You might’ve read a bit on color theory, a “collection of rules and guidelines which designers use to communicate with users through appealing color schemes in visual interfaces,” once in your lifetime. Maybe in an art class or just in passing on a pamphlet, but the study of color is much more useful than we know. Black women, in particular, know of the disparities in resources when it comes to mental health. Sometimes, because of the ways we show up for others and at work, it’s undetectable that a Black woman would be struggling with depression. Most Black women will go undiagnosed with high-functioning depression, which often is often swept under the rug because you’re still able to do all the things you need to. It’s like being on auto-pilot. All of your trauma gets repressed, and you move on with a ubiquitous feeling of being kind of off your game.
You might be finding it difficult to focus, even on the things you enjoy doing. It’s an odd experience that can sometimes be hard to explain because you’ve probably always looked like you had it all together. Well, if you’re not ready to go to therapy just yet, but love to explore fashion as a outlet, maybe color theory can be a resource of some sort. Certain colors have been studied, and from research, it’s been said that they can boost your mood to an extent. Even the color of light can affect your Circadian Rhythm, aka, your sleep cycle.
Let’s dive into what colors you could incorporate into your everyday wardrobe to hopefully boost your mood. Color theory and color psychology, the study of how popular colors affect one’s mood, and color therapy, all go hand-in-hand.
Red
In color therapy, the color red has “helped patients release negative emotions and lingering anger.” It’s also a color that can evoke high energy. If you’ve found yourself in a slew of days just passing you by and not feeling interested in anything, try incorporating more red into your wardrobe. Holding onto those feelings and not letting them out is truly the worst thing you can do to your body. Trust me, I know. Release with red. Seen on the runways at Ferragamao and Valentino this past season.
Yellow
Yellow has always been synonymous with sunshine for me. I remember drawing sunsets as a child and always having to put a big yellow sun in the corner. Yellow is a huge mood-boosting color full of vibrance that can make you feel more optimistic and energized. Throw on something yellow just to test it out if you’re not much of a color person. You might be able to feel a difference in the mundanity of your day. Seen at Ferragamo.
Light Blue
Lighter hues of blue often psychologically give us a comforting feeling, while darker hues can cause feelings of loneliness. This is why doom scrolling is so detrimental to all of our mental health. There are thousands of people in one space but it’s still isolating. A blue light reflecting back us from the screen and all that content isn’t getting processed properly. Lighter hues might offer you a feeling of serenity. Seen at Fendi.
Purple
Shades of purple, like lavender, have always been associated with stress relief, while darker shades can help with feeling creative. Wearing purple while trying to ideate for projects or even during finals week could improve some of those areas. Seen at Rick Owens and McQueen this past F/W 23′ season.
Green
This is my personal favorite color. In every shade! Green is all about rejuvenation, new life, and growth. Wearing green and even surrounding yourself in nature with many natural hues of green can be such an uplifting experience. It can be a grounding method through feelings of anxiety and energizing through bouts of depression. Seen at Bottega.
