8 shades you should add to your wardrobe, according to an expert in color psychology

Lewis said red was the color of action and physicality, and that wearing it could give you energy when you're feeling exhausted or need an extra kick for a long day. 

"It's the psychological primary color of the body, so it can help us wake up, keep our attention, and even increase our heart rate," she told BI. "I like to wear this color when I'm really fatigued."

Red can also be a great color to wear when you need to keep things highly energized, like when you're working out.

If you're looking for balance in your daily life, orange is definitely the color to wear, according to Lewis.

Orange hues are most associated with a familiar home environment and may be able to keep the body calm and balanced.

"Since our body takes in orange light with a sunrise that helps wake everything up in a calm way, I like to use orange on high-stress days with a cozy sweatshirt," Lewis told BI.

According to Lewis, wearing yellow can make you feel happier.

"As the color that makes the rods and cones of our eyes the most excited, yellow is the psychological primary color of the nervous system," Lewis said. "It can help us feel joyful, hopeful, or even help us focus more on our future."

Yellow can be great to use when you want to add a pop of color to an outfit.

Lewis said blue is the psychological primary color of the mind. According to the expert, wearing it may help bring down your heart rate and blood pressure.

Lighter shades of blue can have calming effects, often making people think of vacations. Darker blues can bring about deeper thoughts, which can also promote stillness and relaxation.

"It's an incredible color that can also make people feel more trust with you, so it's perfect to wear at work when meeting a new client or to calm a stressful situation," Lewis told BI.

Pink is a color of comfort and softness, Lewis said.

This makes it a good wardrobe choice when you want to feel comfortable and soft. It's also helpful when tapping into the more feminine side of things, the expert added. 

For calming effects, you may want to incorporate more green into your wardrobe.

"Green is the psychological primary color that balances the other three: red, yellow, and blue," Lewis told BI.

In other words, green has the power to evoke numerous feelings in the body, which can bring people to a state of homeostasis.

"Too stressed? It will calm you. Down in the dumps? It will lift you up," she said. "It's a calming color that helps us grow, and I love wearing it."

Lewis said violet was the last color in the visible light spectrum, and it was most associated with spirituality and relationships. Wearing purple can have the power to help people connect to other people or things more deeply.

"I love to wear purple when meeting new people, as it helps form a quick connection," she told BI. "You can also wear it to tap more into your spiritual side."

"Different from pink, magenta was named after a bloody battle," Lewis told BI, referring to a battle during the Second Italian War of Independence where French and Italian forces defeated Austria in Magenta, Italy. 

She explained that magenta is the color of revolution and helps to spark action on a more energetic level.

"Whether it's to introduce a new concept at work or go out on the town, I like to use magenta to help people feel a bit more bold and revolutionary," the expert said.

This story was originally published in May 2023 and most recently updated on May 16, 2024.