# Do you know anyone with violet eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076 "2008-03-28T18:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ms.Kelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Ms.Kelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Kelly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/41 "2011-03-25T01:00:04Z")
I think the confusion regarding the color of Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes is really confusion about the color violet. In the spring, my whole front yard is filled with violets. They are really beautiful, but they are most definitely NOT purple. Violets are a deep blue. Not blue like the sky, but a deep blue. I can’t compare the color to anything else other than violets. I guess that’s why violet is a color in its own right. It’s like nothing else. If you want to know what color violet is, go out and find some violets. Violets are a spring flower that usually blooms in May. You can find them in fields, meadows and large yards that don’t get mowed frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Kelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Ms.Kelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Kelly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/42 "2011-03-25T01:15:50Z")
Here is a good representation of violet blue. Google has some pictures of purple violets, but they are mostly African violets. The regular violets I was refering to are the kind you can find growing wild. This is a beautiful picture of wild violets that are violet blue. I do think this is pretty close to the color of Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes. [http://www.canalphotos.org/5-4\_canal\_violets\_PS\_rz.jpg](http://www.canalphotos.org/5-4_canal_violets_PS_rz.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/43 "2011-03-25T01:20:41Z")
I’ve known more than a few people with _violent_ eyes. But that’s not the same thing, really. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Kelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Ms.Kelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Kelly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/44 "2011-03-25T01:28:18Z")
Here’s another good pic of wild violets with the true “violet blue”. Notice how they are growing among clover, so you know they are not potted African violets which are house plants. [http://www.bluebirdgardens.com/bluebird\_gardens\_blog/wild%20violets.jpg](http://www.bluebirdgardens.com/bluebird_gardens_blog/wild%20violets.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/45 "2011-03-25T01:51:33Z")
Do zombies have violet eyes? I bet Elizabeth Taylor’s does. (Too soon?) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/46 "2011-03-25T02:30:20Z")
I’ve heard a few times that she really had light blue eyes, the sort that tend to change shade, and it was just reflection from her customary eye make up that made them look purple. I know a lot of people like that, so it’s easier to believe than the fact that she had eyes unlike anyone else. The theory makes me want to experiment given my genetically blue eyes naturally range from gray to blue-green, and clothes do affect the color but I never wear purple. I want to find a purple shirt and some purple eye shadow now… ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/47 "2011-03-25T04:34:18Z")
I have heard but cannot remember where that true violet eyes are hazeled blue, and that they are gradually being driven to extinction. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/48 "2011-03-25T05:29:45Z")
There are a ton of pictures of Elizabeth Taylor’s face on Google’s Image search. Her eyes definitely look violet in some of them, but not on others. And they do seem to change depending on what she’s wearing. Sometimes they even look light blue or brown or green. But then you have to consider the quality of the photography and whether the photo was artifically enhanced or has degraded through time. I can’t help but feel that she eyes that would pass for violet anyway, or she wouldn’t have been known for them for so long. Surely somebody would have outed her if it was all trickery. Anyway, [here’s the page](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&as_st=y&biw=1028&bih=740&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=eyes+%22elizabeth+taylor%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=) I’m referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/49 "2011-03-25T07:52:45Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > Elizabeth Taylor supposedly has violet-colored eyes. But they look blue to me. I have the same optometrist as Taylor (RIP). He told me the deal: blue eyes with very noticeable red veins. Red+blue = violet. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/50 "2011-03-25T14:12:35Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > I’ve known more than a few people with _violent_ eyes. But that’s not the same thing, really. I would expect that zombies have violent eyes. At least, those that still have their eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/51 "2011-03-25T14:15:17Z")
How weird is it that this thread got bumped 2 days after Lizzy snuffed it? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/52 "2011-03-25T14:18:17Z")
One, a gal named Laurel who lives in Mars…she seriously has eyes like Liz. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/53 "2011-03-25T14:23:20Z")
I hear Liz Taylor has a double set of eyelashes. Don’t know what color her eyes are though. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/54 "2011-03-29T21:13:36Z")
How is it that this thread has over 12,000 views??? REALLY? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/55 "2011-03-30T00:48:38Z")
I hear Elizabeth Taylor had violet eyes =( ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/56 "2011-03-30T01:32:08Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > If you wanted to make your story character distinctive with a phenomenon that definitely exists, personally I’d go with > heterochromia ([Eye color - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color#Heterochromia)) instead. Unless it’s a sci fi/fantasy story, of course. 🙂 I have Central Heterochromia, I have now discovered. Well, I always knew I had it, but I didn’t know it had a name. The Wikipedia article doesn’t say, and now I’m wondering how common it is. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/57 "2011-03-30T11:34:56Z")
Heh, the first thing I thought when I saw the thread title was, “only in descriptions of fanfic or other heavily-online writing.” Then I saw your parenthetical and was a bit amused, heh. To me, “violet eyes” is such a common trope in online fantasy-ish fiction that if I saw a description mentioning it, I’d immediately have a negative assumption about the overall quality of the piece. I’m not saying your work is of bad quality (I haven’t seen it), but my reaction above I’d actually pretty mild compared to what I’ve seen elsewhere. If you don’t care, it’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/58 "2011-03-30T12:24:17Z")
the Superman villain Black Zero had violet eyes. And a forked tongue. And he’s the one who really destroyed Krypton > **[Superman #205](http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2009/12/superman-205.html)** > > This issue combines almost all of the worst elements of the Silver Age in one horrific tale. Superman is summoned to Washington for a brief... [http://supermanica.superman.nu/wiki/index.php/Black\_Zero](http://supermanica.superman.nu/wiki/index.php/Black_Zero) [http://thenostalgialeague.com/cr/forgotten-superman.html](http://thenostalgialeague.com/cr/forgotten-superman.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/59 "2011-03-30T19:26:37Z")
I have ultraviolet eyes. 😮 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076/60 "2011-03-30T20:38:02Z")
> [@Ms.Kelly](#): > > Here is a good representation of violet blue. Google has some pictures of purple violets, but they are mostly African violets. The regular violets I was refering to are the kind you can find growing wild. This is a beautiful picture of wild violets that are violet blue. I do think this is pretty close to the color of Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes. > > [canalphotos.org](http://www.canalphotos.org/5-4_canal_violets_PS_rz.jpg) While your other picture shows violets that are blue, I’d say these are definitely violet: blue-violet if you are into crayola color rather than artistic ones (for which violet is more blueish and purple is more reddish.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-anyone-with-violet-eyes/443076.md?page=2)