It’s the ultimate power color. “So it’s a person who is not easily manipulated,” says color consultant and trend forecaster Leatrice Eiseman.“They love elegance and appreciate that which is classic. And they’re usually this way in everything else that they choose. This is a person who probably wears a lot of black in their wardrobe because that color really speaks to empowerment.”
White car owners are hard to please. “There’s a degree of fastidiousness,” says Eiseman. “These are people who generally like things to be very pure and pristine and clear and direct. There’s nothing you can hide under the color white.” The woman who chooses a white ride is more likely to keep her car super clean. And she lives the rest of her life this way, too.
Those behind the wheel of a silver whip have several things going for them. “Silver has a rather cool, futuristic connotation, yet with a dash of preciousness,” says Eiseman. “Because anything that’s a true metallic - like silver or gold - there is this perception that it’s worth more. So this is not the kind of person who would be satisfied with gray. They would have to have that metallic finish because they want it to look more prestigious. This is the kind of personality that appreciates elegance with a bit of flash.”
There are two different kinds of reds: vibrant and deep-blue. Both express the same traits. But those who go vibrant are bolder. “There’s definitely an element of sensuality that goes with red,” Eiseman says. “There’s that dynamic quality and high energy. They like to be seen as someone who really stands out and they like to call attention to themselves. They don’t shy away from it. It’s definitely an outgoing individual.”
Those who ride around in a deeper bluish-red (wine or maroon) have the same inclinations, but are more subtle. “They want to be perceived the same way as the red but they’re far less obvious about it,” Eiseman explains. “It’s not in your face. It’s underlying. You have to look a little deeper to find the true meaning of who they are.”
light-mid blue: calm, faithful, true; dark blue: confident, credible, authoritative
It’s probably safe to trust the driver of a blue car, no matter what the shade, though there is a distinct different between light and dark hues.“Light-to-mid blue is always considered cool to the touch, cool to the eye,” says Eiseman. “Those who drive this shade like the coldness of it in the metal. And they’re the kind of people who have a calm demeanor to the point of really being unshakable. They’re very faithful. This is the kind of person that if it’s your friend, they’re going to be your friend forever.”And “NYPD Blue” wasn’t just a show title. “The dark blues are much more confident,” Eiseman says. “The drivers like being credible, an authority figure.”
orange: artistic, individual, complex
An orange car screams unique. “It’s one of the most interesting colors because people who choose orange are usually very artistic, creative, original,” says Eiseman. “And they’re very individualistically charming. There’s a certain complexity to this kind of personality as well.”
brown: powerful, unique; beige: natural, down-to-earth
Cars in these colors have multiple meanings. “It used to be that a brown or beige car meant a no-nonsense down-to-earth person because those colors were most associated with common sense,” explains Eiseman. “However, in the last 15 years, there’s been some new connotation in brown because of its association with rich chocolate and coffee browns.”
The new browns are complex. They can mean the driver is down to earth, or she is someone who craves the same elegance, power and high style that black carries but wants to come across as more unique. “It’s a more glamorous take on a neutral dark color,” says Eiseman. “And that’s because of the connotation of coffee and chocolate.”
Beige, like brown, is also a non-nonsense color. But it doesn’t have the strength of the darker shade. “It’s really very down to earth,” says Eiseman. “Natural is the key word.”