By: Eze Ugochinyere
What is a Color Board in Fashion?
Have you ever wondered if your mood influences the colors you choose to wear on a particular day?
You might be gloomy and, subconsciously, you opt to wear darker and cooler colored outfits or maybe the reverse—brighter and sharper colored outfits—as a way to coax your brain into improving your mood.
Does this sound familiar? If yes, then let's journey into the psychology of colors and how this plays out in the outfits we choose to wear.
We'll begin this journey by first describing what a Color Board is. A color board or palette, according to Adobe, is a tool that assists in conveying the mood of your fashion idea and creating a consistent theme across the board.
Since you're not a fashion designer, you might think this doesn't relate to you but here's how a color board can work for everyday individuals like you.
A color board is a collection of colors that work together to create a specific look or mood. So whenever you choose a magenta, sleeveless dress, paired with a black kimono and black scarf, know that you are creating a color board.
Psychology of Colors: How Colors Affect Your Mood
You might feel like there's no thought behind why you gravitate towards certain colors when you're going to brunch versus an important business meeting, but research tells us otherwise.
History tells us that human beings have always used colors to communicate status, power, grief, and other emotions. Ancient Egypt used the color blue to portray royalty and divinity due to its rarity and labor-intensive process to produce it.
This historical use of color psychology continues today, showing up in how we dress for different moods and occasions.
Even today, despite the availability of a wide array of colors, we still use specific colors to provoke certain psychological responses. Through this, humans have utilized clothes and colors to develop their style and identity.
According to the world's first fashion psychologist, Dawnn Karen, there are three concepts when it comes to the interaction between mood and fashion.
The first concept is the Mood Illustration Dress—Dressing to perpetuate your current mood.
The second concept is the Mood Enhancement Dress—Dressing to optimize your mood.
Lastly, the Repetitious Wardrobe Complex—Wearing the same outfit to maintain your mood.
Simply put, we use colors to prolong a certain mood (as seen in the use of black to mourn death), to optimize your current mood (the use of yellow to brighten your mood), or repeat a similar outfit like wearing a black suit every day to work to maintain increased productivity.
Psychology of Colors: How Colors Affect Your Mood
The understanding of the concepts mentioned earlier confirms that color does in fact matter, and our psyche is readily influenced by the colors we choose to wear on any given day.
Now let's explore different colors and their relationship with our moods and psyche.
Red Color Psychology: Power and Confidence
Red is mainly associated with elevated emotions like passion, love, anger, power, and danger—both positive and negative expressions of emotions.
Studies show that wearing red can actually increase your heart rate slightly and boost adrenaline, making you feel more energized and alert. This physiological response is why athletes often wear red; it can enhance performance and intimidate opponents. It is also why it's predominantly used for warning and danger signs.
Red grabs attention, and it’s a brilliant choice for situations where you want to put yourself in the spotlight and draw everybody’s attention towards yourself. Wearing Red tells people that you're assertive, confident, and you mean business!
Blue Color Psychology: Calm and Trust
Blue has the opposite effects of the color red. It is associated with feelings of calm, peacefulness, serenity, trustworthiness, friendliness, honesty, truth, wisdom, independence, and kindness.
Blue actually has a calming physiological effect. It can lower blood pressure and reduce feelings of anxiety. This is why so many bedrooms are painted blue, and why it's the most commonly cited "favorite color" worldwide. Our brains are hardwired to find it soothing.
Wearing blue can be soothing to both the wearer and those around them. It's ideal for situations where you want to exude professionalism and create a sense of trust, clarity, and logic.
Dear Old Mina and Flawless in Blue Color
Yellow Color Psychology: Joy and Energy
You know how bright colors can improve gloominess? Yellow is the perfect color to uplift your mood, as the color yellow increases serotonin production in the brain.
There's a reason we associate yellow with sunshine and warmth. Psychologically, yellow mimics the effects of natural light, which is why it can be particularly effective during gray winter months or on days when you're feeling sluggish. Some studies even suggest that yellow can improve memory and concentration, making it an excellent choice for creative work or studying.
It's the best choice for you if you want to break up the monotony in your life and bring a sense of joy or increased focus.
Use yellow strategically; excessive use might be a little too overwhelming for you and those around you. Think of yellow as a highlighting tool—you wouldn't highlight an entire page, just the important parts.
Green Color Psychology: Balance and Renewal
There's no other color that is seen in abundance like the color green. It's all around us—nature's favorite color. This is why green is associated with luck, fertility, safety, wealth, and being grounded.
Green is the only color that requires no adjustment from the human eye to process. When you look at green, your eyes are literally in their most relaxed state because green light sits in the middle of the visible spectrum. This is why surgeons wear green scrubs—it reduces eye strain and helps them focus for extended periods.
Physiologically, green has been shown to reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which is why it's the color to represent wellness and renewal.
Consider the environment you're going into; sage green and neon green would have different connotations to people, depending on their age and sensibilities.
Green can be the best choice for creating an impression of calm and balance, especially in settings where well-being and environmental consciousness are valued.
Voom in Green Color
Black Color Psychology: Power and Sophistication
You know that color you pick when life gets serious—whether it's for a job, you're feeling sad, or you're part of the edgy crowd. You're right if you said black.
Black has both positive and negative expressions. In the positive light, it's associated with power, mystery, luxury, seriousness, and intelligence.
On the flip side, it's the color most cultures use when grieving the loss of a loved one. As the heading suggests, black is a very serious color.
Research shows that wearing black can increase feelings of self-confidence and authority, but it can also intensify existing negative emotions. If you're already feeling sad or withdrawn, black's heavy, absorbing quality can amplify those feelings rather than lift them. If you're feeling down and still want black's polish, try breaking it up with warmer or brighter accent pieces.
However, when you're in a neutral or positive state, black's psychological weight translates to feelings of power, control, and sophistication.
Black also creates a visual slimming effect by absorbing light rather than reflecting it, which is why it's often chosen by people seeking to appear more streamlined and commanding.
Black is both a timeless and sophisticated color that pairs well with every color. So whenever you want to make a serious impression at work, this is the color you should go for.
White Color Psychology: Purity and Minimalism
White is the symbol of neutrality and purity. Throughout history and today, white is used to represent religious figures as it shows the absence of impurities and faults.
White reflects all wavelengths of visible light, making it the brightest color our eyes can process. This high reflectivity creates a sense of openness and spaciousness, which is why white walls make rooms feel larger and why white clothing can feel fresh and liberating.
Physiologically, white can have an energizing effect similar to natural daylight exposure. It promotes feelings of cleanliness and mental clarity. This is why white is associated with the minimalist trend, and it conveys that you're an organized and put-together person.
White's reflective properties also mean it absorbs heat less than darker colors, making it physically cooler to wear in warm climates.
It is a versatile color that combines beautifully with other colors and is suitable for any occasion.
The only downside? White shows everything. Skip it for rainy days or active outings, and save your white pieces for occasions where keeping them pristine is manageable.
How to Build Your Personal Color Board
Creating a color board for your wardrobe doesn't require a fashion degree—just a bit of self-reflection and strategic planning. Here's how to get started:
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Step 1: Assess Your Lifestyle and Goals
Think about your daily life. Are you mostly in professional settings, casual environments, or a mix of both? Do you want to project confidence, approachability, or creativity? Your lifestyle should guide your color choices.
For example, if you work in a corporate environment, you might build a color board around navy blues, blacks, and whites with pops of red for important presentations. If you're in a creative field, you might incorporate more greens, yellows, and unexpected color combinations.
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Step 2: Identify Your Mood Goals
Refer back to Dawnn Karen's three concepts: Are you looking to enhance your mood, illustrate it, or maintain it?
If you struggle with low energy in the mornings, consider adding more yellows and warm tones to your morning outfits. If you need to feel more grounded throughout the day, incorporate more greens. If you want to project authority at work, make black and red your foundational colors.
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Step 3: Choose 3-5 Core Colors
Select three to five colors that will form the foundation of your wardrobe. These should work well together and align with both your lifestyle and emotional goals.
A versatile color board might include:
Black (for sophistication and versatility)
White (for freshness and pairing options)
Blue (for calm professionalism)
One accent color like red, yellow, or green, depending on your personality.
At StrivingforModesty, you could build a powerful color board around pieces like The Boss in black or Like Kilode in white as your foundation piece, paired with Dear Old Mina in blue for calming days, and HighlightHer in yellow when you need an energy boost.
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Step 4: Consider Color Combinations
Your colors should work harmoniously together. Here are some foolproof combinations:
Classic Professional: Black + White + Navy Blue
Energetic & Confident: Red + Black + White
Calm & Balanced: Blue + Green + White
Creative & Joyful: Yellow Accents + Blue
Sophisticated & Bold: Black + Red + Gold accents
Test your combinations by laying pieces next to each other. They should feel cohesive, not chaotic.
For instance, pairing Jealous Me in Deep Red with gold accessories creates a striking, powerful combination, while Dear Old Mina's blue tones pair beautifully with white accessories like a jersey hijab--Flora My Flawa—for a serene, polished look.
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Step 5: Build Gradually
You don't need to overhaul your entire wardrobe overnight. Start with one or two key pieces in your chosen colors, then gradually add complementary items.
These foundational pieces can be mixed and matched with accessories and layers in your other chosen colors.
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Step 6: Test and Adjust
Wear your color combinations and pay attention to how you feel. Do certain colors genuinely lift your mood? Do others make you feel more confident? Are there colors that consistently make you feel uncomfortable or drained?
Your color board should evolve with you. What works in one season of life might not work in another, and that's perfectly okay.
Conclusion
Fashion has always used color to feel good and communicate your mood without saying a word.
Whether you're channeling calm with blues, commanding attention in red, or projecting confidence in black, your color choices are working for you psychologically and socially.
The next time you open your closet, pause and ask yourself: What mood am I in? What do I want to feel? What do I want to project? Your outfit is more powerful than you think.
At Striving For Modesty, we've curated collections that help you harness the psychology of color—from the serene blues of Dear Old Mina to the commanding presence of The Boss.
Ready to dress with intention? Explore our full collection at www.StrivingforModesty.com.