Purple is a rich, evocative color that has symbolized royalty, spirituality, creativity, and mystery across cultures and throughout history. But what exactly is the tone or feeling that purple evokes? Here we’ll explore the different meanings and associations of the color purple.
The Color Purple
Purple is an unusual color in nature. In prehistoric times, purple dyes were made from a species of mollusk found in the Mediterranean sea called Murex. These dyes were rare and costly, so only the wealthiest could afford to wear purple clothing. As a result, purple became associated with royalty, power, and wealth.
The rarity and cost of natural purple dyes meant that purple fabric was associated with high social rank. In ancient Rome, for example, purple stripes on a toga indicated a man was a senator. Emperors wore purple robes as a status symbol. In England, purple robes were worn by royalty and nobility.
Spirituality
In many cultures, purple is connected to spiritual enlightenment and mysticism. In Hinduism, purple is closely linked to the “third eye chakra” which is associated with higher consciousness and wisdom. People may visualize purple when meditating to open this eye.
Purple and violet shades are important symbolic colors within Christianity. Purple robes were worn by priests, bishops and cardinals to show humility and penitence. In the Bible, passages describe Jesus Christ wearing a purple robe before his crucifixion.
The mystic poet Rumi wrote “I am drunk, drunk with the purple wine of your love” referring to a blissful spiritual intoxication. Here, purple signifies a euphoric connection with the divine.
| Culture | Purple Symbolism |
|---|---|
| Hinduism | Third eye chakra, higher consciousness |
| Christianity | Humility, penitence |
| Sufi Mysticism | Divine ecstasy |
Creativity and Imagination
The unnatural, rare hue of purple can inspire creative thinking and imaginary realms. Purple invites unconventional thoughts and allows the mind to wander into creative spaces.
In multiple children’s stories, characters go through a purple portal into a magical land. Alice falls through a rabbit hole into Wonderland, while Dorothy enters the whimsical world of Oz through a purple door. Here, purple signals a departure from the mundane world into a realm of fantasy.
Purple can also symbolize imagination and inventiveness. Prince, the iconic musician, adopted purple as his signature color, even naming his studios Paisley Park. The psychedelic rock band Deep Purple took their name from a song that referenced a “Deep Purple Dream.” For Prince and Deep Purple, purple represents pushing creative boundaries.
Mystery and Intrigue
Because purple is an unusual color, it has an air of mystique and intrigue. Light purple can appear hazy, shimmery or misty, evoking a sense of the unknown. Dark purple shades seem somber or ominous.
In magical and fantasy stories, characters wearing purple cloaks or hoods tend to possess secret knowledge and powers. Think of the wizard Gandalf from Lord of the Rings in his purple hat, or professors at Hogwart’s school in Harry Potter with their purple robes.
Purple is linked to the unconventional, the obscure, and that which is hidden from plain view. It hints at mysteries and secrets waiting to be uncovered.
Ambiguity and Complexity
Purple’s blend of warm red tones and cool blue tones gives it an ambiguous, complex quality. It seems to shift, containing multiple potential meanings.
In color psychology, red is associated with passion, energy, danger, or anger. Blue evokes calm, stability, wisdom, or sadness. Purple retains both warm and cool undertones, and can express contradictory emotions.
A purple sky at sunset may communicate both the fading warmth of day and the cool melancholy of evening. A vivid purple may suggest energetic euphoria with a touch of volatility. Purple contains multitudes – it embraces seemingly opposing qualities at once.
Nonconformity and Androgyny
Historically, purple does not clearly fit into gendered color codes. Light pink signifies femininity, while dark blue represents masculinity – but purple falls between these extremes.
In the 1960s and 70s, purple was adopted by hippie and psychedelic counter-culture movements. As a blend of red and blue, purple came to symbolize the rejection of binary categories. Prince rode this association into the 80s, using purple to represent sexual and gender fluidity.
Today, purple continues to be a color associated with androgyny and fluidity. Figures who embrace gender nonconforming styles often incorporate purple into their look, using its ambiguity to challenge norms. Purple hair is popularly seen as queer or non-binary.
Uniqueness and Individuality
Purple is one of the least common favorite colors. In a survey conducted by YouGov, only 5% of respondents said purple was their preferred color. The most popular colors were blue (24%) and green (19%).
This may be because purple has connotations of individuality and uniqueness. Purple-lovers are thought to be unconventional, creative, and comfortable standing out from the crowd. Purple expresses an idiosyncratic, quirky personality that celebrates differences.
Characters with purple hair or clothes in anime, video games, and novels tend to be eccentric, powerful, bold self-expressers. They follow the beat of their own drum instead of blindly conforming.
Temperance and Wisdom
Purple’s balance of warm and cool energy gives it an aura of wisdom, temperance, and emotional equilibrium. It encourages level-headedness and reflection before action.
Purple is made by mixing high-energy red with tranquil, philosophical blue. This blend creates an introspective color that still retains passion and vitality. Purple promotes authentic feeling while mitigating impulsivity or haste.
Leaders throughout history have utilized purple to cultivate ethos – the impression of credibility and integrity. Roman emperors and English kings wore purple robes to signal wisdom and temperance alongside status and wealth.
Youth and Vitality
While purple connotes maturity and wisdom, lighter purples especially exhibit playfulness, frivolity and youth.
Lavender and lilac shades evoke springtime, softness, and nostalgia. These pale purples remind us of daydreams, first loves, and youthful optimism. Light purples bring to mind whimsy, femininity, and cheerfulness.
Vibrant purple can also symbolize energetic youth. A bright amethyst expresses enthusiasm and vigor, while deep violet has a bold, spirited attitude. Dark reddish purples like mulberry communicate intensity and passion.
In Conclusion
Purple is an enigmatic color with many faces. It variously signals royalty, spirituality, creativity, mystery, complexity, nonconformity, temperance, and youthfulness.
This richness comes from purple’s blend of the hot and cold, yin and yang. Purple contains dualities – it is both energizing and calming, magical and wise, playful and subdued. This is what makes purple a powerful, compelling color with such psychological depth.
Ultimately there is no single tone of purple. Its vibe depends on the specific shade and context. But in all its forms, purple resonates – it inspires imagination while keeping us grounded in wisdom. Purple speaks to our soul’s longings for mysticism, creativity, individuality and purpose.
Next time you see purple, reflect on how its undertones make you feel. Just don’t get so lost daydreaming that you forget what you were doing in the first place.
References
Welsing, Frances. The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors. Chicago: Third World Press, 2004.
Aslam, Mubeen. “Purple Color Meaning – The Symbolism and Psychology of Purple.” Color Psychology, June 2021. https://www.colorpsychology.org/purple/.
Smith, Hayden. “Here’s What Your Favorite Color Says About You.” YouGov, July 2019. https://today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2019/07/12/color-psychology-favorite-least-favorite-poll
