Do the Colors You Wear to Work Affect Your Career?

As if you didn't have enough to worry about in this lousy economy, some experts say the colors you wear to work can affect how you're perceived. As in, wearing a black suit every day might make you seem unimaginative, depressed, or lazy. So here are ten colors and how they affect the people you work with . . .


#1.) Blue. Studies have shown that wearing a navy blue suit to an interview gives you the best chance of landing the job. -But even if you don't have to wear a suit to work, you should STILL wear blue around the office, because people associate it with loyalty. That's why so many companies . . . like Facebook and IBM . . . use the color blue in their logos.

#2.) Yellow. Just seeing the color yellow can cheer people up. So when you wear it, you're perceived as having a sunny personality . . . even if you don't. -Just stay away from dark yellows because they make most people's skin look weird and unhealthy.

#3.) Red. Wearing red shows that you're not afraid to stand out, which is also why you have to wear it in low doses. -If you wear red all the time, you'll stand out TOO much, and people might start to feel like you're not a team player. And anything that's red AND tight is probably too sexy for the office.

#4.) Beige. It's like the opposite of red because it makes you blend in and go unnoticed. So if you're trying to fly under the radar at work, beige is a good choice. -The only time it DOESN'T blend in is when guys wear beige SUITS . . . because NO ONE wears beige suits. So wearing one makes you stand out just as much as if you wore an all JEAN suit.

#5.) White. It's okay as long as you don't wear ALL white. An all-white outfit makes you look like you're in a uniform. So unless you're a painter, a nurse, or a chef, don't wear all white to work.

#6.) Pink. If you're a woman, wearing a pink shirt under a dark suit makes you seem more approachable. If you're a man, wearing a pale pink or salmon-colored shirt makes you look confident . . . because you're secure enough to pull it off.

#7.) Green. Dark greens are associated with power, class, and strength. And bright greens make you look sporty, casual, and cheerful.

#8.) Purple. People associate it with royalty. So wearing dark purple makes you seem more powerful.

#9.) Orange. Light orange is okay, and it blends well with other colors. But too much BRIGHT orange makes you look tacky.

#10.) Brown. It's a good substitute for black, but only if you accent it with another color. And brown clothes that are too baggy can make you look frumpy.