The Power of Wearing Colour and When To Wear It

The power of wearing colour is an often overlooked resource in our toolkit. Wearing colour can affect how we feel, it can even influence other people’s emotions. Understanding how colours personally impact us can empower us to choose colours that can uplift, calm, or energise us based on our needs.

This is particularly useful for anyone building their brand, who needs stage presence, or who wants to embrace the healing benefits of colour in their everyday lives.

Wearing Colour is a Powerful Tool for Wellbeing and Influence

Wearing colour is more than just a style choice—it’s a tool that can enhance our well-being and shape the energy we bring to each moment. Colours have an incredible ability to influence how we feel internally and how others perceive us. By consciously choosing colours, we can support our emotional state, project our desired energy, and create meaningful connections with those around us.

Wearing White

• Feelings: White can create a sense of peace, freshness, and mental clarity. It often makes us feel calm and centred, but for some, it may feel stark or isolating.
• Best Use: Wear white when you need a mental reset, clarity, or to feel grounded in simplicity.

Wearing Black

• Feelings: Black can evoke a sense of security, authority, and sophistication. It may make you feel powerful and put-together, though some might find it heavy or even intimidating when worn head-to-toe.
• Best Use: Choose black when you want to feel empowered or project confidence, especially in high-stakes situations.

For me, black is a die-hard staple, I love the sophistication and effortlessness of it, and luckily for me as a cool winter – so it’s one of my neutrals.

Wearing Blue

• Feelings: Blue often has a calming effect, helping us feel composed and collected. For many, it’s soothing, though dark shades can sometimes feel sombre.
• Best Use: Wear blue to reduce stress, enhance focus, or when you need to approach a situation with calm and poise.

For me wearing blue, especially a bright blue is actually quite energising – I think it helps balance out the stress! But equally when I wear navy I feel calm and sophisticated.

Wearing Green

• Feelings: Green tends to evoke feelings of balance, renewal, and relaxation, reminding us of nature. It can feel comforting and revitalizing, though for some, very bright greens might feel distracting.
• Best Use: Opt for green when you want to feel refreshed, balanced, and connected with a sense of growth or renewal.

Wearing green for me is very refreshing, the brighter the green the more pep I have in my step. The darker the green the more grounded and refined I feel.

Wearing Purple

• Feelings: Purple often feels creative, inspiring, or luxurious. It can help foster a sense of imagination and introspection, though some may find it too intense if they’re aiming for calmness.
• Best Use: Choose purple when you want to feel inspired, or if you need to tap into your creative side for brainstorming or innovation.

This is a colour I do not have in my wardrobe – it’s not one I gravitate to. And for colours that’s fine, you don’t have to have a rainbow colour palette selecting 3 WOW colours to go alongside your neutrals can be enough.

Wearing Pink

• Feelings: Pink can feel comforting, nurturing, or playful. For many, it evokes warmth and compassion, while others might find brighter pinks too bold or vibrant.
• Best Use: Wear pink when you want to connect with others in a warm, approachable way or boost your mood with a hint of cheerfulness.

I used to hate pink and as a former “Tom-boy” (not sure it’s correct to use that term these days, but in the 80’s it was what we called little girls like me. I used to despise pink it was too girly. Now, I love it – I find it quite powerful when `I reach for pink my whole energy shifts. I have pink shirts, pink nails, pink lips, a pink suit – it’s a more free spirited colour for me these days and I love almost every cool shade of pink there is.

Wearing Red

• Feelings: Red is energizing and bold, often making us feel more alert and assertive. It can boost confidence, though for some, it may feel overwhelming or too intense in large amounts.
• Best Use: Use red sparingly to boost energy, courage, or motivation, especially when you need to stand out or make a statement.

Red has always been one of my accent colours, I have worn a red lip and red nails since I was old enough to wear makeup. It’s powerful. Despite is being a colour I love I only have one or two statement red pieces – for a while it was a little red dress. Now it’s a pair of beautiful pair of Mother of Pearl red shoes.

Wearing Yellow

• Feelings: Yellow is uplifting and cheerful, often creating feelings of optimism and lightness. However, bright yellows can sometimes feel overstimulating or evoke anxiety in sensitive individuals.
• Best Use: Wear yellow when you need a mood boost, optimism, or to encourage creativity—ideal for social events or creative work sessions.

Yellow is not the colour for me, I don’t gravitate to it – it doesn’t suit me and I can’t say yellow evokes positive emotions for me.

Wearing Grey

• Feelings: Grey can feel grounding and balanced, offering a sense of calm and neutrality. For some, however, it may feel lacklustre or even melancholic if overused.
• Best Use: Use grey for a balanced, understated look, especially in situations where you want to feel calm, neutral, and steady.

As I have started to age – I have noticed how grey can be a little softer on my complexion than black. So I do lean into it more than I would have when I was younger. Grey is quite a non-emotional evoking colour for me, but on other people I can find shades of grey quite calming.

Wearing Brown

• Feelings: Brown often feels comforting, stable, and warm. It’s a grounding colour, though too much brown can feel heavy or conservative for some.
• Best Use: Choose brown when you want to feel stable and connected to a sense of tradition or warmth, especially in relaxed or casual settings.

Brown is a colour I love on others, especially Warm Autumns and Warm Springs – this definitely creates a feeling of warmth and comfort.

The Power of Wearing Colour for our Wellbeing

When we select colours based on how they make us feel, we can intentionally boost our mood, increase our focus, or promote calm. For example, wearing blue may help you feel centred and composed, while yellow can lift your spirits and inspire optimism.

By incorporating colours that align with how we want to feel, we create an environment of self-care and emotional alignment, allowing our clothing to actively support our mental state and well-being. Combining an awareness of colour with our values is a powerful action – check out the brands listed on the Ethical Brand Directory, many embrace colours across the spectrum – so you can pick what works for you.

Wearing Colour to Influence Our Energy and Others’ Perception of Us

The colours we wear also influence how others see us, subtly shaping the energy we bring to any interaction. But it’s also important to recognise your reactions to colour.

For instance, a red jacket can project confidence and authority, which is ideal for situations where you want to make an impression, while soft pink may make you appear more approachable and compassionate. Colour becomes a silent communicator, a way to set the tone without words, helping you align your external appearance with your intentions for the day or occasion.

The Power of Wearing Colour as a Branding and Personal Empowerment Tool

Whether for personal branding, professional environments, or everyday life, leaning into colours strategically can help you radiate the energy you need while authentically expressing yourself. There are always exceptions to the rule – but having an idea about how colours can impact you and those around you is a powerful tool.

For me personally, if I wear lots of bright vibrant colours it can lift my mood, and for some events, it feels good to be bold and stand out due to my clothing choices. But other times I might feel a bit like a clown. It’s important to find colours that resonate with your natural energy.

There are times when I want to be empowered, confident and poised. This is why I lean into black so often, and you might have noticed my personal branding palette is black, white and pink with hints of grey and gold. This was crafted intentionally and you’ll often see me wearing black, and white with a pink accessory, lipstick or nail polish – whilst wearing gold accessories. This is not a coincidence!

Embracing colour in this intentional way enables you to enhance your well-being, project confidence, and positively influence those around you, making colour an invaluable tool for both personal empowerment and impactful communication. Don’t forget to check out my Wearing Colour Style Guide for more tips on wearing colour.

What are your signature colours? Let me know in the comments!