The color you decide to wear can have a huge impact on how others initially perceive you. In fact, I would say color is one of the biggest factors someone uses to quickly assess you before you actually meet. Think about it: what would you think about a person wearing all black compared to a person wearing a navy Oxford with tan chinos?
As I mentioned in my Big 4 of Style post, after awhile the concepts we think about a certain color can be transferred onto the wearer. For instance, if I saw a woman who constantly wore all black, I might think she's sad or mourning the death of someone. However, if I constantly saw this woman wearing bright pastels, I'd probably think she's fun and energetic.
Bottom line: there is a lot of power in the colors you wear and this power can be used to your advantage. But before you can begin to leverage certain colors to get desired results from others, you first must have an understanding of what different colors suggest.
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| Ice-T definitely wasn't talking about professional style in his song Colors, but he still expresses the importance in wearing a particular color. Hopefully you aren't wearing colors for a gang, but what you do decide to wear can be extremely important. |
So I am going to break this post into two parts. In the first part, I will be describing what various popular colors mean to me and how I would perceive someone wearing that particular color. In the second part, I will be discussing how you can successfully implement colors into your wardrobe once you understand what message you want to convey.
Let's get into it:
The Rhetoric of Color: What different colors mean
Black: As I mentioned in my in defense of black post, black is an extremely versatile color although one that can suggest negativity if worn too often. When I see someone wearing black, depending on what they're wearing of course, I think that they're confident, professional, and even cool. That's because black is a bold color which almost always makes the wearer appear bold. Black can also make the wearer appear tough. However, while I see black as a suave color, if I see someone wearing it all the time, I'm apt to think the person is either depressed or just needs to revamp their wardrobe. No matter what the color, you never want to only wear one or two colors.
Brown: Brown is almost akin to black, but it makes the wearer appear a bit more friendly. I also view brown as a more earthy color, and therefore, associate it with people who are hard-working, driven, and even eco-friendly. Some of my favorite sport jackets are brown or a variation of it. I don't really associate any negative qualities with this color.
Dark Grey (Charcoal): Similar to black, dark grey is a sharp color; one that's pretty versatile. The primary difference is I don't really see dark grey as a necessarily cool or tough color. It's a bit more conservative. I often associate dark grey with wealth through something in the finance or business industry.
Navy/Blue: Speaking of conservative colors, Navy/blue is the epitome of them. When I see someone wearing blue I think traditional, classic, trustworthy, self-motivated, and friendly. Navy also suggests to me that someone might be in the sales industry which could be a positive or negative depending on how you look at it. I also see navy as a protectors color. Like if I need help with something, someone wearing navy will seem like someone I can go to.
Green: Green is actually my favorite color, although it's not one I enjoy wearing often. Similar to brown, I associate green with nature and the earth which makes me think hard-working and strong. Because green is lighter than brown, it is a bit more casual and even friendly. A good rule to keep in mind when it comes to colors is that the lighter the color the more friendly the wearer appears. So if you are looking for a color to make you seem amicable to others, consider the colors towards the end of this list.
Red/Orange: Red and orange are both colors that are scarcely seen worn by men. It makes sense considering how hard they can be to blend into an outfit. Both convey a similar message, but when I see red I think bold whereas when I see orange I think eccentric. Orange is a bit more playful and friendly as well. I think in terms of trustworthiness I would be apt to trust the guy wearing red a bit more than the guy wearing orange.
Pink: If you've read my in defense of pink post, you know how much I love the color. To me, pink is synonymous with uber confidence. Why? Because, even today, some guys still feel like pink is a feminine color, and therefore, one they would never wear. When I see a guy wearing pink though, which actually is quite rare, I think that he is 100% confident in himself and doesn't give a damn what anyone else thinks. I also see pink as being a very amicable and sociable color.
White: White is the epitome of professionalism and formality especially the white Oxford. If interested in hearing my full thoughts on the color, check out my in defense of white post, but when I see a guy wearing white, I think he's a go-getter. I associate white with financial prudence as well. The only time I might think negatively about white is if someone is wearing all white like an all white suit. I might be a bit more suspicious of such a person because, to me, all white is a bit tacky.
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I know I left some colors out, but these are the most common I can think of. As with most of these longer posts, I think it would make sense if I break this one into two parts.
Let me know if you would like to hear my thoughts on a color not listed or if you have any questions or insights about the above material!
-Ryan S.
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