Deciding on a men’s shirt, which colour is best?

There are many occasions where men may need to purchase a new shirt– for an interview, a family party or maybe a wedding. When deciding on which shirt to purchase, a few questions may cross the man’s mind: does it match with the trousers? Is the material of a good quality? Is it suitable for the dress code? Something that men should also be asking is – what does this colour say about me?

Research suggested that women think differently about men depending on what colours they are wearing. For example, if they’re looking to come across as powerful they should choose red. If they want to demonstrate their confidence, they should wear black. We have teamed up with Charles Tyrwhitt, experts in gentlemen’s fashion and retailers of men’s shirts, to investigate further and find out which colours women prefer on men.

Decoding the popular colours

If a man wears one of the following colours, research showed that women perceived them positively.

Romance in red

Wherever we see red, we often associate it with love and passion. It is thought that the attraction to red comes from our biological roots – many animals such as baboons are attracted to the opposite sex if they display bright colours. To wear this on a first date might be slightly overpowering, however it does give off some vibes that a woman might be interested in.

Comparing the colour to blue or green, red was voted most attractive. This perception was a global consensus – wherever a man goes in a red shirt, they should expect to get a similar reception.

If men are looking to come across as powerful and of high social status – apparently red is the colour to wear. Research found that wearing red can actually boost the wearers own confidence, which will be a good thing during a first date for women who are looking for a man with some self-assurance. A red shirt can indicate that good health and financially stability, two more things a woman may have on their checklist when looking for a new partner.

Unfortunately, you can’t come across as caring. Research showed that a red shirt did not make the wearer appear more kind or sociable.

Classy in black

Black is often a go-to colour when deciding what to wear on a fancy occasion. Similar to red, black can be perceived as the colour of self-assurance – 56% of women said that it inspired confidence. Other comments included that the colour black made the wearer appear more intelligent and sexy – perfect for a first date!

Try not to overdo it though. Too much black can be overpowering though, so if you’re shopping with your other half encourage them not to pair a black shirt with a black jacket, pants and shoes too.

White T and jeans

White seemed to be a popular choice for women. It was perceived to be the least arrogant colour and instead gave off the impression that the wearer was full of optimism! A white shirt is a classic look for men when they are choosing an outfit for a formal event. However, during research, it was the definitive white t-shirt and jeans combo that caught women’s eyes and was perceived to be the more attractive look for a man.

Unappealing colours

Some colours appeared to be more unpopular than others. In many surveys revolving around the attractiveness of colour, orange and brown consistently performed poorly. They often are perceived as quite boring, drab colours although a bright orange shirt could brighten up an outfit nicely on a summer’s day.

Pink didn’t give off the best impression either – only 5% of people thought that intelligent people would wear this colour!

Extra fashion advice

The next time you are purchasing a men’s shirt, follow this advice:

• Many men look great in a colour that matches their eyes, if you have green eyes perhaps opt for a moss green shirt- a popular colour this season
• Avoid wearing dark colours if you have a light complexion, this can really draw your skin tone out and make you appear paler
• If you have dark hair, opt for bright colours as these are likely to complement you more