What's your favourite colour?

Someone asked me this the other day and I realised I don’t actually have a favourite colour. When this person proceeded to list her favourite colours in order from 1 to 5 I marvelled at the ability to differentiate between the appeal of colours in such a way. When we’re kids we are almost forced to have a favourite colour and if we don’t it feels like one of the first great social pressures in life to assign one. You can imagine the scenario. “No favourite colour?” thunders the teacher, “Well go and stand in the corner until you’ve thought of one” So it turns out that the corner is painted a sort of wishy washy pale eggy blue and in a heartbeat you declare “I have a favourite colour, Miss! It’s wishy washy pale eggy blue”. Huzzah. You have joined the human race.

In truth most people probably choose the colours of their favourite football team or something else they like. It’s probably rare for a child to think too much about this and come up with some weird sub shade of green that has a name you’ve never heard of.  Somehow though the choice can stick with you. Nowadays we live in a world of passwords and secret questions, one of which is often your favourite colour. I never imagined adults had such a thing but it seems that they do. So how did this tradition even begin?

There is a proper old theory about this which basically suggests people choose their favourite colour based on the mood it suggests to them. So for example if they had a wonderful time in an orange place they will automatically associate that colour with positive vibes and pick it as their favourite. Also some colours are considered peaceful or relaxing whereas others –such a bright red or green- are more unsettling

Increasingly people may be tempted to keep the identity of their favourite colour secret as if can figure in those dreaded online security questions. If you pick an obscure one then the chances of someone guessing it are more remote as it is believed there may be up to 10 million different shades of colour that we can see. So if you’re favourite colour is Banana Maniac you’re probably not alone.