Women Who Wear Red Show Sign of Fertility

Could wearing red actually be a sign of a woman's fertility? We doubt it, but a new study seems to suggest there could be something there.

In the study, 124 women ages 18 to 47 were asked what color shirt they were wearing, and when they had their last period. From the latter question, researchers calculated which women in the study were currently at the peak of fertility in their cycles (about six to 14 days after the last period).

For those who wear red or pink, the study shows that they're three times more likely to be at peak fertility than those who wore other colors. 

Other studies have shown that some animals may actually put on displays during their fertile periods in order to attract mates. However, no such displays were known to exist in humans, according to researchers.The new study provides some evidence to suggest that there may be a way to directly observe ovulation- the time of the month when a woman is most likely to become pregnant, the researchers said.

Researchers, thus, tried to replicate this idea in a larger population. It showed that hormone levels, which more accurately determine peak fertility, could have an affect. 

According to Live Science, researchers hope to conduct a follow-up study that asks women why they chose to wear a particular color on certain days, said study researcher Alec Beall, a doctoral student at the University of British Columbia. 

The color red is commonly associated with feelings of love, passion or even anger in different cultures. Previous studies have shown that men rate pictures of women as more attractive if they are surrounded by a red border. 

Some studies have also found that women report increased sexual desire around peak fertility, greater attraction to masculine features, and a tendency to wear more revealing clothing, the researchers said.

Though this reason is currently unclear, future studies must be completed in order to determine whether women wear red or pink during the time of ovulation in order to look sexier, according to researchers. 

A follow-up study was completed by researchers to determine if women wore read at peak fertility times in the summer, as opposed to in the winter. A possible explanation shows that women may be more likely tu use red as an attention tactic in some situations, according to Beall. 

The study was presented here at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science on May 26, according to a press release.