"He wrapped himself in quotations - as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of emperors." - Rudyard Kipling
Purple is hands down the most regal of all colors. Historically, it was so difficult and expensive to produce that only the creme de la creme could afford to wear it.
According to Simon Garfield's fascinating book Mauve, thousands of mollusks needed to be "crushed, salted for three days and then boiled for ten" just to make enough dye for a single robe.
In ancient Rome, the color was reserved for Caesar, triumphant war generals and high ranking senators. The higher one's rank the more purple he was allowed to display. Even today the wounded in combat receive the Purple Heart for their sacrifice.
The color purple is a blend of the ravishing red and tranquil blue, thus striking a happy medium. In packages and advertising, the color is most often used to denote products or services aimed at women - unless of course its some chocolate concoction by Cadburys whereas all bets are off... People who wear purple are thought to be nurturing, passionate and eager to please - qualities ascribed more to women than men.
As far back as I recall, I have never owned any item of clothing that was purple. I am definitely not a fashion designer but it was never something that appealed to me - in my eyes purple was not a very complimentary color to one's skin. I don't know, but maybe I was looking at the wrong shades of purple.
A little more about the color Purple:
- Royal purple exudes class, power, passion, sensuality and luxury
- Deep plum is spiritual and mysterious, with a serious, dignified quality
- People tend to get less work done in purple rooms, because the color encourages daydreaming
- Women often cite purple as their favorite color
- Lavenders and violets have a sweet, romantic, and nostalgic appeal
Excerpts taken from The Complete Color Harmony, by Tina Sutton and Bride M Whelan, Rockport Publishers
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