Colour can influence first impressions, convey powerful messages and help express a signature look to reflect your business or personal brand.
Visual impressions attract attention through our image and the clothes we choose to wear plus photographs and other brand impressions such as packaging, logos and colour.
Various psychologists and colour consultants have said that the colours you choose to wear say more about your personality and mood than you think. Most of us in the business world tend to have our wardrobes dominated by black. But do you realise bright colours always make you feel happier! And can have a positive effect on customers and clients.
It is useful to understand how important colour can be in business as well as in everyday life so let’s decode a few of the most popular colour choices for both clothing and brands.
NEUTRALS
Neutral colours are the bedrock of a versatile work wardrobe but worn alone or too often can create predictable and boring outfits. Elevate your neutral outfits by adding some bold colour and breathe new life and style into your wardrobe.
Warm Neutrals: Beige, camel, ivory, taupe, warm grey.
Cool Neutrals: Light grey, charcoal, slate, cool white.
Classic Neutrals: Black, navy, white, nude.
BLACK is a colour of authority and power. It is always popular in fashion, as it is stylish, sophisticated, timeless and elegant. Total black outfits, or all dark outfits like navy or dark grey can sometimes be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof. If you want to evoke mystery or aren’t in the mood to talk, wear black.
Black can have a “keep your distance” effect on people. To come across as more approachable wear a different coloured shirt or top with an all-black suit to give lift to the face or choose lighter grey and medium tones.
Many luxury companies like Chanel use black to make their logos look elegant and refined. Or authoritative and powerful like Technology1 and Adidas.
WHITE traditionally symbolises innocence, clarity and purity and is often considered a summer colour. It’s a cleansing colour that clears away old thoughts, stimulates new growth and opening up to new ideas.
When wearing white people are often described as looking fresh, or crisp. White is because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, if you have warm-toned skin, choose to wear off-white as white is considered a cool colour.
It a powerful choice for those who wish to communicate transparency and professionalism. Brand choices include Rip Curl and Sony Australia.
GREY
Is seen as safe, neutral and respectable, particularly in business wear. On the negative side, it can look too drab and boring and even old. It is best mixed with a bright colour.
Brand choices include Mercedes, Volvo and Microsoft which is mixed with bright colours.
BLUE is known as the executive colour and is one of the most popular colours. Blue enhances your wisdom and stimulates self-awareness, so wear it when you are discussing important issues.
Dark blue says, "I’m the boss". You are a person who knows who you are and where you are going! Blue stimulates the mind but can be seen as a cold colour. It evokes feelings of security, strength, wisdom and confidence.
Companies, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and ANZ choose blue as it is a trustworthy colour. So does Bluey!
RED says success. Wear red to express power and to stand out in a crowd. Red is stimulating, arousing and romantic, and excellent when you want to come up with ideas.
If you want to boost your physical energy or overcome negative thinking and feeling of rejection wear red. It is vibrant, says confidence and excitement. Since it is an extreme colour, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations as it can appear to be aggressive and domineering.
Brand choices, Coca-Cola, Australia Post and Virgin Australia.
PURPLE implies royalty, dignity and spirituality. It is also associated with wealth, luxury and elegance. It’s a balancing colour. Wear purple when you feel stressed or sad as it promotes peace and restfulness.
Purple is calming for yourself and others to look at and be around. It is said to stimulate your intuition and creativity. Purple works well in the media and for evening elegance. But purple can also represent decadence, melancholy and excess.
Brands that use purple to point out a superior service, product or experience include Cadbury, Hallmark and Twitch.
YELLOW is an excellent colour to wear when you’re feeling down. Yellow stimulates your desires, promotes positivity and prevents depression. It is a welcoming colour and good for communicating, so wear it when you want to sell yourself and your skills.
It is cheery, optimistic and an attention getter. Although eye catching, it is a difficult colour for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Negatives include impulsiveness and volatility and deceit.
Brands that use yellow to capture optimism, creativity and warmth include Ikea, McDonalds and Commonwealth Bank.
GREEN calms your emotions and helps with relaxation. Performers and people waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to calm their nerves. Green is a refreshing colour and symbolises nature and fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth.
Green says fresh, friendly, balanced and growth. Its negative aspects include envy and
immaturity.
Green in brand choices include Woolworths, Spotify and Land Rover.
ORANGE promotes spontaneity and warmth. Orange is bold and cheerful and improves social behaviour. If you need some added motivation and fun wear orange as it’s said to be an anti- depressant. It’s a colour that is lively and active, helping to exude a dynamic or extroverted personality.
In the wider world of marketing and design, orange is often chosen for its ability to evoke sensations of energy and excitement. Brisbane 2032, ING and Harley Davidson.
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Sue Currie is an image entrepreneur who guides and empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to have “Spotlight Confidence”. She is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brand through her speaking, coaching and training programs on Self Brand, Style and Speaking Skills, providing a multi-faceted approach to gain high transformation for her clients.
