Why do the Nights Watch wear black?

[Son of a Harpy]

One logical reason, I imagine, is any other color would be difficult to maintain. So even if they wanted to wear other colours, the clothes would eventually get dirty and fade to black anyway.

Plus all the other reasons already mentioned.

[Greatwing]

A regular Knight/man-at-arms would wear the colours of his own house or liege lord and so might wear crimson and gold (if he were a Lannister man) but the men of the NW have forsaken their house and so their colours and liege lords too, this means they have to forsake their colours. You could say they are absent colours, black is an absence of colour and so the men of the watch wear black. The light absorbing and dying points are good too.

[Buckwheat]

They are of the night. :cool4:

Maybe so they can be spotted better if they need a rescue in the snow. Also, the wildlings wear white (I think?) so if the watch wore also black it might have been confusing. Plus, the NW real job is to guard the realm from the Others, so maybe they use black as an antithesis to WHITEwalkers.

Or maybe GRRM thought black colour has better aesthetics in the readers' eyes for an army of prisoners/mostly scumbags.

No. The wildlings wear whatever colour they want/get their hands on. Mance wears a torn NW cloak with red silk. So no, they do not exclusively wear anything.

[Three eyed wolf]

Ok think it is a connection to night (Nights Watch) and black. After all the night is DARK and full of terrors.

[mindchap]

It might be for practical reasons. Black absorbs more heat I think so it might be more practical at keeping warm in the cold climate.

Although I am not entirely sure that it's scientifically proven that wearing black clothes can keep you warmer.

Go outside in 105 degree weather wearing all black then go inside and change to all white, there's no question of proof.

[Jon Mark Selmy]

Because wildlings are a supersticious cowardly lot.

Seriously, though, during long winters the nights are likelly very long. This is why black is the perfect camouflage. Plus it's symbolic of they abandoning their "colours" as somebody else said.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Take the black is often a punishment or a penitence for mostly of the members of the NW.

Black clothes also are a sign of poverty, as to symbolize they have nothing.

Also, they can be easily found in the snow in case they die or get lost.

[Whitering]

Well, in general they are not trying to blend in. You want to be able to look up at the Wall and see that your guards are in position and such. You also want to be able to find the bodies after a battle. What I would question is why the Rangers continue to wear black when doing scouting, but if the identity of the Night's Watch is tied up in their outfit, then that would explain it. We have a long history in this world of armies wearing red, black, yellow, blue whatever instead of camo, even during combat.

[Greatwing]

Because wildlings are a supersticious cowardly lot.

It's good to see another batfan around!

[Jon Mark Selmy]

It's good to see another batfan around!

Yep. The only classic DC hero that ever did it for me. I'm more into Marvel.

[Woftis]

Is it not mentioned at some point it also helps to prevent deserters? There's no way they can get south wearing the black or something?

Then again, I doubt there's that many guys wondering the north all in white so I suppose the same argument could be made for that.

[LifeRuiner]

Because it made for a nice turn of phrase.

Taking the khaki just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Ser Ilyn's Tongue]

Is it not just because their original opponents were the White Walkers and black is basically the opposite of white?

Can't see why it would be any more complex than that.

[Black Crow]

Its just a combination of symbolism and practicality. They have put aside all family and clan allegiances and the colours that go with them to become as one. Black cloth is black cloth, there's no ambiguity over different shades of it and anything can be dyed black. White, per the later King's Guard, may look cool but its not particularly practical.

[Woftis]

I suppose by nature of their works white would soon become black anyway :lol:

[The Brute of Bracken]

I thought it was a remnant from the time when they used obsidian to fight the Others.

[Pope Killdragon]

Because the Kingsguard wear white.

[TheMysteriousOne]

To me, black is a sign of ambiguity, so I think the NW wears black because it represents that once a person joins the Watch, then he leaves behind his past, and all the things that he has done, and starts a new life with his brothers and it's supposed to be one-for-all and all-for-one.

[Nudu]

In the long night it hides you. ;)

[naik2902]

i think they feel proud to be known by title crow. coz crow is black and symbolises wisdom. they go beyond the wall and use thier wisdom to gather some knowlege on the movement of wildings and white walkers. so they dress like crow to get a feel of being crow.