When we enter unfamiliar environments, the first thing that draws attention is our clothes. Although this situation is denied, it can lead to the formation of various prejudices.
Researchers from Soochow University in China recently investigated the effect of clothing colors on perceptions of trust. Researchers recruited 32 participants and rated their confidence in a digital figure wearing the same suit photoshopped in different colors such as red, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, yellow-green, blue-green, and blue-violet.
Color expert David Lee says colors like blue and purple can cause other people to see us as more trustworthy because they have "positive associations" with these hues. For example, the color blue is often associated with the sky, which is "calm and serene" according to Gagnon.
The IJERT study also identified the color of clothing that received the lowest confidence rating: green. According to Gagnon, this hue is "usually associated with motivated and ambitious people." While that sounds like a good thing, it doesn't always create the best foundation for trust.