6 colours and the emotions they evoke - how to choose colours to wear which make you look + feel great
Colour and mood - how to choose which colours to wear
I find the psychology of colour and how we see and choose colours to be absolutely fascinating. It’s also essential to me as a knitwear designer and maker. When you choose a garment to wear or to buy, colour will be one of your main influences. And, perhaps without realising it, your choice of colour isn’t just going to be based on ‘I like blue’ or ‘I don’t like green’, it will also be influenced by how you feel on the day. Some colours help you feel ‘up’, confident and positive; some are soft and soothing.
I need to understand this when I design my knitwear - you need to understand it when you choose what to wear…
So, your clothing colour choices influence your feelings and emotions.
But, the colour you choose to wear will also influence how others see you. Colours can be said to have personalities, and the perceived personality of colours you have chosen will influence how others see you. Some colours may be seen as loud, others will be seen as quiet and gentle.
Where does the ‘personality’ of a colour come from?
The ‘personality’ of a colour comes from a number of factors. Red, blue and yellow are primary colours. These are not formed by the combination of other colours - you can think of them as a bit like prime numbers. They are bright clean colours, often used for children’s products and tend to be seen as ‘childlike’. When you mix primary colours together you get secondary colours, which are generally felt to be more ‘grown up’, higher quality, a little more sophisticated.
Colour wheel showing primary, secondary and tertiary colours
So whether you are choosing a new sweater to buy or an outfit from your wardrobe to wear, the colour of the item you choose is unlikely to be ‘just’ a lucky choice.
So, what do your clothing colour choices say about you?
Let’s find out.
Colour is one of the main influences when you choose new knitwear or a new garment to wear. Your choice isn’t just based on ‘I like blue’ or ‘I don’t like green’, it is also influenced by how you feel on the day. Some colours help you feel confident and positive; others are soft and soothing. Clothing colours also influence how others see you. check out this blog post for more on the personality and emotions evoked by different colours. www.susanholtonknitwear.com
Red - the hottest colour
Red is the hottest colour. It’s a primary colour, a bold energetic colour choice synonymous with passion and power. Synonyms for red include scarlet, vermilion, ruby, cherry, wine, blood red, carmine.
Red is often described as the fastest colour, meaning we see it first – before other colours – when we approach a multicoloured object such as a traffic light. Without going into too much detail, this is because it has the longest wave length of colours which the human eye can see. So in a multicoloured object such as a traffic light – or in a multi coloured garment – you will see red first, yellow next and green last.
Often used for displays of power or passion, choose to wear red when you want to look and feel confident and to literally stand out in a crowd.
“‘When in doubt, wear red.’”
Choose red as an accent colour if you don’t feel confident about wearing an all-red garment
Your whole garment doesn’t need to be red, you may feel that is too much – perhaps too energetic or even verging on aggressive. In which case, choose red as an accent colour, for example, as a part of the garment or as an accessory such as a scarf or hat.
Orange - warm, vibrant, positive
Like red, orange is a warm colour. Other terms used for orange include terracotta, brick, coral, salmon, and tangerine. It’s seen as a vibrant, positive, spontaneous colour, but not as overwhelming as red can be. Yet many people are reluctant to wear it.
Orange is a secondary colour (see the colour wheel above) – it’s made up of red and yellow mixed together. Despite its bright energy, the colour orange is heavily linked to survival instincts. On a subconscious level, you may grab your orange knitwear for emotional comfort in relation to your need for physical comfort, shelter, and warmth.
Orange is seen as friendly and inviting, and because of this it can have a hugely positive impact on your mood and that of others.
Yellow - bright and cheerful
Still on the warm side of the colour wheel, yellow is a primary colour - bright, cheerful, and often associated with summer. Synonyms for yellow include golden or gold, sandy, straw-coloured, and flaxen.
Yellow is optimistic Wearing it can evoke an optimistic energy both in yourself and in others. Think of how you feel when the sun comes out from behind a cloud, or when you see a bank of beautiful yellow primroses… Yellow’s happy associations are often accompanied by feelings of increased self-confidence.
While a very popular colour in the spring and summer months, those emotional responses can follow you all year long, and once again, it doesn’t have to be in a whole garment. You could have hints of yellow in the knitwear you choose, or select yellow accessories like hats, scarves or brooches.
Green - calm and harmonious
Now moving into cooler colours, green is another secondary colour (it’s made of yellow and blue mixed together). Other words often used for green include emerald, pea, olive, leaf and forest. Choose a classic green jumper to evoke feelings of coolness and calm, harmony and rejuvenation. This colour is also often seen as being linked to both wealth and health.
Wearing green is often felt to evoke feelings of a healthy balance between mind, body, and nature. It can be a relaxed and calming influence on yourself as well as those around you. It is a colour that offers an abundance of emotional reassurance.
Blue - dependable, authoritative
Blue is a primary colour on the cold side of the colour wheel. But of course, like every other colour, there are a wide range of shades and tones encompassed by the description ‘blue’. Synonyms for blue include azure, sky blue, cobalt, cerulean and navy.
Darker blues are seen as authoritative and dependable, while lighter blues are more friendly and positive (think of ‘sky blue’) and perhaps also intrinsically linked to ideas of intellect and thoughtfulness. Blue brings a subtle positive energy regardless of the shade, and can evoke calm and stability on a conscious and subconscious level.
Either way, wearing blue suggests a business-like approach and that you are in control of your look.
Purple - luxurious and powerful
Purple is a secondary colour, like orange and green. It is made by combining blue and red. Other words used for purple include plum, violet, lilac, mauve and lavender.
Purple has been associated with royalty, power and wealth for centuries. Elizabeth 1 even banned anyone other than close members of the royal family from wearing it. It has had an elite status ever since Roman times - when only the emperor was allowed to wear purple - because the dye which was originally used to make it was both rare and costly.
So wearing purple is often associated with power, stability, energy, luxury, and ambition. Deeper purples will naturally move nearer to the emotional reactions of red while lighter shades move closer to blue. Softer tones of purple are often associated with Spring, and even with romance. And its luxurious connections give it a unique feel.
Black, white and neutrals
I’ve included some monochrome knitwear options here, because knitwear neutrals such as these in black, white, ecru etc can work beautifully when accessorised with one of the stronger colours above…
Other ways to choose colours which work
Some of you will be familiar with various services which help you to choose which colours to wear to look and feel your best by understanding your colour ‘seasons’. The idea is that once you know if you are a ‘cool Spring’ or a ‘warm Summer’ based on your skin, hair and eye tone and colour, you will make the right choices of colours which work for you.
From my own experience and some of my customers, such systems can be helpful used as a structure and starting point, but not as a strait jacket. Use it as a guide, but don’t let it stop you choosing colours which you feel work for you and make you feel good when you wear them.
Choosing colours to help you look and feel great
Your instincts are usually right! When I sell my knitwear at a public event I often find that the first colour my customer is drawn to is the right choice for them. Customers frequently go on to try a number of different versions, but end up buying the one they tried on first…
Finally, the psychology of colour is a BIG subject, and this blog post has really only scratched the surface. I hope you have enjoyed it.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions. I’d love to help…
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Susan Holton working at her knitting machine
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