Thursday, October 22, 2009

Bold Color

What is it about orange that makes it a "bolder" color than the others? Bolder even than red. A field of pumpkins for example, is much more vibrant than a great pile of cucumbers or eggplant.

There's probably some optical reason.

In the absence of knowing what that might be, I dare to guess: orange arrives at the eye sooner than indigo? there's less orange in the typical background? it has some innate charisma?

My hope is that when I figure it out, I'll know something about forthrightness that I didn't know before.

My research turns up the following:
About.com says the color is mentally stimulating, less aggressive than red, sociable, and associated with change.

Color expert Kate Smith says orange is more controversial than any other color; people have strong feelings about it one way or another. Also, it's fun and flamboyant. (I think we know what side she's on.)

Orange is the color linked with the second chakra, which is in turn associated with creativity and sex, happiness and courage.

Got anything orange in your closet?



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5 comments:

Debra said...

We must be on the same color plane today! Right now I am wearing an orange tee-shirt which I adore. It's not a bright orange, more of a burnt orange that you find in fall leaves, but I love it. It makes me happy when I wear it. Also, my blog post today features some photos of an orange-red slice of sky.

How about you? Do you wear orange? I could definitely see it on you. I think it would compliment your warmth.(Spirit and coloring)

Hugs,
Debbie

kenju said...

I have 2 orange jackets (one sporty and one dressy), 3 orange t-shirts and for about 10 years, a favorite linen dress that had to be given away due to my gaining weight. I LOVE orange!!

Peggy Payne said...

Thanks, Debbie. I have a couple of orange sweaters, both passed on to me by the same friend who outgrew them. I'll go check out the orange slice of sky.

Kenju, you're representing the spirit of orange well.

I used to have an orange linen suit I loved. Grim note: I wore it to the funeral of a guy who'd committed suicide. I was angry. Wearing orange was a conscious choice to register my objection to what he'd done. It felt "on the side of life" to do that.

kenju said...

I forgot about my favorite orange cable-knit sweater!

Peggy Payne said...

...which would have felt very slighted, Kenju. Glad you thought to include it.