Purple is a powerful color that evokes strong emotions. Across many cultures, purple is associated with the glamour of royalty and luxury. It is also associated with creativity, mystery, and spirituality, inspiring us to explore the realms of imagination as well as ponder the unknown.
The Color Purple Originated as Expensive Dye to Make—and Reserved for Kings & Queens
Purple was associated with power and royalty because of the eye-watering expense of the dye. The ancient Greeks and Byzantines harvested over 250,000 Mediterranean shellfish of two varieties making just one dye.
How Purple Became More Affordable
A more accessible version of purple was made possible by an 18-year-old scientist on holiday holed up in a makeshift laboratory in his father’s East London attic. Trying to synthesize quinine from coal tar to combat England’s seasonal malaria outbreak, he accidentally discovered a particular shade of purple: Mauve.
William Perkins unlocked the secret of Aniline dyes in 1895. Through his perseverance and a fashion trend of Perkin’s purple in 1857 assisted by Queen Victoria, aniline dyes were here to stay!
You can read more about it in “The Secret Lives of Color” by Kassia St Clair. (“If you love color you will love this book.” — Mary Lou)
Like her predecessor, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth chose to wear a luxurious purple. Hers is a silk and velvet robe for her coronation.
While America’s own royalty, and queen in the world of music and creativity — Lady Gaga —selected a sexy and dramatic purple evening gown for the movie premiere, House of Gucci.
Royal wardrobe aside, purple also has its place in today’s design and fashion.
How Designers Use Purple
Designers use the color purple in all its shades to communicate and incite a wide range of emotions.
Pale lavender can be delightful and playful, note the polka dots.
For interiors, soft shades of purple harmonize well with the cool grey rooms. As you can see below, it creates an elegant and inviting atmosphere. If you like cool colors, this is a wonderful color combination.
Purple as a Fashion Statement
In the world of fashion and personal color consulting, purple can be used in accessories to add flair to an otherwise conservative or classic look.
Women can use accessories such as purses, shoes, and jewelry to add a sense of joie de vivre to an outfit. Likewise, men can sport a scarf or tie to make a statement.
Choosing Purple as a Personal Color
When it comes to personal colors, choosing the right purple is a combination of selecting the right value (lightness or darkness) and intensity or vibrancy in relation to one’s eye color, hair color, and/or skin tone.
Soft violets and purple such as the colors in a flower a complementary on a dark-haired summer like me.
Pure clear purples match this striking dark-haired brunette with fair skin. She easily wears this all-purple outfit that’s just as strong as she appears. The dark hair and vibrant violet hue contrast dramatically with her face—and is definitely attention-getting!
Purple is a beautiful, standout hue in the world of color. With that in mind, I’d like to leave you to meditate on the color purple with the following quotes from legendary fashion designer, Ralph Lauren and American author of the book “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker.
“I think it annoys God if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.”- Alice Walker
Want to have fun with colors? Or want to have your colors done for you?
Contact me, Mary Lou Manlove, at marylou@colorinsight.biz or call me at (650) 400‑2230 today!