Intriguing purple holds enormous potential. Discover this colour, enrich your wardrobe and learn about its properties.

How is the colour purple created?

The colour purple rarely occurs in nature, which makes it intriguing and arouses greater interest. However, it can be easily obtained. What colours make purple? It is created by combining blue and red. Depending on their proportions, it can be perceived as cool or warm. It can be as calm as blue and as fiery as red. The colour purple therefore takes on a different character depending on how much black or white it contains, and whether it is closer to red or blue.

The meaning of the colour purple

Purple was difficult to obtain for a long time, so it was not often seen. What does the colour purple symbolise? It represents wisdom, spirituality and magic, and it stimulates and adds prestige. Saturated purples enhance creativity and stimulate, while light, pastel ones have a relaxing effect and are even used in anxiety therapies. Purple has a calming and soothing effect, which is why it is sometimes used in the treatment of nervous disorders.

Purple is liked by confident and authoritative people. People for whom the non-material sphere of life is very important, who are interested in religion and for whom the spiritual dimension matters. Purple is associated with magic and spirituality. It is often used to depict magical beings and in esotericism. Light purple is associated with sensuality and femininity, while dark purple can evoke associations with funerals and mourning.

Purple then and now

Periwinkle women's short-sleeve T-shirt

Purple was known long before our era. Initially, the dyes used to obtain it came from predatory sea snails. However, obtaining them was very labour-intensive, difficult and expensive. For this reason, only a few could afford it. Purple thus became a desirable colour emphasising uniqueness, the colour of kings, priests, and the wealthy nobility. In ancient Rome, it was used, among others, by the emperor. The colour was reserved for rulers and high-ranking individuals. In the Middle Ages, the colour purple lost much of its significance, surviving among university professors, and its importance was also emphasised in the painting of the time – it often accompanied angels and the Virgin Mary. Since the 19th century, renewed interest in purple can be observed, thanks to the invention of synthetic dye. Today it is widely used, but when it comes to the colour purple, moderation is important, as it is easy to overdo it and achieve the opposite of the intended effect.

Shades of purple – discover the huge range of this colour's tones

Shades of purple are not just light purple or dark purple. It is a whole range of colour possibilities. There are at least a dozen or so of them, and among the shades of purple you can find lavender, plum, aubergine, heather and many more. This makes it even easier to match shades of purple to your beauty type. Blondes will be better suited to dark purples, while brunettes will suit pastel shades. Of course, there are more factors at play here, and it is worth paying more attention to choosing the perfect shade of purple, as the effect will certainly be worth it. The enduring popularity of this colour is evidenced by the choice of very peri as the colour of the year 2022. Purple is therefore still appreciated and widely used.

Purple merino wool hat for adults, a periwinkle long-sleeve top with a round neckline and a beige midi skirt

Purple is not the most commonly worn colour, although it can be used to create really interesting outfits. It's worth experimenting, finding your shade and introducing a new colour to your wardrobe. What colour goes well with purple and is worth using when creating outfits? Certainly shades of yellow. Such a contrasting combination will help you stand out. You can even use orange for this. If you're afraid of such a combination, you can choose a safer option – grey. You will create a calm and toned-down look that will help you get used to the new colour.

Purple also pairs well with greens, white, blue or turquoise. It can be combined with pink or neutral black. It's worth experimenting, because as we mentioned, purple has a huge number of shades, and the choice of shade determines how well it matches the colours of your other outfits. Choose purple trousers or, if that's too much for you, consider accessories in this colour. Wardrobe pieces that can be combined with many outfits – skirts, trousers, shorts – also work well, such as purple T-shirts.  Check out colour combinations and discover the magic of this colour. It's worth adding new shades to your favourite colours. We particularly liked the combination with a beige midi skirt. We encourage you to give it a try!