Does the colour of your lingerie really matter?
Have you ever noticed yourself leaning towards certain colours to set the mood? Well that’s all down to a clever thing called colour psychology. Colour psychology is the scientific study of how colours impact human behaviour. It explores in detail how each shade affects moods, thoughts, and physiological reactions. Though the effects of different colours vary across cultures, researchers have identified some significant associations.
If we apply colour psychology to lingerie, it’s possible that the colours we wear can affect the mood in the bedroom, influencing desire and intimacy both for ourselves and our partners. Let’s take a closer look!
The effects of lingerie colour on mood and emotions
Pink: Compassion, sincerity, femininity, sweetness
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A mix between red’s passion and white’s purity, pink symbolises sweetness and compassion. It’s a sign of good health, hence the sayings “in the pink” and “everything is rosy”, and is also associated with passivity, which is why some sports teams paint their opponents' locker rooms pink in an effort to reduce their assertiveness prior to a big game.
If you’re feeling soft and sweet, pink lingerie is a great choice. It can set the mood for tender moments and sweet connections and can even help you play around with bedroom power dynamics!
Red: Passion, energy, romance, strength
Onto the fiery temptress – red! This intense colour has more psychological and emotional connections than any other colour in the spectrum. It’s associated with passion and love (which explains why it’s the traditional colour of Valentine’s Day), but it’s also associated with power.
Interestingly, a 2008 study deduced that men found women dressed in red to be more sexually attractive than women dressed in blue and a more recent study (2015) found that being exposed to or wearing red can cause increased heart and respiration rates.
These associations could explain why wearing red lingerie can help women to feel more confident and sexually assertive. That being said, wearing this colour isn’t for the faint-hearted! We recommend choosing red lingerie when you want to set the bedroom ablaze with passion and excitement.
Purple: Luxury, wisdown, power, elegance
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Purple is an enchanting colour with both cool and warm properties. It has numerous shades which are often named after parts of nature, such as violet, lilac, lavender and plum. Purple is strongly associated with royalty, which stems from the fact that purple dye used to be extremely expensive, and it also symbolises ambition and success.
These associations bring a sense of power and luxury and can help the purple lingerie wearer to exude authority in the bedroom. Whether you're going for a lighter, flirty shade or a deep, luxurious hue, the power of purple is undeniable!
Black: Authority, mystery, sophistication, intelligence
Technically, black isn’t a colour, it’s a shade. But black underwear is sold more than any other underwear colour in stores like John Lewis and M&S, so we thought it was important to include it in our discussion. Black is sleek, timeless and flattering (some even say that black makes them look slimmer) and it’s associated with authority and sophistication, which explains black tie events!
Let’s face it; black lingerie is undeniably sexy. It doesn’t matter whether that’s due to power associations or the fact that black lingerie wraps the wearer up in an air of mystery. We recommend wearing black lingerie if you’re on a mission to take control in the bedroom and leave a lasting impression.
Green: Nature, fertility, renewal, peace
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Let’s talk about green – the colour of nature, renewal and peace. It brings freshness with it whether it goes, and has a calming effect that has been found to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and even help to control insomnia and anger. In fact, it’s said that surgical scrubs are green because the colour is comforting to patients!
As a combination of blue and yellow, green is both calming and radiant, which makes green lingerie the perfect choice for optimists seeking inner peace and a fresh start!
Orange: Confidence, success, bravery, playfulness
Orange is a vibrant burst of energy often described as a happy and playful colour. In fact, a 2018 study found orange to be an exciting colour that could increase energy levels. Orange is often favoured in advertising for its eye-catching hue, so this is a great choice if you’re looking to be the centre of attention during an energetic night.
If you’re looking for lingerie to boost the mood and bring more fun to the bedroom, orange is your girl! It could bring you more confidence and success, and even help you and your partner be braver and try out new and exciting things.
Blue: Serenity, loyalty, trust, calm
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According to a survey of 10 countries, blue is the world’s favourite colour, particularly for men. In love and relationships blue actually symbolises loyalty, explaining the tradition of brides wearing "something blue" on their wedding day. Like soft ocean waves or a bright summer sky, this colour is sure to evoke feelings of calmness and relaxation.
We recommend choosing blue lingerie if you want to set a relaxed mood and communicate commitment and tranquillity to your partner. It’s a colour that will make everyone in the room feel more comfortable!
White: Purity, innocence, tenderness, new beginnings
Like black, white is a shade and not a colour, but it’s a popular choice for women who wear lingerie. In Western cultures, white traditionally represents purity and innocence, hence its lasting association with ceremonies like weddings and angelic motifs in artwork. Like a fresh layer of snow, a fresh white set of lingerie sparkles and can really set off the natural glow of your skin.
In design, white is used as a neutral background to allow other colours, objects, and textures to take centre stage. This makes white lingerie a great option for those who want to make their features the main attraction… It complements rather than distracts!
Wearing white lingerie is a great way to start fresh and celebrate the beauty of simplicity. In white lingerie, you can let your natural assets do all the talking…
Yellow: Fun, warmth, happiness, optimism
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Lastly, yellow – a high-energy colour associated with happiness. Yellow is widely seen as being bright, cheerful and great at attracting attention. It’s been described by colour psychology experts as epitomising pleasure due to its likeness to gold and honey, and has even been known to boost self-esteem and improve low moods!
We recommend choosing yellow lingerie if you’re looking for a ticket to joy and optimism – it’s the perfect choice for those who want to radiate positivity and embrace their playful side.
Does the colour of your lingerie influence sexual attraction?
If we apply colour psychology to lingerie then yes, absolutely! Each colour brings its own unique energy, influencing not just your mood but also the atmosphere in the bedroom and the thoughts and feelings of your partner.
Whether you're looking to feel luxurious in purple, sweet in pink or serene in blue, browse our colourful lingerie and corsets now and let your lingerie do the talking!
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