Colors have a strong effect on us. There’s a reason cultures assign certain colors to be worn during funerals and weddings. It’s because those colors symbolize something specific. Schools, businesses, and brands all choose colors they want to be recognized by. That’s not for no reason. These companies and organizations want their customers — and anyone interacting with them — to feel a certain way while engaging with them. Colors have a strong effect on us.
That’s why I wanted to write an article about what colors are best to wear as a female entrepreneur. When you’re an entrepreneur, you need confidence, creativity, authoritativeness, and the ability to stand out in order to attract clients and opportunities. Colors can help women entrepreneurs with that.
Book Reccomendations:
Color Psychology and Color Therapy – Faber Birren
The Psychology of Fashion – Carolyn Mair
The Secret Lives of Colour – Kassia St. Clair
Why Clothing Colors Matter For A Woman Entrepreneur
What we wear does impact us. Certain colors make you feel a certain way. We tend to gravitate toward colors that mirror how we feel — or how we want to feel. If you want to feel beautiful and feminine, you’ll gravitate toward lighter, pastel colors. If you want to feel more confident or mysterious, you gravitate toward darker colors.
The colors we wear also affect how others see us. Research has shown that between 62% and 90% of our first impressions of people or environments are based on color alone. Researchers Adam and Galinsky created a concept called “enclothed cognition,” which basically says clothing carries symbolic meaning, and when we put certain clothing on, we start embodying its psychological attributes.
So the clothing we wear does matter — but the colors matter a lot more. When you want people to think of you in a certain way or feel a certain way about you, wear a color that embodies your desired state.
Best Colors To Wear As A Woman Entrepreneur
Midnight Navy To Seem Trustworthy
As a woman entrepreneur, you need to be trusted. If you aren’t seen as trustworthy, you won’t get clients, business partners, or investors. One way to boost your likelihood of being perceived as trustworthy is by wearing midnight blue.
Midnight blue has consistently ranked as one of the most trustworthy colors in workplace settings, and those who wore dark blue suits were scored as more trustworthy than those wearing beige or medium-gray suits.
Midnight blue’s dark saturation can lower heart rate and give off a sense of quiet security, similar to darkness, resulting in better rest and relaxation. In contrast, because of its black undertone, overwearing this color can sometimes lead to feelings of melancholy or emotional distance. Balance is important when wearing this color. Regardless, midnight blue is great for women entrepreneurs seeking to appear highly credible and authoritative.
Wear Midnight Blue When:
- You are pitching to an investor
- Going to client meetings
- Signing contracts
- In any situation where you need to seem authoritative and trustworthy
Crimson Red To Appear Assertive and Confident
There’s no doubt red is seen as a very confident, bold color. As a woman entrepreneur, you need to feel and look confident. Whenever we wear red — or see someone else wear it — they stand out and seem self-assured. Crimson red, however, is a richer version of red with a darker undertone. Throughout history, crimson has been associated with wealth, power, and passion.
Research in color psychology has shown that wearing red led participants to become more dominant and portray more assertive behavior. Crimson red conveys excitement, energy, and boldness, which is why it’s a very popular choice in advertising and branding.
Wear Crimson Red When You:
- Need to participate in a speaking engagement
- Are launching a new product
- Are pitching to an investor
- Need to be unforgettable
Teal Blue-Green To Feel Rejuvenated and Tranquil
When you’re an entrepreneur, you can sometimes feel overwhelmed or stressed by what’s going on in your business. You need things in your life that calm you down, and teal clothing can be one of those things. Teal signifies trustworthiness and reliability and is often used in design to promote feelings of calm and composure.
Psychologically, teal can reduce stress levels, making it a color that encourages clear thinking and focus. Teal is a combination of green and blue, which creates balance — the calming properties of blue mixed with the rejuvenation qualities of green. Wear teal on those days you feel overwhelmed by everything on your plate or just want to relax. That’s what teal is meant for.
Wear Teal Blue-Green When You:
- Need to leading a team
- Do a creative pitch
- Build client relationships
- Are going to networking events
- Want to relax and feel composed
Soft Blush Pink To Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Feelings of stress and anxiety are normal when it comes to your business. That’s what makes soft blush pink such an amazing color. Pink is often associated with nurturing and love. It’s also believed to have calming effects, which is why it’s used in therapy rooms to tone down feelings of resentment or aggression.
Too much pink can make you come across as naive or overly sweet. We don’t want people to think that of us — or for us to start acting that way in business. Save the overly sweet tendencies for loved ones, not business.
There’s research in sports psychology where opposing teams were placed in pink locker rooms to reduce aggression and energy. This means that whenever you wear pink, you can disarm tension and make others feel at ease in your presence with minimal effort.
Wear Soft Blush Pink When You:
- Are onboarding new clients
- Are attending networking events
- Have a brand photoshoot
- Want to feel calm
Deep Plum To Feel More Creative and Look More Brave
Creativity is necessary for your business. You need creativity to make new offerings and solve problems. You need bravery to persuade others and take risks. This is what makes deep plum a great color. Deep plum is associated with spirituality, depth, and refinement.
Deep plum also promotes artistic and innovative thinking while representing elegance and high status. Purple is the third most preferred color, which means people around you, while you’re wearing deep plum, will likely respond positively.
Wear Deep Plum When You:
- Appear in the media
- Speak at a panel
- Are in a boardroom
- Are negotiating
- Want to project authority and creativity
Antique Gold To Feel Positive and Driven
During seasons when your business isn’t performing well, you need positivity and drive. It can be difficult to stay consistent when things aren’t going as planned, which makes antique gold an amazing color to wear. Gold is known as a color associated with wealth and luxury. It has the warmth of a brown tone with the authority of a jewel tone, making it unique.
Because gold is widely known as a color tied to wealth and prosperity, whenever you wear it you start to feel that way through a process called enclothed cognition. You subconsciously process what it represents and begin to embody an empowered mental state.
Wear Antique Gold When You:
- Attend award ceremonies
- Go to high-end client dinners
- Are doing brand launches
- Anytime you want to project prosperity and confidence
Warm Ivory / Cream To Seem Clear-Minded and Less Defensive
When you run a business, you need clarity, the ability to see the light in situations, and the ability to remain less defensive. Warm ivory or cream is associated with justice, clarity, simplicity, and cleanliness. It signals mental clarity and encourages a shift away from negative or defensive emotions, allowing for more open and positive interactions.
Because of this quality, warm ivory or cream is a great color to wear in negotiations or business situations that tend to bring out tension or negativity.
Wear Warm Ivory / Cream When You:
- Speak at a keynote
- Announce something for your brand
- Doing a brand photoshoot
- Are in a high-visibility situation
Conclusion
There are many other colors out there, but these are some of the most unique and powerful. Colors really are powerful when it comes to affecting our moods and signaling subconscious messages to other people. You can control that by understanding how colors affect you in different ways. I want to give you the upper hand on the days you feel low — or when you want to feel confident enough to speak in front of others. Clothing is powerful, and you should use it to your advantage.
Thank you for reading — come back soon!!
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