Colors are the insignia, or "patches", worn by motorcycle club members on cut-off vests to identify membership of their club and territorial location. Club patches have been worn by many different groups since the 1960s. They are regarded by many to symbolize an elite amongst motorcyclists and the style has been widely copied by other subcultures and commercialized. Colors are considered to represent "significant markers of the socialization" of new members to clubs, rank and present a dominant symbol of identity and are marked with related symbolism. They can be embroidered patches sewn onto clothing or stenciled in paint, the primary symbol being the back patch of the club's insignia or logo and generally remain the property of the club. Wearing such clothing is referred to as "flying one's colors". The term has its roots in military history, originating with regimental colours. Meaning Colors identify the rank of members within clubs from new members, to "prospects" to full members known as "patch-holders", and usually consist of a top and bottom circumferential badge called a rocker, due to the curved shape, with the stating the club name, the stating the location or territory, and a central logo of the club's insignia, with a fourth, smaller badge carrying the initials "MC" standing for "motorcycle club". Female clubs spell out “motorcycle club” on their vests. The badges are used to create a social bond and boundaries and, generally, belong to the clubs involved rather than the individual wearing them. Although, bikers perform community service and give away thousands of dollars to charity, the wearing of them can often lead individuals to be refused service at related businesses and bars, and some biker bars have a "no colors" policy, to reduce conflict. Claiming STATE territory by wearing a bottom STATE rocker can lead to violent conflict with a rival club, such as in the 2015 Waco shootout, which was partially caused by a club wearing a "Texas" bottom rocker.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“[P]ure light, such as that from the sun has no color, but is made colored by its degradation when interacting with objects having specific properties which then produce color.”
— Aristotle (c. 350 BC) as quoted by Kurt Nassau, The Physics and Chemistry of Color: The Fifteen Causes of Color (1983) p. 4.
“When you go out to paint try to forget what object you have before you—a tree, a house, a field or whatever. Merely think, here is a little streak of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact color and shape, until it emerges as your own naive impression of the scene before you. I would like to paint the way a bird sings.”
— Claude Monet, as quoted in The Artist (1957) Vol. 53-57, p. 24.
“[L]ight when it reaches the eye may be a blend of many colours, though the sensation produced is not of a blend but of some colour, predominant in the blend. This is why objects under water tend to have the colour of water, and why reflections in mirrors resemble the colour of the mirrors, and we must suppose that the same thing happens in the case of air.”
— 793 b , 27-34.
“Since... the quality of colours becomes known by means of light... where there is most light there the true quality of the colour so illuminated will be most visible, and where there is most shadow there the colour will be most affected by the colour of the shadow. Therefore, O painter, be mindful to show the true quality of the colours in the parts which are in light.”
— Why Beautiful Colours Should be in the Lights (MS. 2038, Bib. Nat. 33 r.) p. 233.
“[L]ight and darkness, brightness and obscurity, or... light and its absence, are necessary to the production of colour.”
— Introduction, p. xlii.
“One cannot be at the Pole and at the Equator at once. One must choose one's way; at least this is what I hope to do, and my way will be the road to colour.”
— Letter to Theo, p. 137.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Overview

Colors are the insignia, or "patches", worn by motorcycle club members on cut-off vests to identify membership of their club and territorial location. Club patches have been worn by many different groups since the 1960s. They are regarded by many to symbolize an elite amongst motorcyclists and the style has been widely copied by other subcultures and commercialized. Colors are considered to represent "significant markers of the socialization" of new members to clubs, rank and present a dominant symbol of identity and are marked with related symbolism. They can be embroidered patches sewn onto clothing or stenciled in paint, the primary symbol being the back patch of the club's insignia or logo and generally remain the property of the club. Wearing such clothing is referred to as "flying one's colors". The term has its roots in military history, originating with regimental colours. Meaning Colors identify the rank of members within clubs from new members, to "prospects" to full members known as "patch-holders", and usually consist of a top and bottom circumferential badge called a rocker, due to the curved shape, with the stating the club name, the stating the location or territory, and a central logo of the club's insignia, with a fourth, smaller badge carrying the initials "MC" standing for "motorcycle club". Female clubs spell out “motorcycle club” on their vests. The badges are used to create a social bond and boundaries and, generally, belong to the clubs involved rather than the individual wearing them. Although, bikers perform community service and give away thousands of dollars to charity, the wearing of them can often lead individuals to be refused service at related businesses and bars, and some biker bars have a "no colors" policy, to reduce conflict. Claiming STATE territory by wearing a bottom STATE rocker can lead to violent conflict with a rival club, such as in the 2015 Waco shootout, which was partially caused by a club wearing a "Texas" bottom rocker.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Colors are the insignia, or "patches", worn by motorcycle club members on cut-off vests to identify membership of their club and territorial location. Club patches have been worn by many different groups since the 1960s. They are regarded by many to symbolize an elite amongst motorcyclists and the style has been widely copied by other subcultures and commercialized.

Not who you're looking for? Others named colors: 1988 film by Dennis Hopper · 2015 album by CN Blue · 2009 single by Morandi · 2024 studio album by Kyuhyun

Notable quotes

“[P]ure light, such as that from the sun has no color, but is made colored by its degradation when interacting with objects having specific properties which then produce color.”
— Aristotle (c. 350 BC) as quoted by Kurt Nassau, The Physics and Chemistry of Color: The Fifteen Causes of Color (1983) p. 4.
“When you go out to paint try to forget what object you have before you—a tree, a house, a field or whatever. Merely think, here is a little streak of blue, here an oblong of pink, here a streak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact color and shape, until it emerges as your own naive impression of the scene before you. I would like to paint the way a bird sings.”
— Claude Monet, as quoted in The Artist (1957) Vol. 53-57, p. 24.
“[L]ight when it reaches the eye may be a blend of many colours, though the sensation produced is not of a blend but of some colour, predominant in the blend. This is why objects under water tend to have the colour of water, and why reflections in mirrors resemble the colour of the mirrors, and we must suppose that the same thing happens in the case of air.”
— 793 b , 27-34.
“Since... the quality of colours becomes known by means of light... where there is most light there the true quality of the colour so illuminated will be most visible, and where there is most shadow there the colour will be most affected by the colour of the shadow. Therefore, O painter, be mindful to show the true quality of the colours in the parts which are in light.”
— Why Beautiful Colours Should be in the Lights (MS. 2038, Bib. Nat. 33 r.) p. 233.
“[L]ight and darkness, brightness and obscurity, or... light and its absence, are necessary to the production of colour.”
— Introduction, p. xlii.
“One cannot be at the Pole and at the Equator at once. One must choose one's way; at least this is what I hope to do, and my way will be the road to colour.”
— Letter to Theo, p. 137.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

colors across IJR

Open questions

what are great exterior house colors that go with a standing seam galvanized roof

On Watch

Slowly Deleting Colors without Telling my FriendsDoni Bobes

Ask Genius about colors Create in Studio Build a game Watch videos