.
What do you think every morning when you wake up and choose the clothes and accessories that you are going to wear?
Possibly you think about the things that you have to do that day... maybe you want to look professional for a job interview, or maybe you want to be comfortable for a busy day at home. Or maybe you just put on whatever you feel like that morning depending on your mood.
But did you know that different clothing colors express different feelings and meanings, and that colors can reflect -and also affect- your mood?
That means the clothing colors you select are important not only to communicate your personality to others, but also can influence your emotional health and the moods of those around you.
Color plays an important role in our lives by the way it influences our moods and emotions. A certain color could make you feel relaxed or another make you feel anxious. When you choose to use a color or avoid it, that action can reveal a lot about your personality.
You may be thinking that you don’t always wear the same color of clothes, that you may pick them according to the situation or your mood… so how can anyone tell anything about you? You are totally right, however, you will see a pattern of certain favorite colors that you wear more often than others. Those colors are the ones that reflect the most about your personality.
It is important to consider that the clothes you choose are sending a message to those around you, but they also send a message to you. Even if you aren't consciously aware of the symbolic meanings of certain colors, your subconscious is.
Of course, we have to understand that the symbolic meaning of a color might change according to different cultures or societies, and it may also be different from one person to another depending on their personal experiences. It even varies if you use the same color for your clothes or for decorating spaces in your home.
After that being said, we have prepared a general guide of what colors mean for most of us in a subconscious way:
.
Black Color:
Black tends to be the most popular color in fashion and style. It is understandable because black is easy to wear and goes with almost anything. It can be elegant, formal, glamorous and sophisticated, and it doesn't require a lot of thought or energy to put together a chic black look, that fits almost anyone. Black symbolizes extremes (all or nothing), and is a color of strength, power, elegance, and authority.
While that may be true, there is also another psychological meaning for black clothing. It is a safe color. And it is the total absorption of light, which means that it doesn't reflect anything, so it is protecting you from all the energy coming towards you. That is why, if you are wearing black from head to foot, you may not be in a very sociable or open mood, and you may reflect that feeling as well. Maybe that’s the reason why black was considered the color of mourning.
Luckily, these days it's perfectly acceptable to wear it at any time. Many dressing styles like Punk and Goth are known to wear a lot of black, and almost every woman has that perfect black dress that's flattering to her body and perfect for any occasion in her closet.
Red Color:
If you want to stand out and be the center of attention, wear red.
Red has connotations of sexuality and vivaciousness. Wearing red is empowering and can give you confidence, showing that you are in charge. It is also the color of sensuality, aggression, passion, and boldness.
Multiple studies on the color red have shown it has powerful effects on behavior. When you see color red, it acts on you on a physical level. It raises your pulse rate and your blood pressure. This can be positive if you know how to use the right shade of red to get that exciting effect that you want to transmit, but if it's the wrong red (for instance if you put a warm red with black) it will feel aggressive and demanding instead. The color red can also affect your attention span, or make you feel that time passes faster.
The color red, if it is the shade of red that works for you, can also make you look more attractive and sexy.
Blue Color:
Blue induces tranquility and relaxation. When you wear blue, you're expressing positivity, openness, peace, and loyalty. That may be the reason why people feel the most comfortable wearing blue clothing colors. In addition, this feeling of tranquility can lead you to a more creative mood, because you can feel safe and calm exploring your ideas.
The color blue tends to be a thoughtful color. It is the color that activates thinking and intellectual activity. It communicates that you know what you're talking about, and you know what you're doing. When you wear blue, you're transmitting that you live by your own truth, that you can think for yourself, and that you’re smart and independent. It is also the color of authority, especially if you use darker shades of blue.
This reliability, efficiency and thought are very positive, but if you get the wrong kind of blue or you use too much of it, it can become too bureaucratic, showing no emotion and no feelings.
Green Color:
Green is a calming color and is associated with generosity, healing, and a rejuvenated state of mind. It exudes trustworthiness and positive emotional health. It is subtle and fresh, and it stands for nature and ecology, as well as money and wealth. Both elements are very important for our wellness.
The color green creates an essential balance between mind, body, and emotions. It's the most restful and reassuring color to look at, because when the world around you contains plenty of green, this indicates the presence of water and healthy vegetation, which means that you're not going to starve. Using the same concept, green is also the color of growth, spring, renewal and rebirth.
People who wear green are charismatic and care deeply about the feelings of others. Green, just like blue, can also stimulate a creative mood.
Orange Color:
Orange transmits and creates a positive, energizing, and engaging mood. It is conducive to a mood of warmth and vibration, and the person who wears it gets easily noticed. It's creative, enthusiastic, and is associated with good times, ambition, and the prospect of new possibilities.
The color orange is unique and beautiful, but there's a reason why people don't reach for it so often. Subconsciously, orange reminds us of survival, food, warmth, and shelter. A lot of people don't like it because it feels a bit scary. In fact, research shows that orange is many people's –especially women- least favorite color. It is a very sexy and sensual color, but it can also be perceived as immature.
However, trendy orange also has qualities of positiveness and emotional health. A person who wears orange is perceived as warm, caring, and will often be the life of the party.
.
Yellow Color:
Usually, we see yellow as the color of happiness, sunshine, and cheery moods. It is very related to emotions and the ego, self-confidence, and positivity. It makes us think of the sun and springtime, and encourages optimism. Yellow is the best color to transmit enthusiasm for life.
Anyway, you have to be careful not to use too much of it, because then the yellow could compromise your self-confidence and create anxiety and fear… and that’s exactly the opposite of self-confidence and optimism.
Besides that, yellow encourages intelligence and inspiration, and is a good color to wear when you need that added boost in your day.
Purple Color:
Purple is the color of royalty and is a symbol of wealth. It will give you an air of regality and leadership. Purple is a combination of red and blue, which are two powerful colors, so it is a good choice if you want to make a statement.
The color purple shows that you have a rich inner life, are spiritual, intuitive, artistic, creative, and have great instincts about people. It is an introspective color, allowing us to get in touch with our deeper thoughts.
Still, it is important to note that too much of the color purple can promote or aggravate depression in some people.
From a color psychology perspective, purple promotes harmony of the mind and the emotions, contributing to mental balance and stability. Purple also supports the practice of meditation..
Pink Color:
If you dress in pink, you might be in the mood for love. It's not a surprise that pink is associated with romance because psychologically, it works that way. Pink is feminine and romantic, affectionate and intimate, thoughtful and caring.
When you wear pink you're focusing on your femininity and the survival of the species. It is associated with nurturing, and with giving and receiving care. The pink color stands for unconditional love and understanding.
On the negative side, it could represent a lack of will power and a lack of self-reliance. It could also indicate an overly emotional and overly cautious nature.
Besides that, it basically represents sweetness and innocence. Pink can also remind you of earlier childhood memories, associated with the comfort and care from your mother. It is intuitive and insightful, and it also shows tenderness and kindness, empathy and sensitivity.
A good shade of pink is one that works with your complexion, your eyes, your personality, and your body shape.
White Color:
The color white is the most complete and pure color, often seen as the color of perfection. The psychological meaning of white is purity, innocence, wholeness, and completion.
When you put on a white garment, it is like wearing a blank canvas waiting to be written upon. It represents balance, harmony and purity, and you appear to have a fresh and bright outlook.
Positively, it's very pure, virtuous, and quite strong. But negatively, it doesn’t show any particular emotion. White contains an equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum, representing both the positive and negative aspects of all colors. White is totally reflective, so you can't hide behind it -like when you are wearing black- as it amplifies everything in its way.
Too much white can feel cold, isolating and empty. It implies a feeling of sterility, detachment and disinterest. As you can see, it is not a friendly color, and it also has strong associations with cleanliness and hygiene, that is why it is often used by doctors in hospitals, where emotional contact is not seeked but cleanliness is a priority.
In color psychology white is the color of new beginnings, because it opens the way for the creation. It represents an awakening openness.
Gray Color:
The color gray is an unemotional, quiet and reserved color. It is solid and stable, creating a sense of calm, composure, and relief from a chaotic world.
It does not stimulate, energize, rejuvenate or excite. It is detached, neutral, impartial and even indecisive. Gray tends to be seen as a conservative color, and can also bee seen as boring, drab, and sometimes sad and depressing, evoking feelings of isolation and loneliness. Gray is also the color of austerity.
The closer gray gets to black, it becomes more dramatic and mysterious. The closer it gets to white, it becomes more illuminating.
Gray is a conventional, dependable and practical color. It shows maturity and responsibility because it feels serious, and is associated with the gray hair of old age. It is too safe and toned down to ever be the center of attention. It is elegant and very formal, but never glamorous.
Brown Color:
Brown is a serious, mature, down-to-earth color. It represents solid and grounded things, such as the color of the earth. Brown conveys stability, structure, and support. That is why people associate it with someone who's stable, smart and dependable, and who takes his obligations seriously.
A person who wears brown does no seek attention, he feels more comfortable being in the background. It encourages a strong need for security and a sense of belonging, often associated with protecting the family, and also being friendly and approachable with friends.
In color psychology, brown is honest, loyal, trustworthy, genuine and sincere. It evokes a hardworking person, with his feet planted firmly on the ground. On the negative side, it can be considered boring, dull and unexciting.
The color brown, just like green, is associated with outdoors, nature, agriculture and farming, and therefore it is comforting and stabilizing.
As we stated before, the most interesting aspect of color psychology is that we can actually learn how to use that knowledge in our own benefit. We know now that when we dress in a certain way, it helps us shift our internal self, so we can use certain colors to feel better and brighter, more focused, more creative, and even sexier.
Once you start practicing it, you will have a unique method of feeling good about yourself, as well as expressing exactly what you want to express in a specific situation. So from now on, every morning when you wake up, you should not dress according to how you feel, but according to how you want to feel.