Dress Your Way to Better Sex

by Amy Braunschweiger

Pink

Conventional wisdom: The color of Victorian men’s waistcoats and lace handkerchiefs, pink resonates with romantics. Later written-off as girlie, this delicate color has made a comeback, thanks in part to the aggressive marketing of pastel button-downs by Banana Republic and J. Crew.

Science says: Pink represents femininity, and it is physically soothing. According to a 2005 study on color preferences by Pantone and BuzzBack Market Research, peony pink was labeled “feminine” by 33 percent of the nearly 2,800 respondents, while 14 percent called the slightly deeper blush “cozy” and “nurturing.”

The bottom line: Pink is the ideal first-date color, since it helps a woman appear good-natured and approachable. But beware of the downside: overdosing on baby pinks relays the message “I’m young and innocent and fragile,” says Barbara Jacobs, an accredited color consultant and the founder of architectural color consulting firm Barbara Jacobs Color and Design. Avoid the naïve and sinless shtick by opting for darker hues.

Not your color? Peach and coral also give off the aura of a tender femme fatale.