A Color Guide to Dressing for Success

In an issue of the New England Journal Nature, there was a study that found that Olympic wrestlers who wore the color red were more likely to win their match over their opponents in blue. This is particularly remarkable because colors are assigned according to the result of a coin toss. The authors of the study were unable to explain why the reds won more often than the blues.  Well I know why.

Red is a power color. It denotes potent energy, strength and victory. What the opponent in blue saw was a red force bearing down on him. What the spectators saw was a blur of fiery red and a patch of serene blue grappling together. The contestant in red appeared dominant, and more able to best his seemingly peaceful opponent. Did this have an effect how the crowd cheered? Did it influence how the players saw each other?

Different colors carry different energies.  For example, pink is a soft, friendly color. When Donald Trump walks into the board room wearing a powerful dark suit with a soft pink tie, the pink gives him an air of approachability—we know that he will listen and understand what we are saying whether he plans to fire us or not. Imagine two women both in suits but one in black with a burgundy blouse and the other in cream with a dusty rose shirt. Before we can stop ourselves we make a judgment about who has more authority, more power. Which one do we pick? Well the one in black of course.

In our dealings with people we influence and are influenced by the colors of clothes, shoes and accessories we choose to wear. It is said that 90% of all communication is non-verbal. That is, our gestures, facial expressions, body language, breathing, eye movements and appearance disclose more information than our words do. To create a rapport with people (which is what we all want—others to listen and understand us) we want our non-verbal and verbal communications to give consistent messages. We can help harmonize the two by choosing our colors carefully.
 
Warm colors share energy and excitement. Reds, oranges and golds give the message that here is a person of passion, energy and excitement. On the other hand, if we want to be seen as calm and peaceful then cool colors, such as, blues, greens and silvers will give the listener more of a sense of serenity. We will be seen as tranquil, even-keeled and wise. If we need to be seen as the authority then darker colors such as navy, black and chocolate brown would be more appropriate. It will give the impression that we are knowledgeable and in charge. But if the goal is to establish an equal relationship then lighter colors, such as tans, grays, and creams will bring the peer connection that you seek. These colors will help you be seen as understanding, patient and helpful.

If you are giving a presentation with a partner or as a panel you will be seen as a team player with a consistent viewpoint if you wear similar colors. Or if you find that you need to stand out in a crowd, such as a business-networking group, then you want to be bolder in your color choices. A flashy tie or jewel-colored blouse will be noticed and remembered. I remember attending one early morning spring meeting in a bright peach coat and months later people still remembered my name and they commented on that coat.

Whatever your goals, from wanting to enhance the energy of a presentation to standing out in a crowd to looking calm and in control, you can harness the power of colors to help you achieve what you want.