clothing
A Man's Guide to Color - Attract Others with These 10 Colors
A man walks into a room and instantly dominates it.
Other men obey him. Women are attracted to him, too.
He looks high up like he's in charge.
What's going on?
That's the power of color. And today I'm going to teach you how to use it.
Most people know that a red tie evokes power - but did you know that each color triggers a different emotional response? So if you know how you want people to feel when they look at you, color can help create that effect.
Today I'm going to cover ten colors, the emotions they evoke, and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe.
Many men are afraid of color. They think the color is feminine. Guess what - it's the opposite. Just ask a peacock.
In his book The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin noted that male animals often use color to attract mates or to indicate dominance and aggression. Humans are no different. Research clearly shows that certain colors evoke subconscious responses. Use this so people don't even know why they obey you, trust you, or are attracted to you.
I’m going to group red and pink together because they only make up about 2% of your wardrobe.
Red evokes passion. It makes you feel more aggressive, more important, more courageous more energetic, and dominant.
A 2014 study in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing also found that wearing red makes you more persuasive.
Pink has a completely different set of connotations. It specifically evokes emotions of youth, love, romance, and support.
For those of you who are smart, you might ask, “If they’re so different, then what’s going on between red and pink?” – Light and bright shades of red do have some of the youthfulness of pink. Darker shades evoke a more mature, dominant feeling.
So how do you incorporate red and pink into your wardrobe? The easiest way is in accessories, like ties and pocket squares.
Well-dressed men, especially those with darker skin tones, will also look great in a classic pink shirt (or a white shirt with a red pattern that looks pink from a distance).
I’ve also seen it used to highlight the second hand on a watch or some complication dials or to contrast with contrast stitching on a watch band. It gives it a bit of a sporty feel and is very eye-catching.
If you’re not a fan of red or pink, orange is a great alternative.
The feelings that orange evokes are uplifting, fun, playful, and creative.
Again, it should only make up about 1% of your wardrobe. You don’t want to go all out with an entire orange blazer – stick to accessories like pocket squares and accent stitching. I’ve seen orange accent stitching look great on boots, and I’ve used it on jackets as well.
Think of orange, red, and pink as spices – just add a little to the recipe.
Brown is one of my favorite colors for a men’s wardrobe. If you add tan and khaki, it should make up about 10% of your wardrobe.
The emotions that brown evokes are earthy, natural, rugged, comfortable, reliable, and rustic.
Generally speaking, brown is more casual. It’s the color of choice for shoes, belts, and watch straps that aren’t too formal.
When you build an interchangeable wardrobe, it's also easy to match.
Green is one of my favorite colors. It evokes emotions of being grounded, stable, and inspiring.
Some people only use green as a spice (an herb?) in accessories, but I use it as a main ingredient, too. A lot of my jackets and quite a few sweaters are green. Maybe it's because I was in the Marines, but I love green sweaters.
One of the limitations of green is that green pants are far less interchangeable than brown or khaki. But if you have enough blue shirts and jackets to match them, they'll work well for you.
Blue is easily the most popular color in a man's wardrobe. If you want some specific numbers (don't worry - they're just a guideline), about 26% of your wardrobe should be blue, and it should lean slightly toward navy - 14% navy and indigo to 12% pure blue.
These different blues evoke slightly different emotions.
Pure blue is a tranquil color - trustworthy, free, wise, and seductive. Dark blue and indigo represent responsibility, honesty, and loyalty.
Like brown, blue is easy to pair with – so when it comes to choosing your foundation pieces, like your first suit, blazer, and jeans, blue is a pretty safe choice.
White should make up about 20% of your wardrobe.
White signals cleanliness, elegance, and health.
However, pure white can look a bit dull. It’s a classic color for a dress shirt, but in a jacket or sweater, you might want to pair it with off-white or cream.
I also think white goes really well with polo shirts, especially in the summer. Or if you want to feel really cool, try a white linen shirt. Because white reflects sunlight, it actually helps to lower body temperatures in hot weather.
Black makes up 13% of the average man’s wardrobe, which is very gothic. But this varies from person to person – Aaron Marino wears well over 13% black, while I wear very little.
Black is the most formal of all the colors, and the emotions it evokes are power, authority, and elegance.
So black should be worn with a black tie. It’s also the color of the most sophisticated business shoes. For a lot of men, black is the dominant shoe color. For others, it’s also a casual color.
So do I like black suits? Personally, they don’t suit me. I think they’re too contrasty, they don’t go with a wide variety of shirts, and they’re too formal and really should be worn with a black tie. I also don’t think black dress shirts suit most skin tones.
I personally think most men overuse black. I think it’s best to keep it for formal occasions.
Gray conveys the emotions in a practical and conservative way.
Gray makes up 18% of a wardrobe, and I think it works best with coats or jackets that get dirty easily. Gray is a color that handles stains very easily and is also easy to pair with.
The same goes for shoes—gray is a neutral color, so light gray shoes can be paired with a variety of light-colored pants.
Gray flannel pants are also very versatile. They are classics, but people rarely like them. From charcoal to light gray, every shade can be paired with a variety of shirts and jackets.
These colors make up about 2% of a man’s wardrobe and have a long history with royalty.
So when we think of purple, we think of luxury. We also think of mystery, especially in dark purple.
Like red, light purple is more playful. Lavender can be a very fun color for a dress shirt in the spring.
This is the last 1% of your wardrobe.
Yellow and gold evoke a sense of spontaneity, happiness, and relaxation.
I think gold is an underused color. It’s a difficult color to incorporate into your wardrobe, but I think if you get the color right it will stand out on accessories like pocket squares and ties.
Other men obey him. Women are attracted to him, too.
He looks high up like he's in charge.
What's going on?
That's the power of color. And today I'm going to teach you how to use it.
Most people know that a red tie evokes power - but did you know that each color triggers a different emotional response? So if you know how you want people to feel when they look at you, color can help create that effect.
Today I'm going to cover ten colors, the emotions they evoke, and how to incorporate them into your wardrobe.
Many men are afraid of color. They think the color is feminine. Guess what - it's the opposite. Just ask a peacock.
In his book The Descent of Man, Charles Darwin noted that male animals often use color to attract mates or to indicate dominance and aggression. Humans are no different. Research clearly shows that certain colors evoke subconscious responses. Use this so people don't even know why they obey you, trust you, or are attracted to you.
#1. Red (And Pink)
Red evokes passion. It makes you feel more aggressive, more important, more courageous more energetic, and dominant.
A 2014 study in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing also found that wearing red makes you more persuasive.
Pink has a completely different set of connotations. It specifically evokes emotions of youth, love, romance, and support.
For those of you who are smart, you might ask, “If they’re so different, then what’s going on between red and pink?” – Light and bright shades of red do have some of the youthfulness of pink. Darker shades evoke a more mature, dominant feeling.
So how do you incorporate red and pink into your wardrobe? The easiest way is in accessories, like ties and pocket squares.
Well-dressed men, especially those with darker skin tones, will also look great in a classic pink shirt (or a white shirt with a red pattern that looks pink from a distance).
I’ve also seen it used to highlight the second hand on a watch or some complication dials or to contrast with contrast stitching on a watch band. It gives it a bit of a sporty feel and is very eye-catching.
#2. Orange
The feelings that orange evokes are uplifting, fun, playful, and creative.
Again, it should only make up about 1% of your wardrobe. You don’t want to go all out with an entire orange blazer – stick to accessories like pocket squares and accent stitching. I’ve seen orange accent stitching look great on boots, and I’ve used it on jackets as well.
Think of orange, red, and pink as spices – just add a little to the recipe.
#3. Brown
The emotions that brown evokes are earthy, natural, rugged, comfortable, reliable, and rustic.
Generally speaking, brown is more casual. It’s the color of choice for shoes, belts, and watch straps that aren’t too formal.
When you build an interchangeable wardrobe, it's also easy to match.
#4. Green
Some people only use green as a spice (an herb?) in accessories, but I use it as a main ingredient, too. A lot of my jackets and quite a few sweaters are green. Maybe it's because I was in the Marines, but I love green sweaters.
One of the limitations of green is that green pants are far less interchangeable than brown or khaki. But if you have enough blue shirts and jackets to match them, they'll work well for you.
#5. Blue
These different blues evoke slightly different emotions.
Pure blue is a tranquil color - trustworthy, free, wise, and seductive. Dark blue and indigo represent responsibility, honesty, and loyalty.
Like brown, blue is easy to pair with – so when it comes to choosing your foundation pieces, like your first suit, blazer, and jeans, blue is a pretty safe choice.
#6. White
White signals cleanliness, elegance, and health.
However, pure white can look a bit dull. It’s a classic color for a dress shirt, but in a jacket or sweater, you might want to pair it with off-white or cream.
I also think white goes really well with polo shirts, especially in the summer. Or if you want to feel really cool, try a white linen shirt. Because white reflects sunlight, it actually helps to lower body temperatures in hot weather.
#7. Black
Black is the most formal of all the colors, and the emotions it evokes are power, authority, and elegance.
So black should be worn with a black tie. It’s also the color of the most sophisticated business shoes. For a lot of men, black is the dominant shoe color. For others, it’s also a casual color.
So do I like black suits? Personally, they don’t suit me. I think they’re too contrasty, they don’t go with a wide variety of shirts, and they’re too formal and really should be worn with a black tie. I also don’t think black dress shirts suit most skin tones.
I personally think most men overuse black. I think it’s best to keep it for formal occasions.
#8. Gray
Gray makes up 18% of a wardrobe, and I think it works best with coats or jackets that get dirty easily. Gray is a color that handles stains very easily and is also easy to pair with.
The same goes for shoes—gray is a neutral color, so light gray shoes can be paired with a variety of light-colored pants.
Gray flannel pants are also very versatile. They are classics, but people rarely like them. From charcoal to light gray, every shade can be paired with a variety of shirts and jackets.
#9. Purple And Lavender
So when we think of purple, we think of luxury. We also think of mystery, especially in dark purple.
Like red, light purple is more playful. Lavender can be a very fun color for a dress shirt in the spring.
#10. Yellow And Gold
Yellow and gold evoke a sense of spontaneity, happiness, and relaxation.
I think gold is an underused color. It’s a difficult color to incorporate into your wardrobe, but I think if you get the color right it will stand out on accessories like pocket squares and ties.
