Understanding Color Psychology Will Sharpen Your Lens On Life
Ever since you were a little girl, you've probably had a favorite color. Even if it was pink or purple when you were young and now that you're grown, it's something that's more in line with red, yellow or a neutral hue – have you ever thought about why you gravitate to those shades?
If your response is a Kanye shrug followed by "I dunno. I just do." that's probably what most folks would say. But as I was trying to figure out why I like the colors that I do — these days, it's shades of blue, grey, and brown — I did a little research on color psychology. It actually revealed a lot.
Getty Images
See, the thing about me and color is our relationship is ever-changing. Right now, I'm in a season in my life where I'm focusing on peace, consistency, and figuring out who is truly reliable in my life. And lo and behold, check what blue, grey and brown symbolize:
Blue:
- serenity
- wisdom
- loyalty
- truth
Grey:
- reliability
- dignity
- maturity
- dependability
Brown:
- stability
- friendship
- comfort
- natural
Crazy, right?! Just to make sure this wasn't a random coincidence, I thought about how a couple of years ago, I was really into the color green. At the time, I was focused on doing things to improve my health. And green? It's all about that.
Green:
- growth
- health
- harmony
- fertility
- money
That got me to thinking about actor Lisa Raye and the fact that, more times than not, she's in all-white. I did a little digging around to remind myself of why she does that. When she first started doing it, she said that it made her feel like an angel. Then, once she wore white to her father's funeral, she realized that white complemented her personality of going against the grain; of marching to the beat of her own drum. Her story, in combination with my own, was enough for me not to be a skeptic of color psychology anymore. There had to be something to it.
Before thinking about how various colors reflected wherever my mind was at any given point in time, I pretty much only thought about color psychology as it related to establishing a business brand (a good read is "How to Use Color Psychology to Give Your Business an Edge"). But as I kept reading articles on the topic, I got that it really does have a lot of power and influence on our psyches.
Take yellow, for example. How do you feel whenever you see it? Probably brighter and happier.
Getty Images
That's just what yellow symbolizes. Or what about red? When you want to look and feel sexy, it's probably one of your go-to hues. After all, nothing is hotter than the perfect shade of red lipstick. Red is the color of love, passion, and desire.
There are even studies that say the color that you choose to wear can totally alter your attitude for that day.
For instance, if you wake up in a bad mood, you should probably put on a cool color like blue, purple or green because it will help to keep you calm and centered.
On the other hand, if you have a first date coming up and you want to make a bold impression, go with something warm like orange or red. If you've got a job interview, making a good impression before saying a word by wearing black (it signifies leadership), blue (it conveys being a team leader), or a shade of grey (it represents being a responsible person and logical thinker). Or, if you're somewhere you know your ex is gonna be, rock some purple. You probably know that it symbolizes royalty, but it also represents respect, wisdom, spirituality, sophistication, and mystery.
Am I saying that colors and what they symbolize should run your life? No. Nothing should do that. I'm simply saying that colors affect us more than most of us probably think that it does.
And, thanks to my own color psychology experience, I'm suggesting that whatever colors you gravitate to, you might have a couple of your own a-ha moments if you do some digging into what they represent. By the way, another cool read is "Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel?".
Once you get started, it might cause you to see some commonalities among the people you know, based on the colors they're the most attracted to as well.
Anyway, just some cool food for thought. Life is vivid. Live it in (semi-well-thought out) color!
Featured image by Getty Images.
- Ultimate Guide to Color Psychology ›
- Psychology of Color | ›
- Forget Everything You Know About Color Psychology and Read ... ›
- Color Psychology: The Psychological Effects of Colors ›
- Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel? ›
- The History of Color Psychology | Ethos3 - A Presentation Design ... ›
- The Psychology of Color in Branding ›
- Color Psychology ›
- The Color Yellow | Psychology Today ›
Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next June (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
Courtesy
Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
Courtesy
Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
Courtesy
Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy