What Your Clothing Colors Say About You

So, first up, let's address the elephant in the room. Why does color even matter? Well, in nature, we see that color is used to camouflage, to signal change, to attract, and to warn. So, first up, camouflage doesn't apply to most of us today. Unless you're out hunting or trying to stay alive in a war zone. Next up, let's talk about signaling change. So, you guys down in the tropics missed this, but I know up here in Wisconsin, we got all four seasons. And whenever fall is approaching, what do we notice? A change in the color of the leaves. Next up, attraction. There's a reason that a lot of fruits are brightly colored because it's a signal to certain animals, hey, come eat this, have the seeds go through your system, and then deposit those on the other side of the forest. Basically, a lot of plants use animals as a dispersal system. However, there is a double-edged sword to this because color can also be a warning to stay away. This caterpillar right here is poisonous, but this one is not and they look very similar. And so, this is mimicry in nature. And, again, further highlights the power of color because that non-poisonous caterpillar doesn't have to be poisonous, it just simply mimics the color and birds stay away from it. Now, how does this apply to human beings? Because we use color in a similar way all the time. Camouflage, for a lot of you guys, you think it's for hunting or fighting in a war zone, but camouflage is also used when you wear the company dress code. Think about it, you want to blend in, you want to fit in, you want to be part of the tribe, you're not looking to stand out. So, if color is this powerful, how can you go about using it in your wardrobe? First up, the color navy blue. Now, the psychological effect on the wearer is this, a feeling of calm, a feeling of confidence, a feeling of being trustworthy. How do other people perceive you when you wear navy blue? Reliable, professional, and mature. Now, navy blue is one of the easiest colors to bring into your wardrobe. Yeah, you could go with shirts, but the easiest place is going to be your denim, maybe bring it in with a suit or even a pair of chinos. On average, navy blue makes up about 18% of a man's wardrobe. For me, probably about double that. Personally, as a dad, I gravitate towards this color because it hides stains and it works with most items, most of the jackets in my wardrobe. Next up, we've got the color charcoal gray. So, the emotional effect it has on the wearer is that of sophistication, poise, and elegance. The effect on the viewer, you come off as elegant, you come off as timelessly styled, as balanced. There's also a study out there that shows men wear charcoal gray are perceived as more intelligent. Now, gray is technically a non-color and that's why I love it. It's so easy to wear. I like to reserve it for trousers. You can also wear it with jackets. You could wear it in a shirt, but I'd be careful about that. And shoes, it's a little bit more daring, it's going to draw a little bit of attention. It's not very common, but it's relatively easy to match. And, again, it can draw the eye. Now, according to the research I saw, charcoal gray makes up about 15% of a man's wardrobe. I thought this was high. I know for me, it's only about 5%. Next up, the color brown. Now, the effect it has on the wearer, stability, dependability, and warmth. Average man's wardrobe, about 7%. My wardrobe, probably closer to 15%. I know for me when I think about brown, it's about comfort and reliability. It's a very earthy color and it works for this season. It's going to be the majority of my shoes and a lot of my jackets. Now, the effect on the viewer, how do other people see you when you wear brown? Well, it's actually considered to be one of the most trustworthy colors. So, if you want to be approachable, if you want people comfortable around you, maybe look to the color brown and see if it can fit in your wardrobe. And besides shoes and jackets, guys, look to sweaters. So, tons of great options when it comes to a dark earthy brown, especially in cashmere. And, yeah, just people want to get close. It's a very comforting type of, you know, jumper to throw on in the cooler weather. Next up, we've got the color red. About 4% of a man's wardrobe. For me, this number was a bit high. I know it's smaller. I use it as an accent piece with accessories. I rarely wear it as an individual item. I think I have one red shirt that is like a – I would almost call it more pink. And this is for good reason because the psychological effect on the wearer is that of gives them a feeling of audacity, gives them that passion, that energy. It actually just gets the blood moving. Now, to the viewer, to the people seeing you in red, they are going to get a feeling of vigor, of confidence, of dynamism. The color red commands attention. It's a bold statement and that's why it's so common in neckties especially with politicians. Think about it. They mix it in with that blue suit, which gives them the feeling of being trustworthy, but that red necktie is all about the power. According to Psychology Today, red ties elicit perceptions of power and dominance aligning perfectly with Trump's self-style image as an alpha leader. So, red signals power and authority. If you've watched a lot of my videos, you know I've brought up research. I've talked about this in detail. In fact, there was a classic study about 15 years ago in which students watched the same professor give the same exact lecture, but in one video, he was wearing a red sweater, in the other one, a blue sweater. Well, guess what? The professor in the red sweater was considered to be much more believable. Even though it was the same guy, the same words, the same recording, they just altered the color. And this has been repeated again and again. A little bit of red in your clothing somehow convinces people that you are more believable because you are viewed as an authority. So, the idea of dominance and strength being associated with a color, well, that's really attractive as to why Trump would choose that color. You may be thinking what's a shade, what's a tint, what's a hue? Let me explain. So, the word hue, this is the pure form of a color. A hue has no addition of black, white, or gray to it. Hues are the base colors as they appear on the color wheel. By the way, there are thousands of hues and in today's video, most of the colors I'm talking about are hues. Now, shades, as the name sort of indicates, this is when you take a hue and you add a bit of black to it. And depending on the percentage of the color black you add to that hue, it will darken the color. Now, the reason this is done in clothing and also in art is it creates a deeper sense of feeling and intensity with the color. An example here is the hue of blue, but you add a bit of black, what do you get? Navy blue. Now, a tint is the opposite of a shade because this is where you're starting to add white to the hue. So, again, let's take the hue of blue and let's add a bit of white. What are the colors we're going to get? Baby blue, maybe even sky blue. And while we're on the subject, let's talk about tones. Tones are where you take a hue and you add the color gray. So, why would you ever want to add gray? We've got white and black because when you add gray to a color, it reduces the color's intensity. It makes the color less subtle, it makes it less bright. In the case of the hue blue, all of a sudden, we get steel blue. So, starting here at the very top, we've got very fair skin. Next up, we've got fair skin. After that light skin, then you have medium skin. Farther down, olive skin, then brown skin, and then finally, dark or deep skin. Now, in today's video, I'm not going to talk about undertones. In case you didn't know, every single one of those skin types could be a cool undertone, a warm undertone, or a neutral undertone. For today's video, to keep it simple, I am assuming a neutral undertone. So, the first seven colors I'm going to share with you. Navy blue, gray, and this comes in a variety of shades and tones here. Pure white, burgundy, what a beautiful color. Beige, a classic neutral. Charcoal, which in case you didn't know is a very sophisticated alternative to black. And finally, teal, probably the most unique and striking color on this list. Gents, all seven of those colors work for pretty much any skin tone. These are what I would call your default wardrobe colors. If you wanted to build a classic versatile interchangeable wardrobe from scratch, one that you would get a lot of miles out of that you'd be able to get your money's worth out of, I can tell you if you use these colors right here in 90% of your clothing choices, you would have something that would stand the test of time. I mean, assuming the styles of the clothing you're buying is classic. So many times, people try to bring in too much color. I like to look at color as spice. You just add a little bit to the meal and it brings out the flavors. Now, before I get into the colors that really work for your skin tone, I want to warn you with colors you probably want to stay away from if you've got this particular skin tone. So, if you're on the far end, if you're from Northern Ireland, if you've got really fair skin, light colored hair, colors that you want to avoid are anything that are going to be neon, any dark browns, and olive greens. Now, that first set of colors may seem obvious to a lot of you guys, but that last two, it's like, hey, can't these work? Maybe some of you guys with really fair skin are saying, hey, I actually have an olive green sweater that I like. Well, gents, I want to stress, you can wear whatever you want. What I'm trying to point out is that there are colors that are probably going to do a better job than the ones I'm warning you to avoid wearing. So, leaving very fair skin, let's go over to the fair skin guy. In that case, he's going to want to avoid bright orange, pale yellow, and very dark shades of most colors. And by the way, when it comes to skin tones that are one degree of separation away, you would probably want to listen to this advice as well. Because the reality is very dark shades, I know a lot of situations in which a guy with light colored skin, very light colored skin would want to wear something like this. I mean, maybe you're going to a wedding and you got to wear that tux. Again, I'm not saying you can't wear it, I just want you to be aware that those really dark colors can wash you out. So, instead of wearing that black rental, can you talk to your buddy about you wearing your charcoal gray tux that makes you look amazing? So, what about if you've got light skin? So, the colors you're going to want to avoid are going to be gold, tan, and definitely bright red. What about for the medium skin guy? So, he's going to want to avoid the neon brights, pale pastels, and very dark browns. Now, this guy can still wear a pastel, but he wants to avoid the really pale ones. The ones that look almost white, they're going to just pull color out of his skin and they're not going to complement him as well. Now, what about the guy with olive skin? So, this guy wants to be careful with the color green. Mustard yellow is going to do him no favors. And the caramel or walnut browns, he needs to be careful with because they won't give enough contrast between the skin. Now, what if you've got brown skin? The colors you want to avoid here are going to be black, dark purple and browns, and very pale pastels. The guy that's got dark or deep colored skin, it turns out it's very similar. He wants to be careful, again, with the color black, the dark browns, and dark greens. And, again, the very light very muted pastels. So, what's the deal with black? Why do you need to be careful with it whenever you've got darker colored skin? Well, the reality is in certain situations like black tie, I think it can look really good, but it can also be overpowering or too harsh especially in a non-formal situation or where you don't have black next to a white shirt. The same thing with those shades of purples, of brown, of green. They're just too dark, they work with the skin. Instead of going with shades, maybe you want to go with tints. All right. Let's talk about the colors that will make these skin tones look amazing. First up, for very fair skin, these three colors are the ones you want to gravitate towards. First up, we've got salmon. This is going to be a red tint. What's great about salmon is it's so flattering for very light fair skin. There's not a lot of colors that can do this, but salmon just works so well with this complexion. If you can find shirts in salmon, this is going to look so good with your complexion. Next up, we've got light blue, specifically powder blue. Now, most men are going to look good in a variation of blue, but the key right there is finding the variation. And for this very light skin tone, you want to go for this one here that's not going to overpower your complexion. Again, perfect for casual shirts, dress shirts, even a sports jacket. Next up, we've got a soft pink, specifically light pink. It's gentle, it's warm, and it adds a nice flush of color. Next up, for the fair skin, man. First up, we've got Indian red. What I love about this color is it's muted, it's warm, and it works really well for this particular complexion. Next up, we've got coral pink. It's a warm pink with just a hint of orange that gives, again, a really healthy complexion to your skin. That's what we're looking to do here, find colors that make your skin glow. Next up, let's go over to the green hue. Specifically, we're going to go with the medium sea green. So, this color is really unique and what I like about it is it provides just enough contrast, but of course, it's not overpowering. And, gents, again, as a reminder, I'm giving you a guide. You can say to hell with any of this, you can wear whatever you want. What I would recommend is try out some of these colors I'm recommending because I want you to find something just you wouldn't have noticed until you put it up next to your face. All women are conditioned to do this. They go out, I've got dollars. Whenever they're out grabbing a dress, they put it up right next to their face because they want to see how it makes their face glow. I want you to be able to find colors like this that just work for you that make you feel like a million bucks that help give you the confidence to go out there and change the world. Next up, we've got the light colored skin, man. The colors that are going to work for him. First up, we've got pale green. So, this is a light fresh color that works especially well in the spring and summer. Next up, we've got peach. This is a soft warm hue that compliments light skin with its subtle inviting warmth. Next up, we've got a soft lavender. Specifically, the color is thistle. This is a muted lavender that is a unique color and it works really well with light skin. What I love about this one is it's going to help you stand out from the crowd without looking like you're trying too hard. All right. So, for the guys with the medium skin tone, the first color here is yellow green. Now, this is a bright and lively shade of green that really does a great job of enhancing your skin tone. It brings out the warmth and it's a unique color that can help you stand out from the crowd. Next up, we've got one of my favorite colors, amber. This is a rich warm yellow that enhances your natural skin warmth. Next up, let's go over to the blue hue. Specifically, medium turquoise. Now, this is a really vibrant color. It's got that blue green mix and this is going to stand out against your skin. And, again, what we're looking for in the colors I'm talking about here are ones that you can wear. Not every guy can pull off this color, but you can. And, by the way, gents, don't forget, down in the description of today's video, I'm linking over to that article to that e-book that actually is going to have 25 colors for every skin tone. Sorry, I couldn't put it all into one video. That would have been like a two-hour video. Yeah. All right. For the next skin tone, olive skin, the first color we've got here is the dark sea green. Now, this is a muted green that really works well with the yellow undertones we normally see in your skin tone. Another color that works for you in the brown hue is going to be a dark tan. We're talking a bronze. This is a deep warm brown that harmonizes with your natural colors. After that, we've got a unique gray tone which is known as pale taupe. Now, if you can find this color in a suit, it's going to look really good on you. But, this color right here, it's a classic gray with a warm undertone that works really well for that olive skin without washing it out. Now, what about for the brown skin tone, gentlemen? For you, my friend, look to the color crimson. Now, this is a deep vibrant red that stands out against brown skin. If you've got the courage to wear this, this provides a rich striking contrast and I guarantee you're going to get compliments. Next up, let's go over to the green hue, specifically the color emerald. This is a deep vibrant green that provides a stunning contrast with your skin. And, again, most men cannot pull off this color. You can. Now, this next one is in the red orange hue and we're talking the color rust. Don't let the name put you off. It's an absolutely beautiful color and it's going to be a bit more muted than the other ones we talked about. And that deep orange red, it's going to accentuate your natural skin tone and just make your skin glow. Now, what about for the man that's got dark, you've got deep colored skin? Well, you, my friend, are descended from royalty because the hue you can wear, the one that looks great on you is one that very few men can pull off and that is gold. Now, this is a luxurious bold color that is incredibly striking. You got to be careful, don't wear it all the time. But, when you want to get compliments, you want to stand up from the crowd, you want to just make your skin pop. Gold is a color you want to gravitate towards. Now, over in the blue hue, you could look at royal blue. This is a bright deep blue that pops against that dark colored skin. All that being said, if you know your history, the true color of royalty because it was one of the hardest colors to produce is going to be out of the purple hue. And that color is dark violet. And, seriously, gents, if you don't know the story, so the Greeks, I believe they had to kill thousands of these like sea snails to be able to get this particular purple color. And it was toxic and people – it was very expensive to get this color into their clothing. And thank goodness, we don't have those issues anymore, but this color still makes you look amazing because this deep intense purple, it looks regal, luxurious, especially against dark and deep skin tones. Now, guys, really quick, a lot of guys make a mistake. They think that just watching a video like this on YouTube is somehow going to make them an expert. Straight up, gents, you have to take this information and put it into action. And one of the best ways to motivate yourself to take action is to put yourself in a community, in a group of like-minded warriors taking steps to improve their image, their presence, their presentation. And you can find all of that over at our community at Skool.com. Over in our Skool community, we've got detailed classes, we host challenges, and you can meet and engage with like-minded men taking steps on a daily basis to become their best self. So, gents, instead of saying someday, how about you say day one and join our community? I'm putting the link down in the description in the comments or you can just go directly to Skool.com. The base of your wardrobe, you've got your foundational colors. White, black, navy blue, light gray, beige, light blue, tan, olive green. For most men, these base colors are going to make up over 70% of your wardrobe. This isn't a bad thing. In fact, it makes your wardrobe more versatile, more interchangeable. Now, beyond the base, we have accent colors. These are going to be colors that you like, ones that work for you and your skin tone, colors that are perhaps in season or maybe fashionable. Now, in general, I like to keep my accent colors with items that I do replace my wardrobe every few years. Shirts being the most common example. Don't be afraid to pick them up in your trousers or even in a casual jacket. So, colors like Atlanticum, a darker blue suitable for casual and polished looks. Sierra, a warm rust-like color that adds an earthy element. Plum, a deep rich purple that provides a unique stylish option. Sage, a soft green that adds a fresh earthy touch to your wardrobe. Tuscan, a warm earthy tone ideal for natural relaxed looks. Dusky graphite, a muted sophisticated gray. Mediterranean, a vibrant blue reminiscent of the sea. Pacific blue, a deep blue that can be dressed up and dressed down. Shoreline, another light refreshing blue perfect for evoking the feeling of the beach. Tea leaf, a soft muted green. Ice, a crisp cool light blue with a gray tint. Clay, a warm earthy orange red. Coast, a deep vibrant blue. Cast iron, a dark modern gray. Iron navy, a dark sophisticated navy blue. Petrel, a dark blue green. Forest, a deep green that's incredibly versatile. Stone, a versatile neutral gray. And, of course, pink, soft, trendy, and adding a pop of color. Now, gents, that's a lot of colors, I know. First up, you don't need too many to make a big difference in your wardrobe. Add two to five of these colors to your wardrobe this summer, all of a sudden, you're going to be stepping it up. Let's talk about monochromatic looks, tonal dressing. In this case, you pick one particular hue. Maybe you want to go with browns, maybe you want to go with grays, maybe navy. In this case, from head to toe, you can change it up with the shoes, just go with a brown or a white or a black. Yeah, everything else is going to be shades of that color or the same shade, but you're using different textures. For guys that want to keep it simple, for a guy that wants to lean up his look, this is a great option for you. Grays are a non-color and pretty much any color of gray works with any other similar shade of gray. Navy is another great option. And, again, when it comes to that footwear, it works with either brown or black, so you got options there. Now, what if you want something a little bit stronger, something that stands out? Look to complementary color combinations. If you remember your color wheel, complementary colors look like this. They fit right over there and you don't have to get this exact. And you do want to hold the items up next to each other, maybe even post over in our free group, you know, what do you guys think of this combination right here? But, yeah, if you do this right, you can all of a sudden you can take navy, mix it in with rust, maybe take olive and mix it in with a burgundy. And just remember, with the rest of the outfit, with the rest of the items, keep them in neutrals. Keep those things simple and let that color combination do the talking for you. Next up, let's talk about keeping color palettes restrained. You can actually have three layers in one color that's neutral and it can still look really good. A lot of guys think though they need to bring in bright colors. Have one piece that pops. And if you're going to do it, I like it where it's a lower level piece that you don't see a whole lot of. You can wear a shirt, maybe even the sweater if you're going to wear a jacket over that. And that way, it brings a bit of pop. But, remember, gents, style, it's not about bright colors, it's not about even standing out from the crowd. No, it's about wearing clothing that accentuates your natural features and helps you look your best. And the reality is for most guys, classic neutrals are where it's at. So, of all the colors we've talked about so far in this list, red is probably the most powerful. That being said, don't think that you can overdo it. It's actually best kind of like a spice. You just want to add a bit to the food and it's going to bring out the flavor versus if you put too much in there, it just overpowers and all of a sudden you look like a clown. Maybe you look for a red polo, maybe a red pair of chinos you can have fun with if you're a younger guy or an older guy that just wants to bring in a classic look with, you know, a blue navy blazer. Point being is you can find little areas to bring in red besides the accent pieces. Now, what about gold? What about silver? What about jewelry? Actually, if you check out this video right here, I talk about necklaces. Should a man wear them? How should a man wear them? Go check it out. It is a solid one. If you enjoyed today's video, you will love this one. Boom, right here. Oh, yeah.