Being visual beings that we humans are, color is one of the first few things we notice about almost anything. We associate color with feelings and emotions. How we feel and react to things that we see daily is greatly influenced by color.
On the other hand, fashion is a life staple, whether it is high-end fashion or just casual dress. Other than the shape and material of the clothes, we vastly base our decisions on the colors. Bright colors with fun patterns automatically become a summer outfit because the cheerfulness and brightness of the outfit remind us of summer day activities. Similarly, muted dark tones automatically remind us of fall and hence, become winter attire.
Here, we will discuss why color is important for fashion and how it affects our sentiments towards fashion items.
Color Dimensions:
Color dimensions are a system of color perception. Each color is described and qualified via 3 basic categories of color dimensions. These dimensions are as follows:
● Hues:
Hues are the name of the color in the color wheel. In other words, the primary categorization of any color is its hue. Let’s take an example when you think of the sky on a hot summer day, you think of blue. When you think of blueberries, you also think blue. Whilst both blues are very different from one another, they are still blue. Here, blue is the hue in both the summer day sky and blueberries.
● Saturation:
Saturation is basically how strong or weak a color is. Moreover, it shows how vivid and distinctive the color is. A bright, bold red lipstick is an example of a more saturated red whilst a brick red wall is an example of a less saturated red.
● Chroma:
Chroma refers to the purity of the color. For example, a white leather jacket is a pure and crisp visual fashion item, whilst a gray-toned white denim jacket considers reduced chroma.
Colors Are A Form Of Expression:
Other than the science behind the colors on clothes, they also have the power to be used as statement pieces. Have you noticed how extroverted and loud personalities usually have a more colorful and bright wardrobe than introverts? A spunky yellow leather jacket or a baby pink scarf. That’s because of their cheery personality. Cheerful people gravitate towards brighter and “happier” colors. Similarly, introverted, demure, and shy people usually gravitate to softer palates that emulate their cutesy personalities.
Subsequently, color also has the power to depict and influence our moods. When you want to look serious or mature, you usually opt for black in the form of a black dress, black jacket, black liner, or black heels. That’s because black symbolizes beauty and boldness. On the contrary, wedding dresses are usually white. That’s because white symbolizes purity and serenity.
Not only do we pick colors that fit our vibe, but we sometimes also let colors decide our mood for the day. A great example of that would be leather jackets. A simple white tank top with black jeans, with a white jacket, becomes a cute lunch outfit. But a black jacket becomes a night-out outfit. That’s how impactful color in fashion is.
Arguably, leather also has a hand in how leather jackets are perceived. The material value of the garment is another crucial factor in fashion. Not only is leather functional but is also a perpetually trendy article of clothing. Check out Leatheriza Affinity for a variety of leather fashion items
Colors In Different Cultures:
Other than psychology, colors and what they represent is greatly affected by societies, cultures, and local traditions. Colors also hold a significant value in almost all cultures worldwide. Each culture has associated certain colors with certain festivities or certain virtue. For instance, white in certain colors is considered suitable for brides such as in catholic Christian tradition whilst, the same white color is given to widows in Indian culture.
The meaning and feeling behind each color tend to change as you see different communities. But the fact that colors represent things in each culture is proof enough that we humans are natural at driving fashion and social status via colors.
Color For Everybody:
Humans are very different from mannequins in stores. Humans come in all shapes and sizes and skin tones. Let’s look at all these aspects individually.
● Shapes and sizes:
Fashion is not for one certain body size. Fashion is individualistic. Humans come in all shapes and sizes. How color can add to this, you ask?
Some colors tend to have a more slimming effect due to the high visibility of the color and good contrast from most backgrounds. Darker colors, usually cooler tones, are considered slimming colors. A dark-colored belt around the waist can really cinch the waist.
Some colors can be the center of focus. These colors are usually warm tones and have an advancing effect.
- Skin tones:
Rather than the skin color itself. Color relies more on the underlying skin tones we have. Similar to our skin, each color has an undertone. Undertone is one of the factors that adds variety to the same primary colors.
As for the skin, warmer, cooler, neutral, and olive undertones are the most common and are key indicators in deciding how colors will look on you. The rule here is quite simple and direct. Colors with cooler undertones work best when worn by a person with a cooler undertone. Subsequently for warm colors. Colors with neutral undertones offer the best of both worlds. Anyone can wear them. Lush green or natural greens are ideal for all folks with olive skin tones.
Conclusion:
Color is such a vast concept that lies as a foundation for many industries. Most notably the visual industry is also known as the fashion industry. Fashion is one of the main “adjectives” that you bring forth about yourself. So, it is quite natural to want to play with your wardrobe to find the best fit. Colors are just the extra cherry on top that you can use to mix and match to fit your individual style. Because at the end of the day, that’s what fashion is about.
