Wow, Katherine! I'm certainly glad you watched the movie again! Great observation of details. I love the idea that the jacket-shirt-no shirt transitions are significant in showing the boys getting closer, more comfortable and intimate - or conversely pulling away. And, I do also like the idea of Ennis going back and forth in his emotional confusion re: both Jack and the women in his life. I've never thought to look at the other clothes in Ennis's final closet. But, you're right. They must be important. I say this because the clothes in Jack's Lightning Flat closet all seem to be important (in addition to the main shirts). The boots (even in Proulx) are supposed to be boots that draw Ennis in and he thinks he recognizes them. The furry/wool collar on one of Jack's jackets must remind Ennis of the flashback caress/ Jack's Brokeback jacket (although it's a different jacket hanging there... are the colors blue and red? I can't quite recall). And, the most important item in Jack's closet is the shirt or jacket that keeps swinging once Ennis has fondled it. When we see Ennis kneeling down that jacket or shirt (I can't tell which) seems to be pushing or urging Ennis on to look in the secret nook. A subtle suggestion of Jack's ghost perhaps...
More ideas about colors, hats, etc.:
I know this has been discussed either on a board long ago and far, far way or maybe even here (sorry, I haven't re-read this whole thread tonight) that Jack's sudden transition into purples and muted red colors after the post-divorce fiasco may have something to do with the metaphor of a bruise. I know it's been discussed that these are the colors of blood (both wet and dry) and indicate not only his somewhat brokenheart from this point on, but also his hidden secret about the blood soaked shirts in his closet. Kind of a lovely thought actually.
Also, it seems important that Jack reverts to a black cowboy hat in the argument scene. It's a rather large, maybe *Texas* size hat actually. I think no matter how many shifts in hat color he went with in the middle of the movie, we and certainly Ennis think of him as a black-hatted cowboy (black sheep).
I've always wondered why Ennis stops wearing cowboy hats. Ang Lee has said he was expecting Ennis to carry the weight of the "western" genre and mood (which I think he does do). But, given this I think it's very odd that he stops wearing cowboy hats... in a gradual way as has been pointed out. I don't know what to make of this. And, I've never liked his smaller hats for some reason.
It's probably been said too many times. But, the colors of brown (predominantly for Ennis) and blue for Jack correspond with their nature symbols (earth and air/water). I quite love this too.
Oh my, there's a lot to think about in this thread!