A color psychology expert shares the best shades to wear to make you feel happy this fall

• As the seasons change, shorter days and gray skies can affect your mood.
• A color psychology expert said wearing specific colors can give you a happiness and energy boost.

Whether you're a PSL connoisseur who put up Halloween decorations in September or a fall-hater who already misses beach days, shifting seasons can affect everyone's mood.

But while we can't change the weather, there's a simple way to make ourselves feel a little happier and more energetic through darker afternoons and chillier temperatures: choosing which colors we wear.

Michelle Lewis, a color psychology expert and the founder of The Color Cure, told Insider that color psychology can impact us in two ways.

The first is physical: she said that bodies can react to seeing different colors the way they would to watching a sunrise. As our exposure to sunlight dwindles in the coming months, seeing bright colors can help mitigate the drab feeling we get from gray skies.

The other impact is more emotional, as we can set intentions behind the colors we wear.

"For example, if you're feeling very stressed and need to stay calm and balanced throughout the day, you can pull specific colors that will support that," Lewis said.

As we go through autumn, she said that "the main colors that we see in fall actually give us very strong benefits according to what our body's doing transitioning into winter."

From the expected reds and oranges to deep greens and purples, here are the best colors to wear to feel your best this season.

Red is perfect for quick energy boosts

According to Lewis, red is an important color. It's the one with the longest wavelength on the spectrum of visible light — and the first one we see at many sunrises.

"It's very much an action color," she said. "This is why our stoplights are red. This causes us to have a very physical response."

She recommended putting on red when you wake up already feeling exhausted or sluggish, as it can help perk you up immediately.

Orange inspires balance and coziness

Lewis said that orange light stimulates the production of melanopsin, which helps wake us up a little faster and feel more alert throughout the day (some preliminary research has shown this, but more research is needed).

While there's no proof that wearing orange has the same effect, Lewis said that donning orange can promote a feeling of hominess and balance.

"This is probably the color we see the most in these next two months, and it's because of that feeling of home and Thanksgiving and all those things," she said.

Yellow is the ultimate mood enhancer

Lewis said that yellow is the "peak excitement that the eyes experience" in terms of how stimulating it is.

For that reason, she said wearing it can "lift your mood, make you feel happier, and make you feel a bit more future-focused, especially as we deal with a more gray environment."

It's the best color to wear when you want to feel a little more joy in a week of cloudy days.

Green provides stability in a transitional time

If you're sick of traditionalautumn colors, Lewis said opting for other colors, like green, can still be very beneficial.

She said green is a stabilizer and the most relaxing color to look at. "If you are too stressed, it's going to calm you down," she said. "If you're too down or stuck in your head, it's going to bring you up."

Purple is great for reconnecting with yourself

"Purple is the last color in the visible light spectrum, so a lot of people tie this color to spirituality," Lewis said.

"If you're in a very active, stressful environment, this can be a really great color to just see the lighter side of things," she said, adding that it can help you "get in touch with your spiritual side a little bit more."

Choose the shade that looks best on you

You don't necessarily have to pick the brightest red or a neon yellow to feel the full effects of the color, Lewis said, especially if you feel like it'll wash you out.

"I'm a big believer in figuring out what types of colors look best on your skin," she said. "I would take advantage of the color, but make sure it's in the tone, shade, hue, or tint that works best for you."

And if you happen to love highlighter orange but hate how it looks on you? She said you could always get the same benefits from adding new colors to your living space.

If you wear lots of neutrals, add a pop of color

If you naturally gravitate towards a lot of black, white, brown, and beige clothing, Lewis said that "the body does not have an emotional or physical reaction" to those colors.

So if you're feeling drab and primarily wear dark turtlenecks and slate-gray slacks, Lewis recommended adding a pop of color via your shoes or accessories.

"Once you start, it's really hard to leave color behind," she said.