Color psychology expert shares shades that make best impression (2023)

A color psychology expert has revealed which shades you should wear to boost your confidence, seem more trustworthy, and help you feel more relaxed.

Michelle Lewis, acolor analyst and author from Idaho, recently dished on how dressing in certain hues can have a major impact on your mood - as well as how those around you perceive you.

While speaking to Insider recently, the self-proclaimed 'color queen' suggested that people who are looking for extra energy should don red.

She added that putting on something blue can help you calm down if you're feeling stressed, while wearing orange can provide feelings of 'balance' when things start to get out of control in your life.

According to Michelle, those who want to brighten their mood should opt for yellow clothes, while someone who is preparing to try something new should choose a purple outfit.

From the tint that's proven to increase heart rate to the tone that's known for making you seem more approachable - here's how wearing various colors will influence your mindset and interactions.

The color redelevates blood pressure and increases heart rate, so wearing it can give you an energy boost

The color red is often associated with love and passion, but it can also symbolize danger - since it's used in stop signs, sirens, fire engines, and traffic lights.

Scientists have found that the bright and vivid color can actually 'elevate blood pressure' and 'increase heart rate' - which makes it the perfect shade to wear if you need an energy boost.

Michelle explained that red is the color of 'action and physicality,' so putting it on can help get you going on the days you're feeling extra tired.

'It's the psychological primary color of the body, so it can help us wake up, keep our attention, and even increase our heart rate,' she explained. 'I like to wear this color when I'm really fatigued.'

Donning an orange outfit can help you feel more 'balanced' since the color is associated with familiarity and warmth

If things in your life are feeling out of control, Michelle recommended donning something orange.

She explained that the warm color is often associated with familiarity, so it can help 'keep the body calm and balanced.'

'Since our body takes in orange light with a sunrise, that helps wake everything up in a calm way,' she said. 'I like to use orange on high-stress days.'

An artist and writer namedSonia previously gushed over the positive effects of the color orange, explaining on her blog that the 'cozy yet vibrant' shade also reminds us of fall, pumpkins, and Thanksgiving - all things that provide 'the feeling of warmth.'

Yellow reminds people of the sun - which makes it the perfect shade to wear if you want to brighten up your mood

When you think of the color yellow, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely the sun - which is why the shade is a perfect one to wear if you want to brighten up your mood.

Research has shown that the color can actually release serotonin in your brain, as well as 'enhance your concentration.'

Michelle described it as the hue that gets us 'most excited,' and suggested donning it if you're looking for something to wear that's extra fun.

'Yellow is the psychological primary color of the nervous system,' she added. 'It can help us feel joyful, hopeful, or even help us focus more on our future.'

Thanks to the color's association with trees, grass, and leaves, green clothes can promote growth and calmness

Thanks to its association with trees, grass, and leaves, Michelle said that wearing the cool color green can help 'calm' you if you're feeling 'stressed.

She added thatthe Earthy tone symbolizes 'growth' and 'balance.'

'Too stressed? It will calm you. Down in the dumps? It will lift you up,' she said. 'It's a calming color that helps us grow, and I love wearing it.'

A marketing manager who specializes on the effects of colors on the brain, namedChristi Wharton, previously spoke out about the many positive impacts that green can have on us.

'Green evokes a feeling of abundance and is associated with refreshment and peace, rest and security,' she wrote.

'Green helps people feel rested and secure. People are invited to wait in the “green room” before going on camera to relax.

'Many doctors even use green in their offices to put patients at ease. Green encourages a balance in your brain that leads to decisiveness.'

Blue is the perfect color to wear when meeting new people because it makes you seem more trustworthy

According to scientists, the color blue has the opposite effects of red - it can slow down your heart rate and blood pressure.

That means that wearing something that's blue will have a 'calming effect' on yourself and those around you, Michelle told Insider.

It can also remind people of the ocean and being on vacation, which can 'lead to a freer mind and promote stillness and relaxation.'

'It's an incredible color that can also make people feel more trust with you, so it's perfect to wear at work when meeting a new client or to calm a stressful situation,' she added.

Dressing in purple can make you seem more powerful - since only the most wealthy could afford to wear the color hundreds of years ago

Michelle said that dressing in purple can also help you form connections with new people.

She explained that since violet is 'the last color in the visible light spectrum,' it's associated with 'spirituality and relationships.'

'I love to wear purple when meeting new people, as it helps form a quick connection,' she dished. 'You can also wear it to tap more into your spiritual side.'

Marketing firm Miss Detailssaid that the color also reminds people of 'royalty, wealth, prosperity, and sophistication' because 'the cost of purple dye was expensive' hundreds of years ago, which meant 'only the very wealthy could afford to have purple clothing.'

'Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red,' it added. 'According to surveys, almost 75 per cent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors.'

Wearing magenta can bring you more confidence and help you feel more bold since it symbolizes 'revolution' and taking 'action'

Michelle pointed out that the color magenta was named after a battle during the Second Italian War of Independence, where French and Italy overcame Austria in an Italian city called Magenta.

Due to its backstory, she said the color symbolizes 'revolution' and wearing it can 'help spark action'in you.

She suggesting dressing in magenta when you're about to try something new, since it can help you feel 'more bold' and boost your confidence.

'Whether it's to introduce a new concept at work or go out on the town, I like to use magenta to help people feel a bit more bold and revolutionary,' she explained.

Wearing pink can give off the impression that you're 'soft' and 'innocent'

The color pink is often one that reminds people of 'comfort and softness,' Michelle told Insider.

VeryWellMind.com pointed out that it's even used in prisons to relax inmates sometimes.

'Sports teams sometimes paint the opposing team's locker room pink to keep the players passive and less energetic,' the publication added.

In addition, the color is also associated with 'femininity, healing, innocence, peace, sweetness, and romance.'