

A possible answer is that they have lots of classic color combinations and patterns and expect that if they see "X" it is "XYZ" Note no special meaning with my letters I am just speculating that they are used to certain color combinations and sometimes see what they think is there.

This holds true in other areas of life:

When I get into a taxi in Bangkok and give directions in Thai drivers from the countryside with little education typically need for me to repeat my directions half a dozen times they assume that I can't speak Thai.

While drivers that grew up in Bangkok with a bit more education and sophistication will understand me right away.

The point being that the drivers born in the countryside expect that I can't speak Thai and react accordingly while the Bangkok born drivers have a different background and expect that an American expat does speak Thai.

Speaking of backgrounds I wonder if well educated British see colors the same as those who have less education?

Maybe yes, maybe no as all classes probably have equal access to the mass media.

British approach to colour is a reflection of the landscape of these isles.

Black immigrants in 1950s used to favour very loud and bold colours that jarred. Once they were here a generation they started to tone it down.

We can see colour through english eye's beyond clothing. An early passion was english cars. My first, a MGA coupe was sprayed in british racing green. A school friend's uncle  was a Jaguar Le Mans raceworks mechanic. My brother copycatted with a roadster sporting a shaved head for greater compression and a early Austin Powers union jack that broke 4 crankshafts. 'Uncle' Nigel was heaven sent for syncronising SU carbs ( my brother slapping on oversized Webers) and coming up with treasures like 5 point H pattern racing harness  and close ratio gear sets for hill climbs. He also steadfatly refused to drive  or sit as passenger in my brother's ragtop, always slipping into mine and revealing arcane insights into double clutching non synchro gearboxes, breaking the rear end on Mullholland Drive and most important the joys of simply letting the engine work efficiently at the proper RPM and gear and enjoying the scenery. Nigel's niece finally told me years later why I was so favoured 'You resprayed your car a proper colour.'
My car's ancestors, carriages with formal livery, trade  and farm tell a similar story.
And if you want to spot someone facing disaster, paint 54MM lead miniatures and notice your competition's  officer sporting ruby red collar tabs instead of british scarlet.

Last edited by ckav (2010-04-27 21:36:02)

Last edited by Big Tony (2010-04-28 10:10:33)

English Tory-toffs often sport blue shirts and ties with yellow patterns.

Gold, mustard on red would repel anyone. Only the minds of Duchamp could come up with such a monstrosity.

Last edited by 4F Hepcat (2010-04-28 12:56:52)

I don't know about that, there's plenty of English walking around with lilac shirts, and by lilac, I mean that very light pinkish colour. I've certainly owned one Gieves & Hawkes shirt of that type many moons ago. In fact I stand corrected, I've one in my wardrobe.

I think maybe English who work in the City are restrained and castrated by such colour rules, reinforced from their buggering school days at top public schools. Outside of such gilded walls, there is more freedom and less colour prejudice in clothes.

However, I certainly would never wear a pinstripe suit for work - outside of banking or accountancy, would be fraudulant in my opinion. Black shoes I never wear when visiting a supplier, I always go for brown shoes, just to let them know that I consider this a jolly out and that they are not worthy of the formal respect of a black oxford or gibson.

Its interesting watching all the politicians in the run up to the British elections, all the same, all sartorially vacant, no style or substance, most definitely signifying nothing.