mw13: Do you actually think the “yeshiva” world puts Torah and halacha before everything else? I think that is a “yeshivous” statement but in accurate.
I do not think a black hat or non black hat makes one a better Jew. True, if you wear a black hat you associate yourself to the yeshivous background. But that is not better or worse than people wearing a kipa serugah, leather yarmulka or etc. After 120, they are not going to ask you the color of your hat. I promise you that! They will be asking about your honesty in business, and k’viem Eiten batorah, a set time to learn, not kollel. So the moral of this story is be a good honest Jew and do not worry about your hat!