Business Men and their Wardrobe Colors

It is imperative that a man chooses the colors he wears for business very carefully. The colors you wear tell the world a lot about you - your success level, background, status, authority level, personality and more.

John Molloy is one of first to study the reaction people have to the various colors in the business world. Although he wrote the book "Dress for Success" back in the 1970's, the basic principles of how people react to color have not changed.

When selecting the colors you choose, you must look at your environment and your co-workers and make every attempt to blend in. If everyone else is wearing gray and navy suits, it would be unwise to wear a sportcoat and khakis or you will stand out - and not in a good way. To fit in and thrive at work, blending in with your colleagues is vital.

For men, the suit is your main power garment. The suit influences the viewer's judgment of the wearer and establishes his authority, credibility and likeability - all of which are vital in business transactions.

A man should dress for his position and how much authority he needs to display in a given situation. The darker the color, the more weight it carries. Black is your most authoritative choice, followed by dark navy.

Molloy stated that most men should not wear black, especially if they are tall or large since the black lends too much authority and can intimidate others. Pinstripes are the most authoritative pattern followed by solids, chalk stripe and then plaids.

To look your most credible in a suit, select dark blue and dark grey in solids or pinstripes. Other acceptable colors for suits are brown and beige.

The colors to avoid are weird colors such as electric blue. Research indicates that people do not seem to react as positively to colors such as greenish blue or greenish gray.

Shirt color is also important in establishing credibility. White is the most credible and versatile since it will go with every color of suit and match all ties. The next most credible is light blue and then light pastels.

Avoid dark shirt colors such as black, burgundy, and royal blue, since low contrast between suit color and shirt color tends to be too casual for business.

Since many men these days find themselves in environments where suits are not worn, your credibility and authority levels will increase with navy or gray jackets paired with coordinating slacks.

by Kristen Kaleal