Assumptions based on colour preferences (NOT skin colour)

[TamiTayorismyparentingguru]

Do you make assumptions about a person based on their colour preferences?

For example:

• Girl whose favourite colour was pink - pink bedroom, clothes, accessories etc
• Boy whose favourite colour was pink (as above)
• 16yr old whose favourite colour was black (as above)
• 30yr old who always wore purple as their “signature colour” (channelling my inner Elle Woods there!)
• 40yr old who always chose to write in blue - never black
• 50yr old who dyed their hair green

Would you make assumptions based on the colour? Do you think the choice of colour preference tells you something about that person/their personality? Does the sex or age of the person affect any assumptions you make?

I’m NOT a journo btw - just curious.

I feel like there is a big push away from pink being an acceptable colour choice for girls - in the (much needed) drive for gender neutrality, pink has become synonymous with weak/wishy-washy/frivolous.

Similarly I feel like a preference for black is often seen as either boring or depressive. Maybe some people just like black! (I have no idea if there is actually a scientific reasoning behind any of this by the way)

Anyway - just curious to hear your thoughts

Pink used to be a boys colour in Victorian times, so I suppose it's a trend thing- fashions change.
I don't care what colours people like/wear, as I only wear colours I like.

I'm drawn to people who wear a lot of black, as often I see them as a kindred spirit. They're more likely to be a Goth or rock music/heavy metal fan. (I wear a lot of black myself.) Black represents a certain moodiness, but also not giving a damn about what others think of you.

People who wear those grey tracksuits I think of as having given up on life, they (the outfit) just look awful, whereas grey things in nice fabrics I see as elegant and sophisticated.

I see people who favour earthy warm tones as being a bit hippyish, pastels girly, jewel tones as being confident, and neon colours as being fearless.

I love seeing older women who dye their hair bright colours, I think they rock!

Pink is just another colour, but if I saw someone who wore it constantly I'd wonder what they were hiding underneath all that pink, as my thoughts immediately go to Professor Umbridge!

Agree about the black. That signals a kindred spirit to me. Other than that I don't really care or notice what anyone else wears tbh. The only thing my inner self ever comments on is women tottering around shopping centres, school runs etc in massive heels. I can't and don't want to wear heels and so I think they must be in pain all the time. Clearly they're not or they wouldn't wear them but doesn't stop me judging!

50yo with green hair - aging hippy

40yo writing in blue - wouldn't even notice (I write in blue it is a nicer colour to me and stands out when making annotations on a printed piece of work)

30yo in purple - oh she always looks good in that colour

16yo in black - not unusual for a teen - would think shame they don't wear colour, must be depressing for them

girl in pink - oh, pink, AGAIN

boy in pink - that's unusual, good for him.

I tend to wear navy rather than black - it seems more subtle to me and I have always had an aversion to standing out. It’s the same reason, I think, that I never wear red. (In fact - I can’t think of a single item of red clothing I have ever had). I can identify with the PP who said that wearing black signifies someone who doesn’t care what others think. (Or maybe they care too much and black is safe?

I think that I also (unconsciously) see people who wear red as vetu confident.

I also think there’s something about purple - I don’t quite know what it is. Almost like someone who favours purple thinks of themselves as being a bit of a rebel/a bit out there/a bit unique. I have no idea why I think that. (And my favourite ink colours are purple and green because of the way they stand out on the page.)

I really don't think anything of it. Especially when it's about clothing-that is often determined by what looks best on people. I wear a lot of black purely because it suits me best.

Same with purple. I definitely don't see anything unique about it. It just suits my colouring best (and my husbands and both my children).

Black is a funny one, to my mind.
It used to be the colour of mourning so when the youth (beatniks) started wearing it as fashion it was shocking (which was the intent, of course). So black became a bit rebellious and out-there. Except that, 50/60 years on, any shock value is long gone and it is now a bit tame and safe; it's your go-to when you are out of ideas. MN's standard workwear is black-trousers-and-a-top. Nuff said!

It depends on the outfit too.

Black velour catsuit on a 5ft 10 size 10 21 yo woman with pristine hair and makeup has a different affect to me, 36, size 228, no make up, comfy shoes and hair in a mum bun wearing one. Or a 76 yo woman wearing it with trainers in a size too big with holes in it.

Effect. me, size 18

I always used to wear black because I felt I could hide away a bit in it. I know a couple of others like this too, it’s a safe colour and you don’t stand out.

When my MIL pointed out I always wore black, I got worried about standing out for that reason so now I wear ‘safe’ colours of blue and grey amongst the black.

Size 228 😂 - that’s where I’m headed if I don’t get off my backside and move! I don’t think I’d ever wear a velour tracksuit mind you - no matter what colour it was!

Colins - I tend to think of blue and grey as more subtle/less stand-outy than black too hence why I see people who wear black as more confident than me.

Most of these I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at.

Children can like whatever colour - I don’t care neither does anyone else. My DS wears about as much pink as his sister.

A 16 yo in black is just being 16? Surely nothing at all unusual about that?

Purple as signature colour. Depends quite how much purple and whether it was always head to toe and the same shade.

Someone who wore lots of purple in different shades and among other colours I probably wouldn’t even notice. Lots of people have a favourite colour.

Head to toe and always the same shade I might vaguely think was a little quirky.

Blue pen - who cares or would even notice.

Green hair? Not that unusual now surely. I live in a terribly middle class naice town and I have 3 friends who regularly dye their hair bright colours. They like to stand out and they like the attention their hair brings. I’ve never heard anyone being critical, not even the elderly church ladies.

No, not really. Unless they are wearing colours that clash.

I just don't really think of it except 'that's a beautiful dress' or 'those trainers really go with his bright blue eyes' etc.

I love bright hair on older women. I always wanted to dye my hair a bright colour but never bothered (it's dark so would be a faff) and now I'm at an age where I'm afraid I'd never get my natural colour back properly if I tried it. The second I go grey I'm doing it! I'd admire it.

I don't like pink much so I might think 'yuk' if there was a lot of pink but not much else. On a boy I might think 'good for him' for not caring what people think (depending on age).

Teens - as far as I'm concerned anything goes. I would think nothing in particular of a teen wearing all black.

Not sure I'd think anything of purple on someone in their 30s either (tbh I'm not sure what you're expecting people to think about this - it is unusual?)

The only colours that I 'judge' in clothing are light/white/pastels - they always seem very impractical to me - more decorative than useful. I might also assume that the person wearing them is much better at keeping clean that I am (white trousers - just how?!)

It’s not specifically someone in their 30s in purple - that was just an example. (I do think that some colours are maybe accepted more/or thought of differently depending on the age of the person wearing them.)

I actually think purple isn’t that common a colour - certainly compared to blue, green, red, pink, black, grey - maybe that’s what it is - I always think it stands or because it’s not as common.