Colour psychology – it exists and is a powerful tool when you need to send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, ace that pitch, or calm a crowd. If you need to dress for success, get down to the very basic of a colour chart and what that colour can evoke in another person (psychologically, of course).
1. Black. Aside from the illusion of making a person appear slimmer (tips & tricks of the trade!), it is also often the colour associated with intelligence (suits, black horn rimmed glasses, doctorate in a black robe, etc). But it is also a serious & somewhat somber colour that evokes strong emotions. Try not to overwhelm people with too much black. If you’re going to have to dress head to toe in black, throw in a splash of colours (or silver & gold) with some accessories.
2. Red. A female decked in red would definitely stand out in a crowd – which is fine if you want to draw attention to yourself. Red is the colour of energy, associated with a lot of movement and excitement. But it isn’t exactly the most calming colour in the palette. Neutral your red with earthy colours like brown (perhaps a brown bag?) or soft pastels like pink to avoid from looking too “heavy”.
3. Yellow. Perhaps one of the world’s most cheerful colours, yellow is closely associated with laughter, happiness and good times. It encourages optimism because the brain actually release more “feel good chemical” (read: serotonin) when around this colour. However, too much of yellow (shoes, accessories, bag) can be too intense and we hear tempers flare easily too. Use sparingly if you’re in the line of marketing for greater sales.
4. Blue. As it is, much of our world is surrounded by multiple shades of blue such as the skies and the seas. And because of that close association, seeing the colour blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming. However, picking the wrong shade of blue might send out a cold message. So stay off “icy blue” shades to ensure that it’s on a calm, restful track.
So the next time you throw open your wardrobe doors in search of something to wear, ensure that you’ve got your colours (high contrast, varying shades, schemes) down pat. It might just be the thing to make a difference in your day at work – or sommeone else’s.
