Cultural

Changing Minds (2019) provide tables of various colors and their Western and Non-Western meanings:

Color	Western meaning
RED:	warmth, love, anger, danger, boldness, excitement, speed, strength, energy, determination, desire, passion, courage, socialism, republicans, chaos
PINK:	feminine, love, caring, nurture
ORANGE:	cheerfulness, low cost, affordability, enthusiasm, stimulation, creativity, aggression, food, halloween, liberal (politics)
YELLOW:	attention-grabbing, comfort, liveliness, cowardice, hunger, optimism, overwhelm, Summer, comfort, liveliness, intellect, happiness, energy, conflict
GREEN:	durability, reliability, environmental, luxurious, optimism, healing, well-being, nature, calm, relaxation, Spring, safety, honesty, optimism, harmony, freshness
BLUE:	peace, professionalism, loyalty, reliability, honor, trust, melancholia, boredom, coldness, Winter, depth, stability, professionalism, conservatism, democrats
PURPLE:	power, royalty, nobility, elegance, sophistication, artificial, luxury, mystery, royalty, elegance, magic
GRAY:	conservatism, traditionalism, intelligence, serious, dull, uninteresting
BROWN:	relaxing, confident, casual, reassuring, nature, earthy, solid, reliable, genuine, Autumn, endurance
BLACK:	Elegance, sophistication, formality, power, strength, illegality, depression, morbidity, night, death
WHITE:	Cleanliness, purity, newness, virginity, peace, innocence, simplicity, sterility, snow, ice, cold

Color	Non-Western meaning
RED:	Eastern: luck, prosperity, happiness, long life, fertility, powerSome Africa: mourning
PINK:	Belgium: boys (rest of Europe is girls)
ORANGE:	Eastern: happiness, spiritual
YELLOW:	Eastern: sacred, imperial, wisdom, maleSome Middle-East: mourning Africa: high rank France: jealousy Greece: sadness
GREEN:	Eastern: birth, hope, new beginnings, youth, immortality, fertilityMiddle East: Islam, strength, luck, fertility, prestige Africa: corruption South America: death
BLUE:	Eastern: immortality, life, feminineMiddle East: protection Mexico: mourning
PURPLE:	Eastern: wealth, privilege, sorrow, mourningBrazil: death, mourning
BROWN:	Eastern: earth, mourning
BLACK:	Eastern: wealth, health, boys, mystery, evil
WHITE:	Eastern: death, mourning, funerals, sadness, purity, age, misfortuneMiddle East: purity, mourning

However, the article suggests that all of us wear certain colors because of our own life experiences, and favorites.

For example, several people could enter a room wearing similar colors, and yet each one has varied reasoning for wearing that particular color:

• Their go-to color;

• Reminds them of a loved one, for whatever reason;

• Brings comfort, relaxing;

• Was their nickname growing up;

• Enhances their appearance;

• Appeals to their sensibility;

• Reminds them of their favorite song, movie, publication, artist;

• Has that ahhhhhh appeal,

and many other explanations.

What are your favorites, and why?

Vikki

Reference

Victoria Sutton's Psychology Blog