By Denise Turner ASID, CID, CMG
When getting dressed in the morning, most people choose the clothes they’re going to wear without putting too much thought into it. But the clothes you choose, and more specifically, the choices of certain colors of clothes, are more important than you might think.
When getting dressed in the morning, most people choose the clothes they’re going to wear without putting too much thought into it. But the clothes you choose, and more specifically, the choices of certain colors of clothes, are more important than you might think.
In the morning, as you gaze at the clothes in the closet, perhaps coffee in hand, you may want to think beyond the weather and consider other segments of your day. What will I do and whom will I meet? How will others perceive me? Most importantly, what's my mood? The colors you wear affect your emotional and physical well-being, as well as how others perceive you. Which colors you wear in your work environment also matter.
As a society, we associate colors with many different meanings that operate more deeply than mere visual stimulation. Whether we choose to use color or choose to avoid it entirely, our choices send subconscious messages about how we feel emotionally and physically, as well as about our perspective of the world.
Color affects people at the subconscious level in different ways. Research has shown that 85% of communication is nonverbal, so choosing what to wear for an important event clearly represents a significant part of your overall presentation.
We’ve covered a great deal of information about how colors can affect your health, and how you can harness the powers of the rainbow in practically every area of your life. But, did you know that the same color concepts that apply to your home also apply to your clothing?
Yes, you can give your wardrobe some color therapy. Here are the most impactful colors, their relationships to the body’s chakra system, and how you can use them to your advantage in your wardrobe. For more in-depth information on personal colors and style, I highly recommend More Alive With Color by Leatrice Eiseman.
WEARING RED: Powerful & Confident
Red is passionate, exciting, and energetic.
Want to get someone’s attention? Then red is your color! It can really pack a punch; it empowers and draws attention to the wearer.
Wear red when you want to be assertive, feel a need to portray confidence, or would like to boost your self-esteem. Red has long been associated with love.
A 2014 Society for Personality and Social Psychology study found that “men perceive women wearing red, relative to other colors, as more attractive and more sexually receptive,” making red the perfect date-night color.
But wearing too much red can make a person come off a little too intimidating to others who may lack self-confidence. Also, don’t wear it when you want to evade attention.
The same 2014 study found that women consider other women wearing the hue to be sexually threatening. They assumed the women wearing the color to be more sexual, more likely to cheat, and most threatening when it came to interacting with their partners.
Red is also an effective accessory color to project energy. Reds that lean towards maroon are not so in-your-face and can even reflect a bit of finesse.
Red is passionate. It ignites our fight-or-flight response, gives us the inner strength to look beyond our fears, and gives us the courage to face challenges, which explains why it the color of the root chakra.
WEARING PINK: Open Heart & Sweetness
Pink is loving, affectionate, and sincere.
The offspring of red and white, pink conveys compassion and love, for self and others.
Although pink’s connotations are changing, many people have historically associated it with babies, little girls, and feminine energies. But wearing pink is more than just feeling feminine; pink conveys compassion and an open heart chakra. By wearing pink, whether you’re male or female, you’ll appear more approachable and more capable of loving others. If pastels don't suit you, try on something in bright fuchsia.
Because of its versatility, pink can be a fickle color. Its meanings are different depending on its hue and intensity. Light pink, for instance, is sweet and innocent like a baby; or, it can also be romantic. Light pink also lowers your blood pressure, making it a very calming color, so don't wear it if you need tons of energy. Wear it when you want to feel feminine, lovable, approachable. Hot pink is energetic and youthful; sexy, fun, and exciting.
If you’re feeling stressed, consider wearing light pink; it will calm you down.
If you’re feeling tired, consider wearing hot pink; it will give you a boost of energy.
WEARING ORANGE: Energetic & Creative
Orange is joyful, confident, ambitious, and associated with sensuality.
Like red, orange draws attention and exudes energy, but unlike intense red, orange is a lot more playful. Orange is perceived to be the hottest of all colors; even more so than red, because it combines the heat from two radiant sources: yellow and red.
Because orange is a high energy color, wearing it is fun and can make you feel quite playful. Artists love dabbling with orange hues. Accessorizing yourself with an orange accent piece can add a hint of playfulness. But if you need to complete a mundane task, avoid wearing orange as it might interfere with the stick-to-it-ness required to stay on task.
Because it’s such a highly-charged color, some people can’t comfortably wear orange. In this case, softer hues such as peach and mango can be more agreeable.
Orange also gets the creative juices flowing. It heightens creativity and urges you to get out into the world and create something grand!
Orange also screams sexual energy, which may not be surprising, since orange is associated with the sacral chakra.
Orange is a great color if you’re feeling down; it will help to put you in a positive, energetic mood. But avoid wearing it when you feel restless or want to relax.
WEARING YELLOW: Optimistic & Happy
Yellow is cheerful and associated with sunshine and gold; it’s luminous, and reflects the happiest of all colors.
Yellow is an attention-grabber. It’s the first color that our eye sees, and the most optimistic. Just looking at a bouquet of yellow tulips will instantly make you feel optimistic. It’s not your color if you want to relax or avoid attention.
Yellow is definitely a perky color! But a little bit of it can go a long way; too much exposure to yellow can be unsettling and cause eye fatigue.
Wearing yellow out in the world makes a statement. It shows off your sunny outlook. But again, be mindful of quantities: don’t use yellow from head to toe, or you’ll look like Big Bird.
Yellows and golds convey the same healing qualities associated with the sun, and provide warmth, optimism, and light. So whenever you need some cheering up, reach for yellow and it will make you feel happier.
Yellow can give us the energy to transform no-action into pro-action. It’s the color of the solar plexus chakra, which helps us to meet challenges with optimism.
WEARING GREEN - Nurturing & Balancing
Green is secure, abundant, loving, and is associated with growth.
Green is considered to be one of the most soothing and healing colors. It’s also associated with two key elements in our lives: nature and money.
It’s a wonderful color choice to wear anytime you are wanting to feel more in tune with Mother Nature.
In general, green represents the Spring season and new growth. It’s the most balanced of all the colors and sits in the middle of all the 7 primary chakras; it unites the three lower chakras of matter to the three upper chakras of spirit. Along with pink, it is also a heart chakra color. Green is soothing and invites harmonious feelings, making it the go-to color to wear if you work in a stressful office. It can diffuse your anxiety and that of others you come in contact with.
Green stimulates a variety of emotional responses. Deep forest greens project the images of conservatism and wealth. This family of hues is suitable whenever you are wanting to delve deeper into the earthy, grounding energies, and is a great resource for rejuvenation of your life energies.
Green slows down the heart rate, which has a calming effect. If you’re feeling anxious, consider wearing forest green; it will reduce your stress and that in others whom you meet. Avoid wearing forest green if you’re pulling an all-nighter and need to stay awake.
Yellow-green (chartreuse) takes on a more youthful persona. Choose bright and lighter greens to wear whenever you are embarking on something new or wish to turn over a new leaf. It’s the least favorite color in this family. But remember, there are no bad colors, just bad uses of color. If you love it, wear it. Wear yellow-green for a lively accent color.
Feeling down? Consider wearing yellow-green; it will give you a boost of energy.
WEARING BLUE: Trust & Calm
Blue is dependable, loyal, serene, and represents authority and communication.
Blue is practically everyone’s favorite color, which makes sense because it can be both peaceful and calming. Wearing blue ensures that you’ll be calm and serene.
Like green, blue is associated with a calming effect, along with a reduction of blood pressure and heart rate. It’s also shown to reduce headache symptoms. Wear blue when you want to exude power or mental focus, appear conservative or respected, or convey an important message.
Pastel or lighter colored blues can be wonderfully uplifting if you are feeling a bit nervous or edgy.
Ocean blue-green hues are especially calming. Wearing them can provide the effect of swimming in a bay of warm tropical water.
Blue-gray can sometimes project an image of coldness or standoffish-ness. It’s a great backdrop for more playful accessory colors.
Wearing darker blues can offer more of a comfort zone. Perhaps they remind us of our favorite pair of well-worn denim jeans? Now, that's simply relaxing.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and closed in, consider wearing blue; it has been shown to alleviate claustrophobia.
If you’re feeling nervous about doing a presentation at work, then blue is your color. It’s calming and promotes intellectual thought; it also happens to be the color of the throat chakra, and supports communication.
WEARING PURPLE: Uniqueness & Mystery
Purple is spiritual, luxurious, sophisticated, and magical.
Wear dark purple to project wisdom, or a regal and intellectual air; wear lighter purples when you want to project romance and light-spirited fun. Red-purples are passionate and take on more of red’s traits of strength and excitement. These shades will give you an energy boost if you’re feeling tired.
Wearing purple shows others that you want to be noticed. But it may not be the best color choice if you are wanting to blend in among others, as you go about your business.
Darker purples such as eggplant and burgundy are associated with royalty, and are safe for the workplace. Lighter violets can work as accessory colors.
Lavenders (lighter purples) are loftier in nature and may help you feel more in touch with your spiritual and intuitive side.
When you need to complete important analytical tasks, violet may not be your best color, as it tends to make some people feel spacey and ungrounded.
Lavenders, like pink, help to draw out the softer, more feminine sides, in both men and women. YES! This is a good thing! Masculine and feminine natures coexist in both men and women, and it’s good to keep them in balance.
If you’re looking to tap into your intuition, reach in your closet for indigo (bluish purple). It’s the color of the third eye chakra, which connects us to our inner guidance.
Having a creative block? Then consider wearing violet purple. It’s the color of the crown chakra, which helps to connect you to the higher source. Tapping into this chakra will help to get your creative juices flowing again.
WEARING WHITE: Fresh Outlook & Clarity
White is pure, clean, safe, and symbolizes new beginnings, completion, and neutrality.
Missing the warm summer on a cold spring day? Then wear white! It reflects light and reminds us of sunnier days. But don’t go overboard. Too much white, especially pure white, can feel clinical, or project coldness and isolation. Also, since white reflects light and all colors, it can be glaring on the eyes. Warm white is more comforting.
White is a blank canvas. Wearing a white blouse can feel like giving your day a fresh start.
Feeling overwhelmed? Consider wearing white; it sets the tone for harmony and balance, and provides personal solace while reviving weary minds.
White is most effective as part of an ensemble. If you want to accentuate any other colors you're wearing, try adding white. It livens up anything you pair with it. Wear white to feel peaceful, or convey a well-balanced and optimistic nature.
If you have a photo shoot or a TV interview, avoid wearing stark white, as it tends to reflect light on camera.
WEARING BLACK: Powerful & Formal
Black is elegant, sexy, classic, mysterious, and is the ultimate power color.
Let's face it, black is one of the eternal fashion basics. We all have the basic black suit or black dress slacks that are a must-wear for different business and social settings. Most of us choose to wear black because it goes with everything and is the most forgiving color when traveling.
While white reflects all colors, black absorbs all colors. Since color is energy, black physically drains us faster than any other color. For this reason, black isn’t on the chakra color healing chart.
I’m not suggesting you ditch your cute little black dress or power suit, because I won’t do it either. But I am suggesting you change it up. If you’re depression-prone and your wardrobe mostly consists of black, add some color, and I mean pronto!
Darth Vader-ish, head-to-toe black signals power and authority. This can overwhelm some people. So, if you want to establish rapport with others, add some color.
It used to be that black was the color of mourning. You only wore black while you were grieving. Thankfully, that trend is over. Most people don't wear black at funerals anymore; it’s just too dreary. In fact, the new trend for funerals is to wear the favorite color of the deceased. My friends Michael and Stephanie recently lost their daughter Bella to an illness. Bella was pure love and as you’d suspect, her favorite color was pink. We were all asked to wear pink at her memorial service. It was incredibly healing to be surrounded by that much pink during such a difficult time.
WEARING GRAY: Blending in & Neutrality
Gray is practical, timeless, successful, solid, and conservative.
Gray is the marriage between black and white. The blend of black’s power and white’s purity, it’s inherently calm and sophisticated.
Gray is also the color of indecision and uncertainty; it’s neither black nor white. Being in the “gray area” defies direct action.
Like black, gray is a must-have in everyone’s wardrobe. Also like black, gray absorbs all colors, especially the darker grays.
Feel like flying under the radar? Slip into something gray. Wearing gray will allow you to keep a low-profile in social settings, if that’s your intention. Gray is subtle without being overly conservative, and elegant yet unassuming. It gives you the ability to keep an office-friendly persona without reverting to black.
WEARING BROWN: Stable & Harmonious
Brown is honest, practical, grounded, and dependable.
Brown is a solid and confident color that provides security, but it’s never the center of attention. In fact, brown doesn’t seek attention or fame at all. It prefers to stay in the background, so other colors can shine.
Wear brown when you want to portray yourself as someone who’s mindful of the environment or of finances. Brown is typically associated with frugality, efficiency, and conservation. Wearing it will show that you value quality above all else, and everything in moderation. From a negative perspective, brown may also give the impression of stinginess.
Brown is the color of the earth. When someone wears brown, we think they’re stable and dependable, like the UPS driver.
When you need to roll up your sleeves and be a team player, brown is your color. While we all agree that black is the easiest color to wear, brown can be just as versatile. Plus, it's a lot less predictable. Brown feels more approachable than black and exudes physical comfort, simplicity, and quality.
When paired with other hues, brown looks sophisticated, making it a great replacement for your standard issue black.
Denise Turner-masterfully navigates two worlds of color. As an international, award-winning interior designer and colorist, she helps businesses to drive sales with color. As a ColorTherapy expert and Energy Medicine healer, she utilizes color to empower others to heal themselves and their families. Turner is an ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) professional member, Certified Interior Designer, CMG (Color Marketing Group) Board of Director, former ASID chapter president, and UCLA graduate.
