Piece of Mind: Favorite colors tell a lot

By Alexandra McCluskey
Staff Writer

 Almost everyone has a favor color, and if you don’t, then good for you. Try not to take this too literally!

My favorite color has always been purple, ever since I was a toddler and could perceive what a personal favorite meant. Purple is such a beautiful color, and versatile in range. A soft lilac is soothing and soft, but a dark amethyst evokes a certain feeling.

As I have grown up, though, the color red has begun to catch my eye. At first, it was just your standard bright red. But my love for everything dark, sensual and beautiful manifested itself in a borderline obsession with blood red, maroon and burgundy.

Red has always been associated with the feelings of love, passion and danger among other, less pure, notions. My foolish, romantic soul of course fell in love with the idea immediately.

What baffles me is the unspoken stereotype around favorite colors. It’s always one of those get-to-know-you questions, yet the act of asking someone, “What is your favorite color?” conjures up feelings of childishness.

Why is this? A favorite color is anything but childish; it’s a connection with a visual input we find pleasing, which invokes deep, rooted emotions within our identity. A favorite color can be an affiliation with an experience, character trait or existing feeling.

My love for the dark red color spectrum speaks volumes as to my interests, personality, and way of thought. You can tell a lot about a person based on their favorite color; even more if they explain why.

Not only can it be one of the best real get-to-know-you questions, but it can explain an individual’s essence as a whole.

Take a minute to reflect on your own favorite color, or that of a friend or family member. Why that specific color or shade?