COLORS are everywhere. They are in the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the things we use. 

And the colors that we see and choose could affect our lives to some extent. Colors could mean something and could also affect people’s moods and productivity.

Vanessa Van Edwards, a behavioral investigator from Texas, USA, explained in an interview posted on her website Science of People what colors could signify to people.

Van Edwards is also the author of Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication, which has been translated into 16 different languages, and has also conducted several Ted talks.

According to her, colors could influence perceptions and people’s behavior to some extent.  

“Colors can’t necessarily dictate your behavior but they can sure help,” she added.

Color your mood  

Below are 5 colors and their implications, according to Van Edwards:

Red – It is the color of passion and aggression, said Van Edwards. It is a great color for women to wear on a first date because it is attention grabbing. 

It is also appetite stimulating. She noted that most restaurants use red as the color of their walls because red really prompts people to eat more. It stimulates digestion, she said. 

Gray – This could be considered the opposite of red as it is neutral and passive, and could signify low energy. Van Edwards said she likes to wear gray when she wants to talk about a serious topic so that people could focus on what she is saying. 

Blue – Van Edwards said this is a stable color. It implies being loyal, honest, dependable, trustworthy, and wise. People who want to show that they are an expert and know what they are doing could wear blue. 

She also recommends that men wear blue on the first date.

Blue likewise makes employees feel wiser and it stimulates them to work better and to be more productive, she said. It is a good color for office walls, she added.  

Purple – This is the color of luxury and royalty. 

Van Edwards describes purple as a great gift wrapping color as it makes the gift look more expensive. This is because purple doesn’t appear in nature very much and it is not easy to make purple dye. This makes the color special and unique.

Orange – Van Edwards said this color signifies success and high energy.

She said it is nice to wear orange when competing in a sports fest or even just going to the gym.