Color Theory: Orange

orange
Clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Orange

Color Wheel Tier: Secondary.
Tonal Value: Warm.
Complementary Color: Blue.

It’s association with good flavor and aromas is while orange is commonly used as a food coloring agent (think your nacho cheese Doritos). Orange things like tigers and lilies and saffron have given it an association with exotic things. And we’re all familiar with the overwhelmingly orange Halloween decor, and orange construction signs and cones. But this time of year, it’s hard not to appreciate the color, with pumpkin-spice everything, and leaves starting to change color.

I’ll be the first to admit that orange is not one of my favorite colors. It doesn’t compliment my skin tone, and a birthday close to Halloween has left me with a lifetime leeriness of it. But after making the list below, I may have to rethink things, because it turns out that orange is more of a positive color than not, with very few negative associations.

Meanings / Associations

Positive

Autumn / fall leaves / harvest
Amusement / frivolity / clowns
Sunsets
Good flavor & aroma
Buddhist monks / Hindu holy men
Transformation
Activity

Neutral

Unconventional/Exotic things
Halloween
Visibility/life jackets
Oranges, pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes
Tigers, foxes, monarch butterflies
Extroverts
Saffron
Deserts

Negative

Caution/Warning
Fire
Gluttony

For more orange inspiration, you can check out my color board here.

What does orange make you think of?
 

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Refashion: Orange Dress

I’ve been working on my sewing skills, and here’s proof! I went to Goodwill back in January and snagged a few items specifically for the purpose of altering and working on my sewing skills. This was the first of those to be complete. I really liked the print, and it was cotton (easy to work with), but I hated the style and shape. So, I took off some length and re-hemmed it (my first hem! They are a pain). I also cut off the attached tie-backs, and used those to make new, slightly longer straps, as the previous armholes were […]

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What I Wore: Cowl Me Maybe

I’m not sure you guys realize how much I can crack myself up sometimes thinking of titles for outfit posts (alternate option was My Longhorn is Showing, but that sounded dirty). 🙂 Anywho, this is what I wore yesterday. It’s been hovering around 60 this week, but around 40-50 when I get dressed in the morning, so this was a good amount of layering to stay comfortable. It was an around-the-house day- computer stuff and chores and that kind of thing. Admittedly, I did ditch the layering shirt late in the afternoon, because it got too warm with it on. […]

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D.I.Y. Simple Home Humidifier

Ever wake up on a winter morning with a sore throat, even though you’re perfectly healthy? Well, don’t fret – you’re likely not sick, just parched. The cold winter weather tends to dry out the air in a lot of homes, mine included. It also dries out my hands, but that’s another story. Anyway, if you don’t want to shell out some of your hard-earned bucks for a fancy humidifier machine, here’s a simple way to get the same humidifying effect using just a few things from your kitchen. I learned this from my mom, who used to do this […]

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