SS-15: Color is Culture - Part II
In today's diverse workplaces, embracing the symbolic language of color becomes a dynamic tool for fostering connections & opportunities across cultures.
In Part II, I delve into more colors and their symbolism. Read along and uncover the vibrant hues that unite us all.
GREEN
Wearing the color green is associated with nature, renewal, and hope. It can also indicate a sense of stability and security, but at the same time, it's also the color of money and wealth, so wearing it can suggest that the person is prosperous or aspires to be.
Across different regions:
North America and Europe: Green is often related to the environment, progress, and luck. It is safe and healthy, promoting growth and longevity.
Asia: In Indonesia, green brings up negative connotations where it is regarded as a forbidden color, representing exorcism and infidelity. In China, green can also indicate infidelity, where the expression “wearing a green hat” means a man is being cheated on by his wife. (No self-respecting man wears a green hat in China.)
Latin America: In Mexico, green is the national color for independence and patriotism. In most other countries on the continent, green is the color of death.
Middle East: Green is also strongly associated with Islam, and several national flags currently use it to symbolize that religion.
Africa: Green embodies nature and fertility. It also represents Africa's abundant and vibrant natural wealth, the Motherland. Since its existence, several African nations have adopted the color green as a symbol of sovereignty and unity.
ORANGE
Wearing orange can symbolize energy, enthusiasm, creativity, change, and warmth. People wearing orange are often perceived as confident, extroverted, and adventurous. It is also considered a spiritual color and an autumnal season color. On the negative side, orange can elicit feelings of arrogance and impatience
Across different regions:
North America: Surveys show that orange is the color most associated with amusement, the unconventional, extroversion, warmth, fire, energy, activity, danger, taste and aroma, autumn, and Halloween.
Europe: In Northern Ireland, orange represents Protestantism, and the people call themselves ‘Orangemen.’ In the Netherlands, orange represents royalty and is called the House of Orange.
Africa: Orange is said to represent the Sahara desert in the north and represents the land's natural resources and mineral wealth.
Middle East: It is associated with mourning and loss.
Asia: For the Japanese, orange symbolizes love, courage, and happiness.
India: Orange (the yellow-orange hue) is considered sacred.
WHITE
White often seems like a blank slate, symbolizing a new beginning or a fresh start. Wearing white never puts anybody off, and everyone embraces its inviting nature. White almost universally represents purity and is associated with cleanliness, simplicity, and optimism. Conversely, white can seem stark, cold, and isolated.
Across different regions:
North America & Europe: In the West, this color is associated with goodness, innocence, cleanliness, purity, and the color of perfection. It is also a color that represents new beginnings, like at a wedding.
Latin America: White represents peace and purity.
Asia: In countries like China and Korea, white represents death, mourning, and bad luck.
Africa: White represents purity and peace.
Middle East: In Egypt, wearing white shows that you are of a high-ranking status.
BLACK
Black is a staple in nearly every modern wardrobe. Scholars of fashion and color have discovered that black has an extensive range of symbolic meanings, including seriousness, tenacity, power, austerity, virtue, wealth, sophistication, eroticism, mourning, and evil.
Across different regions:
Western Culture: Black represents sophistication and formality. It also means death, evil, mourning, darkness, illness, bad luck, and mystery.
In the United States, Mexico, Greece, and England, wearing black to a funeral is customary. Some cultures in Mexico and Greece require widowed women to wear black.Asia: In most countries, black represents death, mourning, and humility. In China, black indicates masculinity, wealth, and prosperity. In both Thailand and Tibet, it is associated with evil.
Africa: Black represents maturity and masculinity.
Middle East: Black is often associated with rebirth and mourning. It also holds a symbol of purity, simplicity, and piety. Some Muslim women wear black abayas to reflect their spirituality and dedication to their faith.
Latin America: It is also a masculine, intense color that is linked to mourning.
As we navigate this colorful tapestry of meanings, let's embrace the diversity of human expression and forge connections that bridge cultural divides.
The next time you meet in a different part of the globe or work with peers from different countries, refer to this chart to select the tone and energy you wish to convey.
Understanding the language of color fosters empathy, appreciation, and unity in our global community.
As a stylist and image consultant, I work with senior-level professional women—directors, executives, partners, and c-suite leaders—to elevate their style and professional brand. By tapping into my expertise, clients enhance their authority, amplify their advocacy, and propel their career trajectory, leaving a lasting impression. Visit www.susanaperczekstyling.com for more details.