PlainClothes is a Google Chrome extension that will automatically override page styles on all pages that you visit in the browser. It uses a default color scheme that can be customized in the options.

By default, all pages will be displayed with a black text font on white background. The extension furthermore ensures that links will always be underlined, and that link colors use the standard blue and violet colors for unvisited and visited links.

You basically turn a page like this

into this

That’s the Yale Art page by the way.

You do not need to configure anything if you like the color schemes used by the extension. The extension displays its icon in the address bar. You can click on the icon to disable it for that page. The default website design will be displayed if the extension is deactivated.

A right-click on the icon and the selection of Options opens the preferences. Here you can make changes to the default design used when the extension is active.

It is possible to change the text, background, unvisited links and visited links colors separately, or make the following changes to the preferences.

You can allow websites to set text colors or use your system’s default colors instead of custom text and background colors.

It is furthermore possible to allow websites to set link colors instead of defining values for visited and unvisited links.

The extension displays examples right in the options which is handy to test if the selected color schemes are readable.

Two additional options are available in the PlainClothes preferences. You can disable the forced underlining of links and the use of default system fonts.

PlainClothes has been specifically designed for Internet users with impairments.

Chrome users can download PlainClothes from the official Google Chrome Web Store.

Most of the downloads link to Javier’s page at Deviant Art where they can be downloaded. Wallpapers are usually available in different sizes. The visual styles can be downloaded in MS style or Windowblinds format. You do need a patched uxtheme.dll to use visual styles on your computer. I did explain the procedure in the article linked above. The icons are icon packs that can be simply used. They are available for Windows and Mac.

Javier explains exactly how users can apply the new visual styles, wallpapers and icons to their system. He links to various free programs that make it easier to change the icons or visual themes. Javier is also offering skins on his website for various applications like Winamp to match the visual styles for the system.

It was funny to realize that Javier actually created the Thallos visual style that I’m using on my system currently. It’s an amazing style.