Before I made my decision to go to school for Fashion, I deeply contemplated going to school for Psychology. I like to understand people and color is an exciting way to get a glimpse of others emotions. The use of color is very powerful in society. You can experience this through the branding on well known companies. The good news is that the way people dress overlaps directly with psychology. There is a lot you can tell about someone based on the way they dress that could be indicators of their personality and the groups they associate with.
Blue is often viewed as a trustworthy color in Western culture. This is why you see blue branded in medical companies and hospital scrubs. When we see blue, we have been trained to think security.
Green is the color of renewal. You will see people who typically are more down to Earth and outdoorsy wearing green.
Red is a risky, exciting color. Red evokes a biological passionate emotion in people that is similar to when a bull sees red, but on a much more muted scale. If you want to turn heads, use red.
White is a classic absence of color and is known for its purity and innocence. The cleanliness and purity is why white is used as the iconic wedding dress color. White also happens to be my favorite color...or lack thereof.
Purple is a royal color. Literally. Purple was worn as a status color in the era of Kings and Queens. That is why you see purple used on the beanie baby of Princess Diana and the packaging of Crown Royal. (You know what I'm talking about.)
Black is associated with power and creativity. Black is often used in business wear because of its classic look. You also see a lot of black on creative, theater types of people. This is because these types of personalities are typically drawn to the mystery. Think about cosmetologists wearing black at your local hair salon or all black at a local restaurant.
Yellow is a fun and inviting color. With yellow being the color of the sun, it's not a surprise that yellow is in the warm hue range on the color wheel. Whether it's used in branding or in dress, yellow is used to create energy and excitement. How often do you see someone in all yellow that looks sad? Just saying.
Based off of these colors, take a look at your outfit and think about what you could be sharing with the world about your personality just from what you woke up and decided to wear today.
Author: Erica Becker, Creative Director.