What’s the best colour shirt to pick?

When choosing a shirt to impress, a few questions might cross a man’s mind: does it match with the trousers? Is the material of a good quality? Is it suitable for the dress code? Something that men should also be asking is – what does this colour say about me?

Research has shown that the colour of a man’s shirt change the way people perceive him, if you’re looking to come across as powerful; choose red. If you want to show confidence, always opt for black. We have teamed up with Charles Tyrwhitt, experts in gentlemen’s fashion and retailers of men’s formal shirts, to investigate further and find out which colours women prefer on men.

Choosing the right colour

When it comes to deciding which coloured shirt to buy, there are some that are perceived more positively by the opposite sex. Consider purchasing one of the following coloured shirts on your next shopping trip if you’re looking to dress to impress…

Red

Associated with Valentine’s Day and all things romantic, red signifies love and passion. It is thought that the attraction to red comes from our biological roots – many animals such as baboons are attracted to the opposite sex if they display bright colours. (On their bums) To wear this on a first date might be slightly overpowering, however, it does give off some vibes that your date might be interested in.

If you’re looking to demonstrate power and a strong social status, red is a good colour to go for. Research found that wearing red can actually boost the wearer’s own confidence, which will be a good thing during a first date for women who are looking for a man with some self-assurance. A red shirt can indicate that you have good health and are financially stable, two more things a woman may have on their checklist when looking for a new partner.

In a survey which explored the attractiveness of men in different coloured shirts, red was found to be more attractive than blue or green. This perception was a global consensus – so wherever in the world you go wearing a red shirt, expect to get a similar reception.

However, although the colour was linked to romance it was not associated with the wearer being kind or sociable – perhaps you’ll have to demonstrate these traits through the power of conversation instead.

Black

Although originally kept in the wardrobe for mourning, black is now worn for various occasions by many fashion followers. Similar to red, black can be perceived as the colour of self-assurance – 56% of women said that it inspired confidence. Other comments included that the colour black made the wearer appear more intelligent and sexy – perfect for a first date!

Black is renowned for being worn at classy events. Too much black can be overpowering, so if you opt for a black shirt you should avoid pairing it with a black jacket, pants and shoes too. It is a versatile colour so don’t be afraid to mix and match, for example, denim jeans and a black shirt is a good casual outfit for many events.

White

White was another colour that rated high in terms of clothing. It was perceived to be the least arrogant colour and instead gave off the impression that the wearer was full of optimism!

A white shirt is a nice and classic look for when you are trying to impress at a formal event. However, during research, it was the definitive white t-shirt and jeans combo that caught women’s eyes and was perceived to be the more attractive look for a man.

Ones to avoid

There are also some colours to avoid when it comes to choosing a shirt. In many surveys revolving around the attractiveness of colour, orange and brown consistently performed poorly. They often are perceived as quite boring, drab colours although a bright orange shirt could brighten up an outfit nicely on a summer’s day.

Pink didn’t go down very well either. Only 5% of people thought that intelligent people would wear this colour. Though the researchers didn’t test the intelligence of those answering.

Other tips

When choosing a coloured shirt consider the following tips too:

Many men look great in a colour that matches their eyes, if you have green eyes perhaps opt for a moss green shirt- a popular colour this season
Avoid wearing dark colours if you have a light complexion, this can really draw your skin tone out and make you appear paler
If you have dark hair, opt for bright colours as these are likely to compliment you more