Colour is one element that can enhance you; help express a signature look and reflect your personal brand. Colours that suit your skin tone, enhance eye and hair colour will also uplift you and express an elevated visual image.
A picture tells a thousand words and visual impressions attract attention through our image and the clothes we choose to wear plus photographs and other brand impressions such as packaging, logos and colour.
Various psychologists and colour consultants have said that the colours you choose to wear say more about your personality and mood than you think.
Most of us in the business world tend to have our wardrobes dominated by black. But do you realise bright colours always make you feel happier! And can have a positive effect on customers and clients.
Neutral colours are the bedrock of a versatile work wardrobe but worn alone or too often can create predictable and boring outfits. So elevate your neutral outfits by adding some bold hues and breathe new life and style into your wardrobe. But before you do, make sure you know the colours and neutral tones that suit you best, and where to place them to enhance both your colouring and your shape.
Here are a few colour choices to consider.
NEUTRALS
Warm Neutrals: Beige, camel, ivory, taupe, warm grey.
Cool Neutrals: Light grey, charcoal, slate, cool white.
Classic Neutrals: Black, navy, white, nude.
BLUE is known as the executive colour. Blue enhances your wisdom and stimulates self-awareness, so wear it when you are discussing important issues. Dark blue says, "I’m the boss". You are a person who knows who you are and where you are going! Blue stimulates the mind but can be seen as a cold colour. However it is also the colour of the sky and the ocean and is one of the most popular colours.
PURPLE implies royalty, dignity and spirituality. It is also associated with wealth, luxury and elegance. It’s a balancing colour. Wear purple when you feel stressed or sad as it promotes peace and restfulness. Purple is calming for yourself and others to look at and be around. It is said to stimulate your intuition and creativity.
YELLOW is an excellent colour to wear when you’re feeling down. Yellow stimulates your desires, promotes positivity and prevents depression. It is a welcoming colour and good for communicating, so wear it when you want to sell yourself and your skills. It is cheery, optimistic and an attention getter. Although eye catching, it is a difficult colour for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused.
RED says success. Wear red to express power and to stand out in a crowd. A person who wears red is not afraid of showing a strong image. Red is stimulating, arousing and romantic, and excellent when you want to come up with ideas. If you want to boost your physical energy or overcome negative thinking and feeling of rejection wear red. Since it is an extreme colour, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations.
GREEN calms your emotions and helps with relaxation. Performers and people waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to calm their nerves. Green is a refreshing colour and symbolises nature and fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth.
BLACK is a colour of authority and power. It is always popular in fashion, as it is stylish, timeless, elegant and slimming. Total black outfits can sometimes be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof. If you want to evoke mystery or aren’t in the mood to talk, wear black. Black keeps you hidden but can have a “keep your distance” effect on people. To come across as more approachable wear a different coloured shirt or top with an all black suit.
WHITE traditionally symbolises innocence and purity and is often considered a summer colour. It’s a cleansing colour that clears away old thoughts, stimulates new growth and opening up to new ideas. When wearing white people are often described as looking fresh, or crisp. White is because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However if you have warm-toned skin, choose to wear off-white as white is considered a cool colour.
ORANGE promotes spontaneity and warmth. Orange is bold and cheerful and improves social behaviour. If you need some added motivation and fun wear orange as it’s said to be an anti- depressant. It’s a colour that is lively and active, helping to exude a dynamic or extroverted personality.
BROWN. Solid, reliable brown is the colour of earth. Those that wear a lot of brown are natural, casual, reliable and genuine. Mother Earth types for example. It’s a warm colour and is said to promote restfulness and tranquillity. But brown can also be seen as a dull colour, very safe and conservative. To offset boring brown wear with an accent colour like orange or turquoise.
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Sue Currie is an image entrepreneur who guides and empowers business leaders and entrepreneurs to have “Spotlight Confidence”. She is passionate about helping professionals elevate their personal and professional brand through her speaking, coaching and training programs on Self Brand, Style and Speaking Skills, providing a multi-faceted approach to gain high transformation for her clients.
