What Color is Your Mood?

What if we lived in a world with no color? Can you imagine that? Yet we tend to take color for granted, because we don't process it on a thinking level. We like the colors we like and each person is unique in the colors they prefer.

One definition of color, from Wikipedia, describes is as a visual perceptual property. Color is produced when white light rays hit the retina of our eye. It is then interpreted by our brain.

Color can create emotions and psychological associations within us. We can be excited or calmed by color. Colors can have universal associations and symbolism. Different meanings are associated with color in different cultures. Colors can be political, religious and historical. They also have contemporary meanings connected to them.

Here is what researchers have found to be generally true for each color. I'll start a list here and add a color with each post. I'll also tell you what other meanings that colors have represented. Stop back frequently and find out what your favorite color means.

White is the complete absence of other colors. White is often associated with purity and innocence or sterility. White comes in many, many shades, but is used primarily as a background color. White is a popular color because it complements every other color.

A white flag is the universal symbol for a truce or surrender.

In China and Japan, white is a symbol of mourning.

Angels are always shown to be wearing white robes.

The ancient Greek people usually wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams.

Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns.

Ancient Persians belived that all the gods wore white.

We wear white when we are married because it is considered to be good luck to be married in a white garment.

White heat is a state of intense emotion: enthusiasm, anger, devotion, or passion.

A "white" knight is a rescuer.

Absolute zero visibility occurs during a "whiteout" in a blizzard.

"White lightening" is slang for moonshine.

A person who is evil on the inside, but seems to be good on the outside is called a "whited" sepulcher.

A "white" sale is a sale on linens, towels, and other bed and bath products.

In India, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka, a white elephant is rare and sacred to the people.

In America, a "white" elephant is an item or possession that costs more than it is worth and the owner doesn't want it but can't get rid of it.

We're running out of colors. Found yours yet?

Black is the mixture of all of the colors. Black is considered to be a sexy, masculine color by some, while others see it as a more somber and aloof color. Black creates a sense of intrigue or high drama. It has also been associated with authority and power on one hand, while on the other hand, some say that black indicates submission. We wear black to appear thinner, although there are fashion experts who claim that when a woman wears black, it is an indication of her submission to men. Black is used to highlight other colors and when used sparingly, the effect is quite elegant.

As we wear black today to signify mourning, the ancient Egyptians and Romans also wore black for mourning.

Black humor is morbid humor or gloomy and unhealthy humor.

Black is often associated with secrecy.

When a business is in the "black", that means that it is making money.

A black flag during a car race signals the driver to go to the pits.

A blackguard is a scoundrel.

The ancient Egyptians thought that black cats were endowed with divine powers.

A black sheep is an outcast.

To "blackwash" something is to uncover it or bring it out into the light.

A "blackhearted" person is an evil person.

A "blacklist" is a list of people or organizations to be boycotted or punished.

Black lung disease is a disease of coal miners that is caused by inhaling the coal dust.



Green is a symbol of nature and growth. It can also symbolize harmony and peace. It is a quiet and calm color that is used to induce relaxation. That's why it is used in waiting rooms for people who are going to appear on TV. Green is easy on the eye and can improve vision. In the Middle Ages, the brides wore green as a symbol of fertility (infoplease.com).

Seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show because they believe that it will bring bad luck (David Johnson, infoplease.com).

The flag of Libya is the only national flag that is a solid color: green.

Ancient Egyptians colored their temple floors green.

Green symbolized victory in ancient Greece.

People of the highlands of Scotland, wear green as a badge of honor.

Green is the national color of Ireland.

Greenback is a slang term for a dollar bill.

Green is one of my favorite colors. Have you seen yours yet? If not, keep coming back. I have a few more yet.

Water, ice and coolness. These words bring to mind the color blue.Blue is the psychological cool color. We think of the sky and the ocean when we think of blue. It is also associated with calmness, tranquility, serenity and introspection. Moonlight and spirit are embodied in the color blue. Blue is also a popular color for bedrooms as it is said to induce sleep. David Johnson writes that people are more productive in a blue room and studies have shown that weightlifters can lift heavier weights in blue gyms. He notes that since the color blue symbolizes loyalty, fashion consultants recommend blue attire when being interviewed for a job.

Here are some meanings that the color blue has represented throughout history (factmonster.com):

Blue was used to protect oneself from witches, as they are said to dislike the color.

Blue stands for love. That's why a bride carries or wears something blue.

Public servants wore blue in ancient Rome. Police and other public servants also wear blue uniforms today.

A bluebook lists socially prominent individuals.

If you are a bluenose, that means you are a strict and puritanical person.

Scholarly or highly educated women were called bluestockings.

The blues, a style of music originally derived from southern African-American songs, influenced the development of rock and roll, R&B and country music.

Blue laws enforce moral standards.

Blue was worn by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt to ward off evil.

Pretty colorful.

The color yellow is associated with sunlight, happiness and comfort. It is a vital color that has been connected to intellect, longevity, energy and concentration. However, yellow can be overpowering and it has been noted that babies cry more and people tend to lose their tempers more often in a yellow room.

Here are some interesting meanings from around the world (from Factmonster.com):

Yellow signifies mourning in Egypt and Burma.

In Spain executioners historically wore yellow.

In India, merchants and farmers are symbolized by the color yellow.

In 10th century France, they used to paint the doors of traitors and criminals yellow.

A yellow ribbon is a sign of support for our soldiers.

Yellow is a symbol of jealousy, deceit and cowardice.

To holistic healers, yellow means peace.

In the Middle Ages, actors who portrayed the dead wore yellow.

"Yellow journalism" refers to irresponsible, alarmist reporting.

Interesting, huh?

Red symbolizes fire, heat and excitement. We also associate red with DANGER! Red indicates passion and we often identify red as a power color. Psychologically, red is the dominant warm color. Designers use red as an accent color. From infoplease.com, David Johnson notes that seeing the color red can actually increase your heartbeat and your breathing. He also says that red clothing makes the person wearing it look heavier. He discourages the use of red clothing during negotiations or confrontations, due to its extreme emotionality.

Pink, which is a lighter shade of red, is more romantic and tranquil. It is also considered to be a more feminine and nurturing color. Pink is said to generate a sense of healing. It is popular in children's rooms.


Here are some interesting facts about the color red from factmonster.com:

Red signaled battle in ancient Rome.

The ancient Egyptians thought of themselves as a red race and would paint their bodies with red dye.

Red means beautiful to Russia. When the Bolsheviks overthrew the tsar in 1917, they used a red flag as their symbol and that is how red came to be the color of communism.

In India, red is used as the symbol of a soldier.

Red is the color for mourning in South Africa.

The Chinese use red as a holiday and wedding color. It is their color of good luck. They name their babies at a red-egg ceremony.

In Greece, red is also considered good luck and they dye eggs red at Easter.

People who are superstitious believe that the color red frightens the devil.

Red is one of the most common colors found in national flags.

A red herring moves attention away from the real issue at hand.

When we paint the town red, we are celebrating.

But, when we see red, we are often very angry.

We don't want to be in the red in business, though. We want to be making money rather than losing it.

How many did you know?

Purple, a dignified color, is associated with monarchy, meditation, spirituality and ritual. It is a regal color that also denotes wealth and sophistication. Purple can also be identified with darkness and intrigue as well. We usually associate the lighter shades, such as lavender or violet, with the feminine. They are good colors to use in bedrooms and libraries for the sense of solitude we attribute to these shades of purple.

Here are some interesting color facts about purple:

In Thailand, widows wear purple.

Cleopatra loved the color purple. She had servants soak 20,000 purpura snails for 10 days in order to obtain one ounce of purple dye.

The purple heart is given to soldiers as a military decoration. It is given to those who were wounded or killed in battle.

Purple speech is profane talk.

According to color theory, if you paint a child's room purple, you are helping to develop the child's imagination.

Purple prose is defined as writing that has much exaggerated literary effects.

Leonardo de Vinci meditated in purple light, as he believed that the power of meditation was increased greatly.

From factmonster.com.

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