First Impressions Count: How Color Can Help You Date

Regardless of where, how or who you’re dating, whether face to face or online, you can’t get away from that old maxim, ‘first impressions count.’ As the great American writer Mark Twain said, clothes make a man, and one place where first impressions and clothes coincide is in terms of color. There’s a host of research to indicate that the colors you wear can have a profound influence on the way people see you, especially at that all-important first meeting. Whether you’re wooing Western, Asian or Russian brides, you can increase your chance of success by playing the psychological color game. Choose your outfit with care and you can send the right message to your date from the outset!

The Messages You Send with the Colors You Choose

We’re programmed genetically and by society to react differently to different colors. Much as we strive towards equality between genders, it’s still true that girls are given the pink toys and boys the blue to play with. It’s said that women favor brighter hues such as orange, purple, yellow, green and red. Men instinctively opt for cooler, more somber tones like blues, browns, greens, black…but also red! We’ll come back to red in a bit, but first, let’s look at what studies have shown to be the instant first impressions created by each of these colors:

Blue: The person who wears this color is seen as trustworthy and reliable. They have hidden depths and vulnerabilities, but an unruffled surface which exudes confidence and inner strength. Caring in character, this individual seeks peace and harmony.

Red: Wearers of red are often extroverts who like to make their presence felt in company. They are energetic, can be overly loud and have bags of energy. Driven to succeed, they may be competitive and ambitious in all contexts.

Green: Often associated with status and wealth, green can also indicate practicality, loyalty, and consistency. Like the greenery in Nature that surrounds us, it’s attractive without being ostentatious.

Black: Indicates the wearer is strong in will and determination to succeed in all areas of life. It’s the color of mystery, which can both attract and intimidate at the same time. At best, it can intimate that the wearer is in control of their emotions; but at worst, can signify a demanding and dictatorial nature.

White: Pure, simple and clean, white also calms and reassures. The person who wears white is an optimist who views life and the future positively.

Brown: A color for the modest man or woman who likes a quiet life and is looking for a steady relationship. Brown also indicates loyalty, humility, self-control and calm reliability.

Yellow: This is the color that denotes curiosity, an inquiring mind. The wearer of yellow is on a quest for happiness, contentment, and self-fulfillment.

Pink: Those who wear pink tend to come across as gentle, loving, kind and sensitive. They have a warm and nurturing nature and tend to give more than they receive. Also a color associated with romance, the wearer has a sensual side it’s hard to ignore.

Purple: If you’re drawn to wear purple, you’re probably a real individual with artistic leanings. The purple wearer is energetic yet has deep reserves of compassion. Highly intuitive, they often have a strong interest in spirituality and the true meaning of life.

Is Red Really the Color of Love?

So we established above that both genders are attracted by the color red. If that’s true, then it stands to reason that red is a great color for either sex to wear on a date. Is there any truth in that? Let’s find out…

The traditional view is that red is symbolic of true love. It certainly figures high on Valentine’s Day, for instance! But it’s not just in frivolous contexts like this that red is representative of romantic love. In scientific terms, throughout nature, the color red is an alert to fertility and sexuality. Look at the male cardinal bird, for example, with its bright red feathers designed to attract a mate; or the red posteriors of the females of some species of monkey. In evolutionary terms, these species thrive by demonstrating they’re ready to reproduce through use of the color red. In humans, red also signifies importance in both social and economic terms. It’s the color of health and passion.

There have been many studies into colors and their significance. The consensus generally is that we view colors in terms of three factors: Appropriateness, Aesthetics, and Value. Individuals are drawn to particular colors because of the emotions they evoke and the significance of them in symbolic terms. As already noted above, most people identify red as the color which signifies boldness and passion. Wikipedia says in terms of color psychology that red carries four main meanings: lust, power, excitement, and love. In terms of symbolism, red is associated with fire and blood. If you think of the words you’d usually use to describe these two things, then your thoughts would naturally leap to concepts such as fierce energy and strength, vibrancy, excitement, passion, and vitality. No wonder, then, that red is a popular color when it comes to dating! Who isn’t looking for those kinds of qualities in a partner?

In terms of aesthetics, the color red stands out. It’s visually very appealing. It draws and catches the eye. And finally, value: we associate every color with particular social values. Red quite simply never goes out of fashion. It’s worth noting that there can be cultural differences too. One handy tip, if you’re hoping to date Russian women, is that the Russian word for ‘red’ sounds similar to the word ‘beautiful‘…

So What Does All This Mean for My First Date? Should I Wear Red?

The answer is a most definite yes, but with one caveat: don’t overdo it!

If we’re talking about first impressions, then men are immediately inclined to be attracted to a woman wearing red. A woman sees a man wearing that color as a sign that he has status and importance, and she’s programmed to be intrigued by that sexually. It’s not just animals that see red as an indicator that here is a mate that is worthy of us!

But remember, red is also associated with danger, which is why it’s used on road signs, on emergency vehicles like fire engines and in other warnings of situations and places to avoid. So use it sparingly, perhaps by combining it with softer, less vibrant colors.

Tips on Color for Dating

• Red is a great color to wear if you’re hoping your prospective partner will view you as attractive and you’re looking for an intimate relationship.
• Use green if you want to give off an impression of status and wealth.
• Blue may help with those first-date nerves as it implies calmness and security.
• Black assists by making the wearer appear cool, calm and collected.