What Colors Do Women Prefer on Men

Woman tying husbands necktie

There are a handful of colors that perform well in surveys time and time again when it comes to finding out which colors women like to see on men who are trying to get their attention. Colors that symbolize intelligence, power, social status, and confidence are usually the winners and seen as most attractive to women.

Colors Women Love on Men

These are the colors that performed best across a range of surveys. Of course, it will always boil down to a specific woman's individual preferences and you shouldn't choose a color you feel is unflattering on you just for the sake of attracting her attention. However, there should be at least one or two colors on the list that you'll feel good about wearing.

Red

Red is one of the standout colors that attract women. It suggests power, good health, money, social status, and passion. From a slightly different standpoint, red can boost the wearer's confidence, which in turn makes him more attractive to women, too. In a 2010 study on the psychology of color, women were more sexually attracted to men wearing red than blue or green.

The University of Rochester's breakdown of a study backs that up and explains that the preference for red is a biological and cultural response. Culturally, the color has links to ancient China, Japan, sub-Saharan Africa, and Rome. Biologically, you can even see the effect bright colors have in the mating rituals of the animal world; we aren't that different.

Red shirt

Purple

A survey discussed at Medical Daily showed that men are more likely to get a "yes" when he asks a woman on a date if he's wearing purple. Thirty-six percent of women said they would accept an invitation to go on a date from a man wearing purple.

Purple shirt

Black

The same survey from Medical Daily said black was the second choice color. BuyTShirtsOnline.co.uk surveyed 1000 people and found that black is actually an ideal color for a first date. Black inspires confidence, which leads to others perceiving you as more trustworthy and capable, and it's associated with intelligence and sexiness. Sixty-six percent of women in this survey preferred black over other colors (blue was in second place).

Black t-shirt

Blue

A study conducted by Esquire showed that blue is the color that women most love to see on men. Red wasn't on this list, but blue earned almost 42 percent of the votes. Blue was also a winner in the BuyTShirtsOnline study.

Blue shirt

Whatever Matches His Eyes

Esquire's survey showed that women may not care about the specific color as much as you might think. They want to see him in whatever matches his eyes. Have green eyes? A green shirt could be perfect for you.

White

This one's a little more specific than just a color. The Esquire survey showed that women love men in plain white t-shirts and jeans. This rugged, casual look beats the tuxedo by about 45 percent. The plain white tee alone beat the dress shirt with French cuffs by about one-tenth of a percent and the knit, short-sleeved polo by about 29 percent. White t-shirts also came in third place (right after purple and black) in the Medical Daily survey.

White t-shirt

Colors to Skip

In most cases, orange and brown performed poorly in surveys. Skip those if you're trying to impress a woman, just to be on the safe side. Brown shoes are great (make sure they look nice), but a brown sweater or polo may not be the best route.

More Tips for a Flattering Look

Depending on your coloring, certain colors look better than others on men. Women prefer men who know how to dress to look their best. Colors can make a bold fashion statement, and adding colors that work best on you can make you look stylish and fashionable. When choosing a piece of clothing, make sure that the color of it works with your skin tone or hair color.

The following are some color tips to keep in mind:

  • If you are a blond or have a light complexion, stay away from extremely dark colors near your face. They will be too much of a contrast and too harsh. Soft and muted colors, like lavender, will be the most flattering for you.
  • For you redheads, warm colors work best on you. Try a color that matches your eyes to best complement your features.
  • Men with dark hair and coloring look best in bright colors and white. Blue and red are good colors for you as well as jewel tone colors.
  • If figuring out what colors work best on you is to overwhelming, then try to stick to the classics. Basic shades such as black and navy. Classic colors can be stylish and timeless and a practical choice for any man.

Dress for Love

If you want attention from the ladies, your best bet is to stick to red, purple, black, blue, or white (but only white if it's in the form of a plain white t-shirt with jeans). If there's a particular shade that brings out your eyes, that one is a safe bet, too. Your personality will shine through, of course, but it never hurts to have that little boost from a color that inspires confidence and leads people to feel comfortable around you.

What Colors Do Women Prefer on Men