# Bizarre stereotypes - ''Only black people wear purple"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240 "2013-02-03T18:31:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/101 "2013-02-08T14:38:19Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Indeed. It’s one of my favorites too. You can walk away with some great deals there. Well, that’s why they had purple pantsuits! I used to like their hats - inexpensive but a lot more range than white-lady stores. Lately the selection sucks though. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/102 "2013-02-08T18:26:14Z")
I have more purple shirts in my closet than any other single color. T-shirts and dress shirts. Oh, and workout shorts. And about a third of my ties have purple pattern. My wallet _is_ a Crown Royal bag. A large part of it is that I am an LSU alum and bleed royal purple and gold. And I also really like the color. (And I’m about as white as they come.) I offer the following stereotype. Back in college I worked graveyard at a Circle K. Folks would come in and buy cigarettes all the time, right? Huge majority of black customers would buy menthol smokes. Kools, Salems, whatever. I don’t think I ever sold menthol cigs to a white customer. This may have changed, though. my stepson took up smoking once he joined the Army and he buys Marlboro menthols. He says lots of his white friends smoke them now. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/103 "2013-02-09T04:42:34Z")
In my never-smoked-a-cigarette-before opinion, it seems like menthols would be less disgusting than regular. Why \*wouldn’t \*someone smoke menthols? I’ve never really understood that. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/104 "2013-02-09T09:21:56Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > In my never-smoked-a-cigarette-before opinion, it seems like menthols would be less disgusting than regular. Why \*wouldn’t \*someone smoke menthols? I’ve never really understood that. Because people who smoke don’t generally find the taste of tobacco smoke disgusting. It’s pretty much the same as preferring neat whiskey, or black coffee, or any other strong flavoured thing. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/105 "2013-02-09T09:57:50Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > In my never-smoked-a-cigarette-before opinion, it seems like menthols would be less disgusting than regular. Why \*wouldn’t \*someone smoke menthols? I’ve never really understood that. Back when I was a smoker, I had smoked regular cigarettes for years, and found menthol cigarettes terrible in a “just wrong” sort of way. Then I had an extended bout of the flu, and regular cigarettes were damn-near unsmokable. (If you’ve never been a smoker, just trust me on this, quite aside from the negative effects on your throat and lungs, cigarettes taste just _awful_ when you’re sick.) But then I discovered that menthol cigarettes not only masked the terrible taste of smoking-while-sick, they also provided a nice “vapo-rub” cooling effect that provided relief which resulted in it being less bad than smoking a regular cigarette. (Still worse than not smoking at all, but, hello, addiction!) So, once my flu resolved itself, I continued to exclusively smoke menthols for years afterwards, and then it was regular cigarettes which I found to be disgusting in much the same way that I used to hate menthols! Moral of the story: Tastes can be surprisingly malleable, and you can get used to anything. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/106 "2013-02-09T16:02:59Z")
Weird stereotype (from the book “Semi-Tough”): “If Negroes are so tough, how come you never see one on a motorcycle?” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/107 "2013-02-09T16:32:32Z")
Ha! Come to Gary, Indiana you’ll see plenty of black folks on motorcycles! (city is 85%+ black, so pretty much everything is black majority) ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/108 "2013-02-10T03:50:21Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Uh, you do realize Burlington Coat Factory is a black people store, right? Wait, what? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/109 "2013-02-10T03:59:54Z")
> [@BlueKangaroo](#): > > Wait, what? Hyperlink pasted without comment. https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQGSMjuL0VY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/110 "2013-02-10T04:04:46Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Hyperlink pasted without comment. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGSMjuL0VY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGSMjuL0VY) I can’t believe that Youtube lets comments like that stay up. That’s sad. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/111 "2013-02-10T04:10:43Z")
> [@BlueKangaroo](#): > > Wait, what? I believe they got BCF in the same deal that got us The Container Store and a gelato stand to be named later. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/112 "2013-02-10T06:08:25Z")
This is my own new, personally-formed bizarre stereotype; inspired by [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15988950&postcount=6). “Gay men use deodorant on their ass crack”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/113 "2013-02-10T09:55:12Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Hyperlink pasted without comment. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGSMjuL0VY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGSMjuL0VY) I feel confused. But the only Burlington Coat Factory I’ve ever been to is pretty white IIRC. Which I may not, because it’s been years. But it is definitely in a white area, so I’m pretty sure I’m right. I mean, everyone likes a bargain. And if you live north of Seattle, you’re probably white as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/114 "2013-02-10T10:23:41Z")
Black people don’t tan or get sunburned! I’ve even seen plenty of black people champion this one, its crap the darkest human skin tone only offers 15spf protection over the lightest. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/115 "2013-02-10T12:54:56Z")
I had a black manager once who used to believe that… until she got 2nd degree sunburn on a trip to Hawaii. She’s been singing the praises of sunblock ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/116 "2013-02-10T15:45:48Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Weird stereotype (from the book “Semi-Tough”): “If Negroes are so tough, how come you never see one on a motorcycle?” Maybe that was written before they invented those bright green Kawasakis? You don’t only see black people on them (it’s about 50/50, honestly) but when I see a black guy on a motorcycle it’s almost always one of those ugly things. No idea why. And yes, Burlington Coat Factory is a black people store. Come to the South - you will never have any trouble with these social cues if you live here. It weirds me out when I go to, say, Pittsburgh and I can’t tell _anything_ about neighborhoods just by looking. In any Southern city I can look around and tell you who lives in these houses - class, race, age, etc. In Pittsburgh if it isn’t those sweet-ass Mount Lebanon mansions it all just looks low class to me. ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/117 "2013-02-10T17:11:50Z")
So very, very strange. I’ve never seen a BCF outside of New Mexico (where I grew up), and it was basically populated proportionally with all the races who live in New Mexico. If it leaned any race, the race was white… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/118 "2013-02-10T23:29:18Z")
I thought BCF was a “poor people” store. I’ve shopped there (decades ago, admittedly) and it was mostly white people. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/119 "2013-02-11T00:08:31Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Well, that’s why they had purple pantsuits! The suits I’ve bought there are all skirt suits, for what it’s forth. One of them, the black one, is my go-to outfit for interviews and business appointments. Tahari at half off, exactly what I was looking for exactly when I needed it. > [@Gyrate](#): > > I thought BCF was a “poor people” store. I’ve shopped there (decades ago, admittedly) and it was mostly white people. The ones in Northern Virginia I shop at I always found to be nicely integrated in terms of clientele and staff. Black, white, Latino, South Asian, East Asian, and Arab alike mingle there. I like that. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240/120 "2013-02-11T00:21:59Z")
For what it’s worth, I meant, sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-stereotypes-only-black-people-wear-purple/649240.md?page=7)