You probably already know that the colour you wear can reflect how your overall persona is perceived – like how yellow is fun, pink is sweet, and red is edgy. However, colour represents much more. Psychologists say colour influences perceptions that are not obvious; marketers use colour to make designs like logos and websites appeal to their target demographic; interior designers use colour to set the tone of environments and even filmmakers use it to force emotions at certain points to force emotions.
However, in fashion, colour is used for everything. It can be used to alter perceptions to show authority, it can be used to change your mood and the moods of people around you, it can be used as a way to appeal to your audience say while networking or during job interviews, and if you’re conscious of it, you would reap all the benefits. Here is a rundown of basic colours and what they represent.
Red
There is a reason red is used for stop signs and all other major calls-to-action. Red is used to draw attention! It gives the wearer a sense of power and edge. It is also associated with sex appeal or romance – an aphrodisiac of some sort. Red is great if you’re going for a job interview where you want to scream power and confidence. Also, a little red dress on a date with that special someone is a good way to spark things up really fast. Red lipstick also does wonders.
Green
Green like the trees and the grass on the fields. Green is strongly associated with nature. For this reason, green is its own kind of calm. Green is a stress reliever, and is associated with generosity, healing, and a rejuvenated state of mind. It shows charisma and affection for others. If you want to be seen as a caregiver, a flowy green dress would give you that appeal.
Yellow
Yellow is warm, yellow is fun. It is the colour of happiness, laughter, optimism, sunlight, and all the other lively things you can think of. It is also associated with inspiration and can cheer you up when you feel down. If you want to go for a happy look, yellow is your go to colour.
Blue
Blue as the ocean or blue as ice? Blue is another wonderful colour but you have to be careful with it for the same contradiction as the first line – water or ice? On the one side, blue is a calming colour. It has been used to represent love and serenity and it can also relieve stress. Research has also shown that blue can make you more creative. However, the colour blue can also make you feel bluer and be perceived as cold altogether. Tricky right? Your best bet is to use shades to your advantage. Light blue for calm and dark blue for intense and distant.
Understand these and you would be able to use colours to your advantage.
BY: LAWRETTA EGBA
