Orange -- red's wild cousin -- not always welcome, a 'bit of a tramp, if you must know,' they whisper.
Hot orange, color of torrid tropics, titillating tangos and blistering heat -- no tepid tolerated. Orange, sun-hot, sizzling second chakra, sexual effervescence -- all yang, no yin. Orange, color of courage, color of the boldly brave, color of "free to be me," color of "too much oxygen on the brain," color of combustion. Miss Flame-boyant throws her head back and says, "inhibitions? no thanks, I'll pass."
Sunny orange, Florida sunshine, drink up, down the hatch, cheers. Bold orange, color of safety -- cones warn. Orange, color of harvest pumpkin and falling leaf, herald of ghosts and goblins, color of the world's last party before the dormant night of winter descends.
Fierce orange, color of fire and flame, color of divine passion and wisdom, color of purified souls and burning bushes in the wilderness. Uplifting orange, radiant color of forgiveness, the color of letting go. Forever and ever be thy glory, amen.
more about orange
A mixture of red's physical energy and yellow's cheerfulness, orange is the "happy" color par excellence. Highly stimulating to the senses, orange radiates energy coupled with mischievousness. As the color of the second (sacral) chakra, located in the pelvic area, orange represents the body's center of primordial emotions, sexual energies and creativity -- thus it symbolizes sexuality, creativity, emotional balance, freedom, and the expression of emotions -- making this color one hot mama. (It's even been said that people who are attracted to orange tend to be exhibitionists.)
Suzy Chiazzari, color therapist and author of The Complete Book of Color says orange
"...is the "happy" color par excellence. It frees emotions, promotes self-esteem and the capacity to forgive. This stimulating color fights depression and cultivates good humor. Lighter hues such as peach and apricot, help restore nervous energy.
"Those who often wear orange are active, competent and rather impatient. They are independent, motivated, competitive and well organized. They are also creative and practical people, full of energy and often incapable to stay put.
With so much yang, orange often works better as an accent color since it can easily be perceived as aggressive or "too much" if used to excess -- or by the wrong person. Orange is notorious for causing the skin to "pale out" when used next to some skin tones -- so a little bit can go a long way -- but it can make a smashing accent color, expressing a sense of fun and liveliness. Softer versions of the color -- such as peachy oranges (less flamboyant than their redder cousins but still energetic) or apricot -- can help restore nervous energy.
