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Beyond a beautiful face, glowing and top class appearance, ingenious and brilliant disposition, charming smiles that could project an air of friendliness, or showing compassion, which all influence how attractive a woman is, a study has revealed that the colour of what a woman wears influences how attractive she would be to a man.
This study says that red clothes also has a ‘marginally significant effect on men’s sexual attractiveness.’ Men are attracted to women who wear red, compared to other colours, hence, beyond an attractive fabric or material, the colour matters.
This research provides an explanation for society’s enduring love affair with red. From the red ochre used in ancient rituals, today’s red-light districts, red hearts on Valentine’s Day to the red carpet shows and events here and there, in which case most women who manage to complement their dressing with a touch of red are usually the cynosure of all eyes, the advantages of red seem enormous than commonly known.
It is worthy of note that the rosy hue, red, with its persuasive appeal, has usually been associated with love, emotional, social and high profile gatherings, romantic love or atmosphere, carnal passions, lust and fertility across nearly every long-standing civilisation and cultures.
However, this study reveals the effects of colour on behaviour or the relationship between them in the context of relationships and it is rather amazing that something as simple and accessible as colour can be having an effect on behaviour without people’s deep awareness.
Although red enhances positive feelings in this study, it could be said that the meaning of a colour depends on its context. For example, seeing red as a sign of danger, in competition situations, such as written examinations or sporting events, could mean negativism or worse performance, as the case may be. But for relationship, the dating game, the fashion industry and product design, red inspires attraction and positive feeling.
The study, carried out by scientists from Central China Normal University in Wuhan, China, led by Dr. Fangfang Wen, claims that women wearing red are more attractive to men and that the colour increases the women’s sex appeal, making them seem warmer, approachable and competent.
In the research titled, ‘Red is romantic, but only for feminine females: Sexual dimorphism moderates red effect on sexual attraction,’ the psychologists showed 280 heterosexual students 32 pictures of the opposite sex and asked them to rate them according to how attractive they found them. The people in the photos were wearing blue, white or red.
The study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, showed that male students found ‘feminine’ women wearing red the most attractive and also rated them highest for looking ‘warm’ and competent, which means that red triggers a basic, primal response in humans as a signal of sexuality and fertility.
According to Wen, the lead author, the colour red was shown to have a boosting effect on the sexual attractiveness of women with feminine facial traits.
Apart from the fact that women are more attractive when they wear red, Wen suggests that by choosing bright red clothing, women are reflecting their sexual intentions ‘from the beginning.’
According to the study, women also find red attractive on men but the effect is not as powerful even though it makes men more sexy as well. In fact, some people argued further that the effect of red in enhancing sexual attraction suggests ‘higher sexual opportunity for males.’
Interestingly, last year, scientists from University of British Columbia in Canada, in a research, claimed that women tend to wear red or pink-coloured dress when they are ovulating, the time of the month that they are at their most fertile, in a bid to attract a man.
According to them, those who wore red or pink were about three times more likely to be at peak fertility than those who wore other colours and that this female preference for red at certain times of the month is not in vain.
The study adds that women who are familiar with the role that red plays in their attractiveness and are in the mood for sex tend to explore the advantage and give off signals about the inner workings of their body by the way they dress, and for them, red, quite simply, means ‘I want sex.’
A survey by a dating website, OkCupid, found that women who wear red in their online dating profile photos are more likely to get and do get messages and dates than those wearing any other colour.
In another research, Kayser, Elliot, and Feltman (2010) evaluated the effect of women wearing red on the feelings and behaviour of men. In two experiments, men were asked to interact with women wearing a red shirt, or one of another colour (green or blue). Men talking with women in red asked more intimate questions and sat closer to the women than those talking with women in other colours. Overall, women wearing red were more sought-after and seen as more attractive too.
So, for women, especially those who look forward to a lot of stares from men, red clothing, be it gown or any other style, would be a nice pick.
However, the study found that wearing too much red can make women think that men could be aggressive, taking cues from nature, when animals’ and people’s faces redden to denote anger.
It was also gathered from the study that red did not increase attractiveness ratings for females who rated other females and it did not change how men rated the women in the photographs in terms of intelligence or kindness.
Reacting to the study, a consultant psychologist, Prof. Toba Elegbeleye, said people’s preference when it comes to colour depends on individuals, hence, it cannot be generalised. However, he argued that men are likely to be moved by colour of the skin rather than the colour of the dress.
He said, “Colour preference is very individualistic, so, I don’t believe it’s a general thing that all men are attracted to women in red. Just as some men are attracted to light complexioned women, some others may prefer dark complexioned women.
“I think men are more moved by colour of the skin rather than that of the dress, so, my poser is that do you think a man will be attracted to an ugly woman who wears a red dress, compared to a beautiful woman who wears another colour.
“There are other things that men are attracted to in women than the colour of the dress they wear, so, more often than not, men go for skin complexion rather than that of the dress, which is more probable.”
Elegbeleye added that how the dress fits the woman takes precedence over the colour, noting that whatever the colour is, if it does not have the fitting on the person, then it may not be attractive.
About Unknown
Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.
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