




Pink is an interesting colour. It’s basically a tint of red (a tint is a colour with white added to it).
The closer the colour is to red the more it takes on the psychological properties of red. The more white in it, the softer it becomes and the more of the purity and openness of white influences the colour.
We associate pink with:
- romance
- warmth
- and nurturing.
This is why you will often see salesmen wearing pink ties or shirts (because we believe if we are being nurtured, we are not being sold to!).

Pink is seen these days as the most feminine colour, though it wasn’t that long ago when pink was for boys and blue for girls (because of pink’s association with red, and red is a very strong colour).
1.Light pinks will calm, though hot pinks will create a feeling of energy and vibrancy.
2. Brighter, hotter pinks will stimulate and raise your blood pressure (in the same way red does).
3. The closer pink is to orange (coral pinks) the more they take on the properties of orange – so more fun and playful.
If you eat something off a pink plate or out of a pink box (sweets only) they will taste sweeter.
Light pinks encourage friendliness and discourage aggression.
Because pink is seen as nurturing (light pink) it’s a good colour to wear if you need to fire someone (or make them redundant) as it makes it easier for the recipient to take the news.
Want to discover more about other colours and how they communicate?
Then read on:






How about warmer pinks which lean towards coral?
The more orange they more they take on the qualities of orange as well as pink
Love that ring!!
Thanks I got it at a market in Thailand! Handmade glass (sadly I broke it the last time I wore it)
Thank you for including the bit about pink in history. It was a short time ago (early to mid 1900s) that pink was associated with men, and now people get all weird about men wearing pink!
This series about the psychology of color is fascinating.
I love your article about pink. I have added the info in my article “The Cultural Connotations of Color” which I started years ago and keep adding interesting bits about colors.
Thanks Barbara! It’s a fascinating topic.