Fashion is very personal. We each have our own look and style. No wonder our friends sometimes say things like, “Girl, this color looks great on you!” Whoever received the compliment instantly feels better. They start smiling and beaming with joy, confident that the color spectrum has a particular shade meant just for them. 

But colors can also produce an emotional effect. Some colors can make us anxious and others produce a sense of calm.

I’ve noticed that every time I wear blue or green, not only do I feel more relaxed, but people in the office remark that my outfits are “fabulous” or “fetch” (just kidding, “fetch” never really happened). 

So, I decided to research the science behind shades and figure out the psychological responses we have to visual stimuli.

Color and light are of paramount importance when it comes to architecture and interior design. There is a lot of research on how the environment influences our well-being. When we have a headache, we often reach for a painkiller without a second thought. When people are stressed or in a bad mood and can’t quite concentrate, they are often ready to blame their managers or teachers, deadlines, picky clients, the weather, the incorrectly made latte, the full moon, and just about anything! They very rarely criticize the environment, which could actually be the root of the problem.

I know, it sounds a bit unlikely. I mean, is it really possible to feel more confident and stress-free while wearing a specific color, or is that all in people’s heads?

In his book “Color, environment and human response,” Frank Mahnke says that the human reaction to color is initially a psychological one but it can also result in a physiological reaction. Mahnke is a designer and the President of the International Association of Color Consultants/Designers (yes, that’s a thing that exists).

As for colors in fashion, he explained, “Every year or two new trends in color appear around the world in fashion and consumer products. In interior design and architecture color changes move more slowly. Color changes are necessary to adapt to the Zeitgeist, the spirit of a particular time; to guard against consumer boredom; and particularly to increase sales of certain products—especially in fashion and consumer goods.”

As a clothes addict, I confess that I feel good when I wear the color of the season. But on the days when I feel particularly anxious or stressed, I try my best to reflect and slow down. Or I listen to Miss Americana, AKA Taylor Swift, who echoes the inner struggle when she sings: “Like can you just not step on my gown? You need to calm down!”

But what if we could just wear a gown of a certain color that would make us calm down?    

In 1958, an American scientist, Robert Gerard, conducted a study and concluded that colors could affect blood pressure, levels of aggression, and appetite. He also revealed that the color red has stimulating effects and can make us anxious.

Blue, on the other hand, enhances calm.  Blue is also known to be the least appetizing color. That’s why some weight loss plans even recommend serving your food on a blue plate. The color can also lower the pulse rate and body temperature. It doesn’t stop there. Studies show that the color blue can ease infants and stop them from crying. Hint, hint to working moms!

Blue comes in handy for businesses, as well. Many businesses use blue in their advertising and marketing efforts in order to project a sense of security, orderliness, and reliability. And they paint their offices blue because it allegedly increases productivity.

Colors also have significant cultural connotations. In the Christian tradition, blue represents the heavens and the Word of God. Blue is also considered to be the color of God’s healing and grace.

Marc Chagall, an artist and pioneer of modernism, once said: “Color is all. When color is right, form is right. Color is everything, color is vibration like music; everything is vibration.”

So our fashion verdict is vibrant and clear: if you don’t want to feel blue, wear blue! It’s a great color to reduce tension. And on that note, here are LittlePinkTop’s top blue-colored picks from Zara.