Loyalty is a valuable virtue that means you will stand by someone no matter what. This virtue is represented by the colors blue and purple.
Blue represents loyalty because it is an authoritative but friendly color. It promotes trust and confidence. This is why many banks and law firms use blue in their logos.
Purple symbolizes loyalty because it’s the color of kings in medieval Europe. People loyal to their king used to wear purple to display their loyalty during battle.
Blue As A Color Of Loyalty
Blue reminds people of calm oceans and serene skies. It is a cool color that has a soothing effect while inspiring trust and confidence. Because of this, the color has been associated with stability, loyalty, wisdom, and sincerity.
For many years, blue has been tagged as a masculine color and has thus been related to authority figures.
Police officers and many superheroes use blue for their uniforms and costumes. It is also one of the more popular colors for business suits as it lends an aura of power to its wearer.
Blue is considered a friendly and safe color. It is one of the most well-liked color across genders and ages, and this many multinational companies prefer to use this color.
Because of its calming effect, blue can sometimes influence the body to slow down its metabolism. It can also make a person lose his appetite, so the color is not recommended in any food related businesses like restaurants, catering and food services, or food delivery.
When blue gets overpowering, it can dampen moods and feelings of sadness, depression, or melancholy.
Darker shades may come across as heartless, cold, and apathetic. However, lighter blue shades, when used correctly, indicates wisdom, power, trustworthiness, balance, and communication.
The color blue also has different meanings around the world:
- In Europe and North America, blue conveys security and safety. Aside from the police force, this is also a favorite color for banks and financial institutions.
- Blue is very significant in certain religious practices. For the Catholics, it is closely associated with the Virgin Mary, and as such symbolizes virtue and piety. While for the Hindus, it is the color of Krishna who is hailed as the eighth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
- Ancient Egyptian beliefs used blue to represent divinity and the power of the gods, and the color is mentioned in many of its stories and folklore. One such story talks about Amun, the king of the gods, who would make his body become blue to blend with the sky as he flies. Another is related to Osiris, the king of the Underworld, and his evil eye, which is a blue glass bead.
Purple As A Color Of Loyalty
Because of its strong association with power, wisdom, and nobility, purple has also been related to loyalty, particularly the kind that is directed to a person of higher standing or an organization with huge influence.
In the US, a Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers who were killed or wounded while defending their country, exhibiting exemplary patriotism and commitment to service.
In medieval Europe, people who worked for the king would wear purple because purple was the color of the kings and royalty.
Using this color in fashion can give the wearer an aura of mystery and power.
However, too much purple can come off as arrogant or ostentatious, so it is better used as a color accent in the fabric or through the choice of accessories.
In the old days, the ingredients and process needed to create the purple hue were very expensive. It came from the mucous secretion of a type of snail that could be only found in the Mediterranean Sea, and thousands of snails were needed to create the hue.
Thus, only wealthy families such as successful merchants and aristocrats were able to afford this shade. This is why purple has become associated with wealth, royalty, and luxury.
Nowadays, purple can be created by mixing red and blue, two contradicting colors as one is a warm shade while the other is a cool shade.
This intriguing combination is one of the reasons why purple is linked with mystery and imagination. Another reason is because of its association with the color violet, the last color of the rainbow.
To the naked eye, purple and violet may seem the same, so people often mistake one for the other. But in truth, they are fundamentally different at their core.
Violet is a prism of light and is a naturally occurring shade in nature, while purple is an artificial, man-made color.
Around the world, purple has represented different meanings and emotions. Some of these are:
- Faith, piety, and righteousness in Egypt
- Death, sorrow and loss in Thailand and Brazil
- Extravagance and wastefulness in China
- Patriotism and Bravery in the United States
- Wealth and Power in Japan
FAQ: What is Loyalty?
Going by strict definition, loyalty means “unswerving allegiance”. But people could have subjective interpretations of this term, and their own meaning defines their attitude towards the object of their loyalty.
It can also have different applications based on the circumstances and the environment.
For example, loyalty to the country may be expressed in the form of patriotism. A soldier shows his patriotism by willingly laying down his life to protect his country and its people. On the other hand, a regular citizen exhibits patriotism by following the laws and respecting the officials of his country.
An employee can show loyalty by simply doing his best to perform his duties, while another expresses loyalty by choosing to stay with his employer as the company goes through tough times.
Loyalty to the family is revealed when conflicts or fights break out and one remains neutral instead of taking sides. A customer shows loyalty to a brand by not switching to another product despite being offered better prices.
In certain situations, loyalty manifests as perseverance. It is a commitment or attachment to a specific individual, entity or organization, and disengaging becomes impossible as the organization has become part of the individual’s own identity.
To this extent, loyalty can sometimes be detrimental when the commitment is given to a person or an organization that is harmful to the individual or the society.
Conclusion
Loyalty can be expressed in many ways, and it is largely dependent on the object of loyalty. It can be in the form of patriotism and dedication to one’s country, or filial piety to parents and family. It can also exist in friendships, business partnerships, and other social relationships.
Blue is the color that is most strongly associated with loyalty. It represents the steadiness of the oceans and the stability of the skies, as both would always revert back to their original state after weathering storms. Purple, on the other hand, represents loyalty specifically targeted at persons or entities of power and authority. It stands for allegiance and a promise of steadfast support despite facing challenges or obstruction.
I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.