The truth about colour

Dr Duff Watkins and Jean Woo
First published as ‘Hue are what you wear’ in Men’s Style Australia 2005

Once upon a time there were identical twins, both businessmen, both senior executives, both doing the same job in the same company. Both were well groomed and professional in appearance. But they dressed slightly differently and, as a result, one happy fellow found the doors of commerce swung open for him, while his hapless brother found the doors of commerce slammed shut. Why?

Upon hearing this precautionary tale, the first thing we’d conclude is that the culprit is colour. It’s a physiological fact: your brain reacts to certain colours in certain ways.

Our advice is:

1.  Darken up

The general rule in western cultures is that dark colours project greater authority. This is why you don’t see judges in pale grey gowns or policemen in lovely sky blue uniforms. You won’t see AC/DC perform in rich creamy colours nor will they ever cut an album entitled ‘Back in Beige’. In each case, the judge, cop and hard rock band would lose too much of the visual authority they currently enjoy.

In business wear, a dark navy or charcoal grey suit is a visually foolproof way of projecting seriousness and professionalism. Remember, there is great overlap between sartorial success and business success. It’s not that lighter colours make you less professional or competent; it’s just that dark colours buy you more time to establish your credentials and integrity.

2.  Beware of Mother Earth

Earth tones like brown and green should be called ‘rare earth’ tones because they require proper handling and storage. Too many published authorities simply write off the wearing of earthy colours as sartorial suicide or as a ‘career limiting move’. We, however, see it slightly differently. There are a tiny percentage of men who can wear the most chocolate of browns and the most forest of greens straight from the palette of Mother Earth. But this small group of men usually occupy the top echelons of the business world and wear suits that are painstakingly tailored into exquisite garb, which may only be purchased at heart-stopping expense.

Get the picture? Let’s put it this way: we once saw a photo of President Ronald Reagan meeting the Pope inside the Vatican. Reagan wore a brown suit, the Pope wore white. So when you become a head of state (preferably a nuclear superpower), you too can wear earth tones with impunity.

3.  Study the Spectrum

The further you deviate from conventional greys and navy blues, the better the quality of the fabric must be. This is especially true for the earth tones: beige, green, teals and the much maligned brown.

4.  Climate Correlation

The cooler the climate, the stronger the correlation between dark colours and great authority. But we live in the sunny, southern hemisphere, you say. Very true, we reply, but the Australian sense of business dress, etiquette, and style is historically and heavily imported from England, Italy, France and the US. Suffice it to say that there’s a reason why the standard western business attire, ie, a suit, is the international common standard when doing business around the globe.

5.  Final word

Use contrast to avoid the funereal look. A brightly coloured tie can resurrect even the gloomiest grey or deathly dark suit.

©2005 Duff Watkins, Jean Woo

Duff Watkins dw@execsearch.com.au is Director Asia/South Pacific of the Cornerstone International Group. His doctorate is in psychotherapy.

Jean Woo jean@personalbrand.com.au is Director of Personal Brand Management. Her first book is Executive Style: dress essentials for men and women. They are co-authoring Dress for Effect: secrets of sartorial splendour.