this post is going to ruffle some feathers. take a look at your closets and list the colours. if you have only blacks, blues and greens, you need serious help (from The Online Editor maybe?). nah, i'm just kidding.
as you might guess, pink isn't a favorite of most men. blue, green, and black are generally the colours that men do like most. however, the colours men like for themselves and the colours they find attractive on women aren't necessarily the same. colours that are traditionally considered masculine colours or that appeal most strongly to or are more closely associated with men can be good choices for marketing messages, websites and interior designs targeting men. colour studies done over the years indicate that the favorite colours of men and women do differ. some of these differences in favorite colours may be attributed to cultural use of color and conditioning.
there are no hard and fast rules about what colours are masculine or feminine or gender-neutral. because colours come in many tints and shades, someone may love a rich, royal blue but strongly dislike a pale, sky blue so a preference for the colour blue doesn't mean that every shade of blue is universally appropriate. however, some generalizations are possible based on various colour studies.
men like the colour blue: blue is a favorite colour of both men and women of all ages. however, men have a much stronger preference for blue than women. it may be the calming effect of the color blue that makes it a popular colour for both men and women or it could be the association of some shades of blue with authority figures, intelligence, and stability. it's possible that men tend toward blue because they've noticed that women find men in blue attractive whether it's a blue uniform or a blue business suit. 'women... like their men to wear blue. they associate blue with reliability and dependability... women often desire to find a man who is going to be faithful and honest. the coloir blue reflects these qualities subconsciously.' — secrets of attraction two: colour
men like the colour green: a distant second to blue as a favorite colour of men, the colour green is cool, restful and signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment as well as balance and stability. while women favor cool, soft colours, men prefer brighter shades although they still show a preference for cool colours such as blue and green.
men like the colour black: men favour the colour black only slightly more than women. a strong preference for conservative colours such as blue and black may also reflect social and cultural norms where women wear the brighter, more varied colors while men's attire is traditionally less colourful.
colours men don't like: purple stands out as a feminine colour because it is chosen almost exclusively by women as a favorite colour and is strongly disliked by men. men are less likely to respond favourably to other feminine favourites such as lavender and turquoise. most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate colour, the colour for little girls. even though it is acceptable as a clothing colour for men, the colour pink has such strong negative associations for men that some uses of the colour may be considered insulting to men.
here's a little challenge that i would like to issue to every male reader: experiment with colours. go beyond blue, green and black. test out purple and pink!
fash'on... BAM!
