What is it about the color red that makes us think about love and sex?
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In a recent article published in Psychology Today, one professor explains that red is the ideal color to wear on a first date, citing recent studies. Researchers found that in non-human primate species, like baboons and chimpanzees, females would display red on their bodies when they were fertile and ready to mate. This red display would then increase attraction behavior in the male counterparts.
But are humans affected the same way by the color red when it comes to romance? In two different studies that tested whether men were more attracted to a woman in red, one experiment found that when given a choice, men were more likely to ask the woman in red more intimate questions than when the same woman was wearing a green shirt. And in a different study, men were more likely to position their chair closer to the woman’s, when they believed the woman they were meeting would be wearing red.
It looks like women can learn a thing or two from the baboons if we want to attract more men.
Not so fast.
Linda Lauren, a fourth-generation psychic medium, color & energy consultant, says the color red is the most misunderstood and that it is actually society, not the color, that makes us think red indicates romantic thoughts. History is what turned red into meaning love, sex and romance.
“The color red is an alert color; getting people to notice something,” says Lauren.
Imagine if a STOP sign were baby blue. Or, those “red flags” we’re suppose to pay attention to (and often don’t) in dating were periwinkle.
Lauren says that red was a common color displayed in brothels, which date back to ancient times. Red was used to signal, manipulate and invite men to engage in sex with available prostitutes. There’s a reason it’s called the “RED light district”. Later on, people began seeing red as the color of the heart, which was then linked to love and romance.
So what color should you really be wearing to attract a guy? It depends on the signal you want to send to him.
Lauren suggests wearing a lighter color of red, like pink or mauve, with a touch of white or black. Lighter colors indicate you are looking for romance and something long term. Black and white are boundary colors. Combined, you give the impression you’re inviting them in, but not all the way.
Now if you want to come off more mysterious, wear black with accents of red.
“This shows that the date is just an introduction and leaves them wanting more. It shows that you are kind of interested and that you are looking for someone, but you are selective,” says Lauren.
Blue is the color of communication. It symbolizes verbalization and that you want your words to be heard and felt, adds Lauren. This may be a good color choice for date number two.
Now, if it is sex you want, by all means wear red. Darker shades indicate you’re ‘hot-to-trot’ so to speak, says Lauren.
Have you noticed men reacting a certain way to you in a specific color? Share your thoughts below!
-Ashley M. Papa