The psychology of color is one that is concerned with the effects of hues on emotions, moods, and performance. Color is pervasive in the world, effective on the impressionable, and helps drive the emotion of man. Color is so profound, that it instantly drives our daily decisions within milliseconds. Why does a pale green calm the viewer while a shocking emerald jolts him? Why is cherry red associated with shameless sex appeal while burgundy is affiliated with timeless sophistication? These questions and many others like them all help individuals understand why hues drive their daily decisions. Therefore, it seems pertinent to consider color when choosing the design, style, and font related to t-shirts. Though the meaning of colors can vary according to culture, the general connotation of colors can be decoded into a small handful of meanings.

Red

A scarlet hue can be intense, it can be bold, and it can be passionate. Red quickens the heartbeat and it attracts the eye. Red, as a whole, can often be too straightforward as the primary color of a t-shirt. However, if your t-shirt objective is to catch another’s eye, red is an ideal color. Scarlet is related with love and romance and is often used in related designs. A yellow-based red can be seen as hot and fiery, but also cheap. A blue-based red is the most passionate of the red family and can be worn by most skin types. Burgundy is seen as sophisticated but can also be dated. It is advisable to use red as an accent color in most cases. Hanes’ most used red is Deep Red RE because of its eye-catching nature. Common types of custom t-shirts that use red are sports teams and collegiate events.

Orange

Energetic, exciting, and edgy, orange is one of the trickiest colors to work with. Though seen as attention-grabbing, orange is also perceived as the most unattractive color to the eye. It can be seen as aggressive, though it is less intense than red. A golden-hued orange that is commonly used by t-shirt vendors is Hanes Athletic Orange AX. Orange should be used sparingly on a t-shirt design and rarely should it be used as the t-shirt color because of its negative connotations.

Yellow

Yellow, in most cases, can be seen as cheerful and uplifting. Unless it is a heavily saturated yellow, golden hues are related to optimism, nature, and summer. A bright, saturated yellow can be seen as hazardous and even a sign of warning. Pastel yellows are inoffensive but childish. Family reunion and Greek t-shirts often employ yellow because of its eye-catching, but exciting, nature. Hanes has a variety of yellows, from bronze to bumblebee. The Hanes color Gold GO is a collegiate gold commonly utilized by universities. Golden Nugget GN is slightly more bronze and Yellow YE is a true, vibrant yellow.

Green

One of the most universal colors, different shades of green denotes a variety of meanings. However, most shades of green are the most pleasant to the human eye. Pale green is calming and refreshing while emerald green signifies richness and wealth. Lime green displays youth and playfulness while yellow-green is most popular in Asian cultures. A deep green is one of the most neutral colors to use for text as it is eye-catching but not offensive.

Blue

The color blue is collective and ubiquitous. It is, on a whole, the least complicated color to work with. When designing custom t-shirts, navy blue is one of the most requested shirt colors because of its neutrality. Peaceful, trusting, cool, dependability, and care are all words that are related to the color blue. Therefore, most designers use it to imply that a company is dependable and trusting. When in doubt while designing a t-shirt, it is advisable to choose a shade of blue. Aqua is young and hip, pastel is soothing and serene, navy is trusting and loyal, electric is trendy and fun. Companies such as banks and large corporations often choose blue because of its universal appeal.

Purple

Purple is often used as a spiritual, sensual, and sophisticated color. It is trendy in most cases and, if not used carefully, ultra feminine. Conversely, a deep purple can be used to replace gray, black, or brown as a neutral shade that maintains a slight punch of color. Religious t-shirts utilize purple for its spirituality while athletic teams use it for its bright neutrality.

Pink

When designing custom t-shirts, it is significant to keep in mind the femininity of rose colors. Pink is generally associated with romance, love, and marriage. It is most commonly used on t-shirts that are related to feminine ideals and matters. Hanes’ Pale Pink PI is a baby pink, Pink PS is a vibrant pink, and Wow Pink 6A is a hot pink.

Brown

Masculine, natural, and warm, brown is a neutral color. It is associated with naturalness because of its abundance in nature. Caramel hues are warm, sand is mild, and deep browns are rich. When designing custom t-shirts, many customers use brown when designing family-style events because of its rich, home-style feel.

Black, Gray, and White

These three colors represent highs, lows, and everything in between. White, in Western culture, is seen as pure, innocent, and virginal. Black, in most cultures, is modern, severe, elegant, sorrowful, and mysterious all at once. Because of its multitude of meanings, black, paired with the correct design, can denote many things. A t-shirt with a skull and cross bones that is black is seen as edgy and severe. Yet, a shirt with modern lines and spacious text can be seen as contemporary. In addition, to soften black, gray is often used to maintain the elegance and formality of black.

This article is available for distribution with all original content and rights to the author Rachel Lowenstein.