When it comes to dress psychology, the concept of you wearing what you feel couldn’t be more accurate. Clothing, fit, and styles are daily reflections of how we express our moods and personalities to our external surroundings. Whether it is in the workplace, going out, or posting on social media, colour is the main protagonist that’s vital to reflect, express, and intake emotions.
We took the courtesy to ask Behaviour Therapist, Mandeep Jassal of Priory Wellbeing Centre in Dubai for her professional opinion on the matter; “The theory of colour psychology is based on the mental and emotional effects colour can have on an individual’s perception. Our environment plays a major role in how we respond to situations and people around us. For example, some places can make you feel cool and relaxed whilst others might feel too busy and chaotic, depending on the colours and prints in sight.”
When it comes to communication and experiencing emotions, colour is unbeatable. Whether on a subconscious or conscious level, colours can evoke emotions, inspire reactions, and change modes of thinking. It can excite or soothe your mood, raise or lower your blood pressure, and even increase your appetite! Whether it’s innate or learned, we go about our lives through rainbows of colours and when it comes to the psychology of dressing, colour can be an immensely powerful tool in our wardrobes to manipulate the human psyche.
“Certain parts of the brain are activated by certain colours. For example, serotonin – also known as the “happy hormone” – is linked to the colour yellow. This is why you may see yellow in some very well-known media marketing companies. It is often said that how we dress can have an impact on how we feel. This includes the colours we decide to choose that are appealing not just for ourselves but often for those around us too.”
Behaviour Therapist, Mandeep Jassal explains how the brain reacts when registering colours and the impact it has on our moods.
Emotions evoked by colours differ from person to person based on personal experiences and associations. There is a rule of thumb when it comes to dress psychology that certain universal colours can alter your state of mind, especially through what you wear and how it is perceived by others. We highly recommend furthering your knowledge of dress psychology by following fashion psychologist and influencer, Shakaila Forbes-Bell, who is the author of Big Dress Energy to better understand the effects of colour when it comes to the human state of mind.
So how can you utilise colour in your wardrobe to affect dress psychology?
Keep in mind that the effects of colours on the human state of mind go far beyond our wardrobes. Colours are used in movies to make scenes more impactful, like switching from light to dark scenes to show a transition from calmness into ominous drama. Offices that incorporate blue and green elements into their designs have been noted to increase productivity. Similarly, influencers utilise specific colour palettes on their photos or feeds to evoke emotions, reactions and maintain a consistent social image.
What you wear has an impact on how others view you—and this is especially true in the workplace or on social media platforms. The colours you wear are subconsciously associated with psychological traits and with the right colours, you can be seen as more approachable, confident, or authoritative. So tip number 1; when approaching dress psychology first consider how you’d like people to perceive you, then choose your wardrobe accordingly with the following tips.
Remember these tips can also be considered for photo filters, feed layouts, interior design and so much more to evoke goal-specific emotions.
Confident and Attention-Grabbing
Sometimes you don’t have to talk to show people your confidence. Wearing a fiery colour such as different shades of red, from burgundies to maroons, can represent passion, confidence, and assertiveness. The colour red in dress psychology evokes much more than your typical Valentine’s Day passion, desire, and love. It draws energy of strength, power, and determination to showcase self-assurance and attracts attention more than any other colour on the spectrum. Invest in red as it can be wonderful for those days when you need a confidence boost.
Friendly and Approachable
Pink, magenta, and orange are colours that evoke playfulness, light-heartedness and high levels of energy. It’s all colours associated with feelings of happiness that trick the psyche to promote feelings of rejuvenation, increase communication and positivity. It’s colours that enhance extraversion, allowing people to let go of their inhibitions and express themselves more freely. When picking one of these colours to evoke the emotions of dress psychology you can analyse your skin tone to understand what best matches you. Pink can actually accentuate your features, making you look approachable and genuine. Bright magenta complements deep skin tones, orange is suitable on all skin if used in the right quantity, while pastel versions of the colours look best on paler skin. Find a shade that works for your colouring, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself and others around you filled with enthusiastic friendliness.
Authoritative and Serious
For decades, the colour black has been iconic in office wear and during periods of sorrow and grief. Take a moment to question why it is that when you are meeting with a client or an authoritative figure, you reach for your black. Black gives off a powerful and sophisticated vibe, especially in a professional setting. It’s slimming and sharp looking—and nothing states the seriousness of a matter more than a tailored black power suit. To avoid looking too blasé, diffuse the black with a pop of colour by wearing a bright blouse or a fun pair of statement pumps.
Trustworthy, Honest, and Pure
When you want to play it safe, wear the colour white. White is associated with pureness and perfection and can work in your favour if you want to portray cleanliness, good intensions and pure-of-heart traits.
Calming and Reassuring
If you have a stressful day ahead of you, don a shade of blue to calm both your nerves and those around you. Blue, in the approach to dress psychology, represents the colour of the sky and the sea and exudes a soothing sense of peacefulness. Blue is also a slimming colour. To look trimmer through your lower half, opt for wearing a darker shade of blue on the bottom. In a casual setting, try a monochromatic look by wearing a blue blouse with a pair of dark jeans or even light as long as the colours match and don’t deviate towards the darker side in order to prevent confusing emotions of sorrow. In a more professional setting, pair a navy pencil skirt with a chambray button-up.
For most people, dressing is a mundane morning task. But once approached in the correct way, dress psychology can immensely help you to be proactive with handling and achieving some emotional goals through colour. Try changing your outlook, keeping in mind how you are perceived by others, and getting dressed for each day with the intention to target emotions.
When you get dressed each morning, don’t just look at the weather forecast—review your calendar and take note of any business meetings, personal appointments, stressful to-do’s, or important events that you have scheduled for the day. Using these dress psychology tips of incorporating colour in your wardrobe can provide you with a tool to better manage your own form of emotional therapy and how others will react and perceive you.
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