Think What Your Uniforms Say to People

Uniforms have been around for centuries.  They tell people what the wearer does for a living.  There’s the old question, “Why does the fireman wear red suspenders?”  Well, firemen were traditionally uniformed in red suspenders as a way to indicate what they did.  Red represented fire, and they wore the red suspenders when they put it out.  Similarly, sporting referees wear those striped shirts for a reason.  Think about it— how many boxing referees got punched in the face before they realized that they should probably wear something that made them stand out from the crowd?

That’s the kind of thing you need to think about when you’re selecting uniforms for you staff.  What they’re wearing is going to tell your customers what they do.  People have intrinsic mental associations with colors.

Here are a few colors to think about:

• Red:  People associate this color with strength and health.
• Orange:  This color tells people that the person wearing it is adaptable and kind.
• Yellow:  Staff dressed in yellow will sent the message that they are knowledgeable and confident.
• Green:  This color signifies luck and ambition.
• Blue:  People associate blue with tranquility, devotion, and wisdom.
• Purple:  Purple represents power, imagination, and creativity, but it also gives off a negative vibe.
• Gray:  Staff dressed in gray will seem balanced and neutral.
• Brown:  This color makes people think of the familiar and comfortable.