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The Colour Theory Behind Purple

Blog, Men’s Style Tips • 03 January 2024

Colour has always been at the heart of London Sock Company. We love how a dash of colour can keep the grey at bay. Colours can influence our mood. They can make us Walk Brighter. You could say Colour Makes Us Click.

And every hue has its own power.

This royal shade inspires feelings of creativity, reflection and, dare we say it, even romance. Understated yet youthful, purple is sophisticated and versatile, embodying elegance with a pleasing hint of mystery. Ideal for socks that will get you noticed for the right reasons.

So, what kind of mood does it inspire? And what does it mean if you are naturally attracted to the perfect purple palette? Read on to learn …

An array of purple socks by London Sock Company on a purple background

Lessons in Lavender

Bringing together the energy of red and the calm of blue – two primary colours at the opposite end of the spectrum – purple is a shade that has unity at its very core. A rather nice thing to promote with your style, no? Purple is also strongly associated with the realms of fantasy and creativity. It has an attractive other-worldly quality to it, a je ne sais quoi that makes it effortlessly cross the bounds of masculine and feminine – the David Bowie of colours you could say.

As the traditional colour of royalty, it is no surprise that purple evokes feelings of luxury – nobility even. This is particularly true of darker purples, like our Deep Purple or Highland Heather socks. The lighter shades – like Thistle or pastel Lavender – still retains this majesty, but with a more easy-going air, ideal for summer. Like its floral namesake, lavender is calming, and has the power to inspire nostalgia and romance. Think the effortless style of Bardot’s St Tropez in the late ’50s.

Is purple your favourite colour?

If you find yourself naturally drawn to purple, colour theorists would say that you are intuitive, sensitive and compassionate. As a dreamer and an idealist, you sometimes prefer a bit of fantasy to reality, and your sense of style is effortlessly unique, striking but never showy.

Simply Sartorial socks in Highland Heather looking smart with brown loafers and checked wool trousers.

How do you wear purple socks?

Purple socks are wonderfully easy to wear and a simple way to add some flare to your wardrobe with very little effort. Lighter purple socks like lavender can add a youthful element to your look. “Lavender is the perfect compliment to a tan and works great with a summer wardrobe of natural fabrics,” says celebrity stylist Michael Fisher, who has styled several of his celebrity clients including Sebastian Stan and Bowen Yang in our Lavender Simply Sartorials. “It looks really nice with dark greens and navys. But lavender also works well with an array of pale stone chinos and khaki colours (British khaki and tans).” Wanting to make a big statement, take it tonal with a head-to-toe lavender look like Sebastian Stan (below).

Actor Sebastian Stan wears London Sock Company Lavender socks
Actor Sebastian Stan photographed for the LA Times wearing Simply Sartorial socks in Lavender, styled by Michael Fisher.

Darker purple looks great with navy, greys and browns. Try something a bit dressed up with Ottaway Style socks in Purple. For a blocked, contemporary take, Michael Fisher’s Blazer socks from The Block Collection are a playful pair with dark and light purple. For the perfect thicker purple socks to go from park wander to cosy pub, it has to be Boot Socks in Purple – they are a modern lift for your Barbour, wool coat and country checks.

purple-green-boot-socks-outdoor-woods
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