How Wearing Brightly Colored Clothing And Accessories Boosts Your Mood

Who said that cold weather must mean somber attire? Using your favorite summer closet staples all year round saves you money and time by cutting down on unnecessary shopping trips. Saving money is sure to make you happy. Your happiness will be especially concentrated now that studies have shown that wearing bright colors can actually boost your mood.

Why Does Color Affect Us This Way?

Leslie Harrington, the executive director of The Color Association of the United States, which is responsible for forecasting color-trends, has been spreading this message throughout her career. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Harrington explained the reasons why we react to color the way we do. “We react on multiple levels of association with colors — there are social or culture levels as well as personal relationships with particular colors. You also have an innate reaction to color. For example, when you look at red, it does increase your heart rate. It is a stimulating color. This goes back to caveman days of fire and danger and alarm.” In other words, our reaction to certain colors is not voluntary; rather it may be embedded in our DNA.

How Do We Recreate This?

Want to feel more cheerful on a gloomy day? Wear a bright jacket or carry a colorful bag. It does, however, heavily depend on which color you choose. Pearson Education’s database, Information Please, has a helpful article written by David Johnson that lists colors and their affect on the human psyche. By utilizing certain colors effectively, your mood and the moods of those around you can be drastically altered.

Red

Red is the most emotionally stimulating color. It represents passion, violence, and love. Wearing red will not only get you noticed but also will increase your heart-rate and blood-pressure.

White

White is the color of neutrality, innocence, and cleanliness. Doctors and nurses in hospitals often wear white to project a sense of sterility. Because of its light-reflective quality, wear white in the summer to keep cool but be careful, it is the most inconvenient color of all because of how easily it attracts dirt.

Blue

Blue is known for tranquility and serenity. Many spas and hospitals are painted blue to instill a sense of calm. The same goes for this color as an accessory. Wear blue if you are feeling stressed and you’ll have a higher chance of calming down and completing any task.

Yellow

A cheerful and sunny color, yellow will bring cheer to even a gloomy day. Open up a yellow umbrella on a rainy day and watch as some of that cheerfulness rubs off on you and those around you.

Black

The most popular color in fashion for many reasons, black not only makes you appear slimmer but also implies power and authority. If you have a presentation or interview coming up, wear black to give yourself an instant confidence boost.

Purple

Purple – the color of royalty, wealth and luxury. When worn, it will make you feel sophisticated and empowered. Purple is also a color that looks good on most people regardless of hair-color and skin-tone.

Michaella Twersky is a freelance writer based in New York City. She is a frequent content provider to Diamond Envy (www.diamondenvy.com).

License: Creative Commons image source, Firework