The impact of the colours you wear

The colours you wear have an impact on your mood and how you feel, they also tell the world a little bit about you.
While we all have our favourite and feel good colours that suit our personality and skin tone, understanding the effects different colours have can help you feel good and convey a positive image to those around you.
Just adding a touch of red to a grey outfit for instance, may turn it from conservative and boring to uplifting and contemporary.

Black

Black is the colour of power, authority, elegance and mystery.  Depending on the situation, wearing black can have a few meanings. It can be elegant, sophisticated and sexy – often a favourite in fashion circles. It can be worn to suggest intelligence – which could be why most graduation robes are black.
It can be worn to convey a powerful and authoritative image -e.g. a colour worn by police. More recently the colour worn by woman at award shows as part of the Time’s Up initiative to eradicate sexual harassment and gender inequality in the workplace. It is also a colour of mourning.

In general, black is a serious colour, so avoid wearing it when you looking to engage with people – going for a job interview for example. You may come across as self-absorbed or trying to hide something. Wearing colourful accents with black however, will counterbalance any negative effects. People who wear too much black can come across as unapproachable, inflexible and sombre.

Red

Red is a powerful colour that conveys energy and passion. A warm, sensual and exciting colour that grabs attention and makes your heart beat a bit faster. Red is a good colour to wear when you need an energy boost, to make a statement or when you want to be assertive.  Red clothing will help you feel confident, positive and sensual.  Bright, vibrant reds attract attention while darker reds like maroon have more power and authority.

Red is very pleasing to the eye, but too much of it can be overpowering and can represent aggression. A pop of red in a scarf or tie is enough to boost your confidence and communicate the right amount of energy and passion.  Avoid too much of this colour if you are feeling nervous and don’t want to draw attention to yourself.

Pink

Pink is a tint of red, so where Red is passion, pink is romance. Where red is stimulating, pink is soothing.
Pink represents love, affection and serenity. Wear pink if you are feeling compassionate and affectionate. Pink encourages you to be kind to others as well as to yourself.  A good colour to wear when you need to listen and concentrate, it conveys a gentle, optimistic and fun attitude.

Orange

Orange is a happy, outgoing and friendly colour, it is linked to creativity, confidence and a positive attitude.
Wear orange when you want to bring a bit of joy and happiness into your life. Orange frees and releases emotions so it is a great colour to wear when you need to have a bit of fun, heighten creativity and heal emotions. Orange also promotes conversation and laughter. Like red, orange will create a bold statement as it’s hard to miss.

Avoid orange when you are feeling sick, restless, fearful or looking to relax.

Yellow

Yellow is the colour of sunlight, it is uplifting and optimistic and it stimulates the brain – helping us to think more clearly. Yellow is empowering and confidence building.
Wearing yellow will lift your spirits, as an accent it adds sparkle and vitality to an outfit. It’s also a good colour to help with concentration and memory, promoting clear and rational thought.
Yellow attracts attention and communicates a positive, uplifting and  cheerful message.  Beware of too much yellow though as it can be overpowering, use sparingly if feeling nervous or irritable and when you do not want to attract attention.

Green

Green is associated with nature, growth,balance and love.

Green is a good colour to wear when you want to calm your mind and make important decisions. Leafy greens will help you feel relaxed, open to new ideas and encourage you to look at things from a different perspective. Greens also help you to be more understanding of others.
Most of us feel comfortable around people wearing natural green colours, they come across as down to earth, friendly, caring and generous. Darker greens like emerald are more sophisticated and powerful. Don’t wear green when you need to be alone.

Blue

Blue is cool, comfortable and sincere. It inspires a sense of calm, confidence and control.
Blue provides wisdom and encourages decision-making, it is also linked to your intuition. Wear blue when you need to feel more independent and make decisions.  Blue is also a good colour to wear when you want to unwind and/or if you are suffering  from mental or physical fatigue or stress.

Light blue clothes create a cool and serene atmosphere, which inspires calm, confidence and harmony. Denim blues are seen as youthful, reliable, straightforward and sincere.
Turquoise comes across as refreshing and youthful, a good colour to wear to help calm the nerves and aid communication.

As blues move towards black they become more serious and authoritative such as the blues worn by Airline Pilots. Blues in this case suggest leadership, trustworthiness and credibility. A great colour to wear to court as it suggests honesty and integrity.

Too much blue is not a good thing as its coolness can also be taken as cold and distant which can turn into withdrawal. Avoid blue if you are feeling depressed or needing an energy boost

Grey

Grey is practical, timeless and dependable. It is linked to sophistication and neutrality.
Wear grey when you want to feel independent and confident. Avoid it when you are feeling lonely. Too much grey can lead to feelings of being invisible but touches of it add feelings of stability.

Grey is a good colour for interviews as it has power but is not as dominating as black. It can be a bit dull though and may suggest a lack of energy and confidence, so mix up the tints and shades or add an accent colour to liven the grey up a bit.

Neutrals

Warm neutrals from taupe to brown are timeless and evoke feelings of calm and stability. Organic and grounded they convey commitment, practicality and stability.

Wear neutrals  when you are looking for reassurance and stability. A good colour for work especially when team work is involved. Neutrals and brown are seen as stable and dependable.

Purple

Purple is linked to sophistication, spirituality and loyalty. It is the colour of royalty and linked to luxury and prosperity.

Wear purple to project wisdom, sophistication and trust.  Purple also conveys a message that you are creative, artistic and have great instincts. Wearing purple will help open your mind allowing you to get in touch with your intuition and creativity, it also generates feelings of self-respect and dignity. Lighter tints like mauve project a more gentle, spiritual message. A great colour to wear when you need to relax or meditate.

White

White symbolizes peace, purity, strength and neutrality. Crisp and clean, the colour suggests truth and simplicity.

Now that you have this information in hand, my hope is the colours you wear will be more considered and will give you the energy you need for the day. This will not only have a positive influence on you but also those around you.