Brighten up your winter’s day!

Wearing color is the easiest way to brighten up a grey winter’s day. Whether it’s donning a bright dress or coat to frighten away the winter blues, or even as simple as adding a touch of color with a scarf or some jewelry, you’ll find wearing color will bring a smile to you and to those who see you.

Did you know that different colors evoke different feelings and responses from people? It’s sometimes referred to as “The Psychology of Colour”.

Blue is used by some banks and government agencies such as the Police, because it is a trustworthy color. It sends the message: dependable, safe, trustworthy, loyal.

Red = Passion, strength, sensual, power
Pink = Femininity, health, love, confidence
Green = Intelligence, life, nature
Yellow = Sunlight, joy, happiness,playfulness
Orange = Happiness, energy, enthusiasm, flamboyance
Purple = Sensuality, creativity, wealth, royalty

Colour is quite fascinating really. There are some colors which can make people look younger and healthier, and others that can drain them and make them look ill. It’s all to do with the undertone of your skin. You either have a warm or a cool undertone to your skin. Warm being yellow and cool being blue.

So if you have a warm undertone, you will suit colors with a warm yellow base to them. If you have a cool undertone you will suit colors with a cool blue base to them.

Take Red for instance, if you have a true red paint, and you add a bit of yellow to it, you end up with a warm orange-red. If you add a bit of blue to the true red paint, you’ll get a cool blue-red. 

However, when you are wearing a color that doesn’t suit you, any lines and wrinkles, blemishes and dark circles under-eye will stand out more… yikes! You may look more ashen and grey, or slightly sallow, yellow and ill.

Have you ever had anyone say to you “Are you feeling ok today? You look a bit ill.” when you are actually fine? It’s probably because of the colour you were wearing that day. Interesting, isn’t it?

Knowing what colors suit you also saves you time when you’re shopping. You know exactly what colors to try on, and you can pass by entire racks that you know won’t work for you. It’s all about shopping with confidence. You won’t make any more shopping mistakes that end up at the back of your closet!

 
Wear some color to brighten up your grey winter’s day. You’ll be amazed at how it will make you feel. 


If you’d like to find out what colours really suit you, we offer a Personal Color Analysis in which we analyze your coloring and give you a palate of your best colours, that you can take with you when you go shopping. We also do your makeup and show you how to pick the best makeup colours to suit you. View our services to see how we can help. 

Why Color is so important in Fashion

I came came across this great article today about the importance of Color written by  Susan Lockhart a leading Image Consultant in Brisbane. Colour is the first thing other people notice about us, and its impact is immediate and long-lasting. Our fashion color choices say a lot about the image we are trying to portray and how we feel about ourselves.  So what does color tell people? Within seconds of meeting you, others will respond to the 'color messages' flashed by your clothes. It is a fact that different colors can make people feel a certain way. It has even been determined by medical science that color can influence the viewer's hormones, blood pressure and body temperature. Colour also has an impact on: Your apparent shape Your apparent weight Your apparent personality Your emotions Others emotions Other important considerations are how appropriate the colour is for the location, occasion, time of year, your age and of course, your natural colouring. We are all influenced by colour every day, whether we realise it or not. If we're having a bad day and not feeling good about ourselves, we tend to automatically choose clothes in dull neutral colours like black, grey or brown because they match how we're feeling. Just as when we're happy and feeling great we will go for something a bit brighter. Have a look in your wardrobe and see how many different colours you own. Do you have a veritable rainbow of outfits? Or are there just 1 or 2 colours that you wear a variation of all the time? You may find you are stuck in a colour rut. Knowing this, why not experiment with the colours you wear and surround yourself with. The first rule is to always be guided by what suits your natural colouring - that is your skin tone, eye colour and hair colour. Once you know your best range of colours, you can choose different colours for different occasions. Sometimes a certain combination of colours will create the affect, rather than each colour individually. Colours produce different reactions when put together in different colour combinations and when used in different fabrics.  For example, a red jacket worn with a white shirt to a business meeting exhibits confidence and power, but a red jacket worn with a lacy red top may be interpreted as you having other things on your mind besides this business meeting. So which colours are appropriate for what situations? Which colours can help you portray a certain image? Here is a list of colours for woman that are ideal for a whole range of occasions: Blue-based reds: Suggests intelligence and femininity. Yellow-based reds: Energetic colour that keeps conversations going (Men are inherently attracted to yellow-based reds - a great colour for a first date) Purple: Stirs the senses and generates passion - great for creative endeavours Turquoise: puts other women at ease, encourages them to open up Lipstick red: implies strength and authority Medium blues: a calming colour that allows interactions to go smoothly Browns: non-threatening, stable, supportive and reliable (great for meetings with colleagues or clients) Remember, the most important thing is to choose colours that are a good fit for your natural colouring. There is no point choosing a colour that suggests creativity and confidence if it also makes you look washed out or sick. Wearing your best range of colours can have a huge impact on your wardrobe and your confidence. The right colours can make your skin tone appear more even, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles and make you look brighter and healthier. While on the other hand wearing a colour which isn't so good for you, can make you look tired, dull and even ill. A colour analysis with a professional image consultant will sh ow you exactly which range of colours are best for your clothing, makeup and accessories.    Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Lockhart

Try new color combinations

I'm trying to get my head around why in New Zealand people love to dress in black! I understand that the All Blacks are a big part of the culture; but apart from wearing it in a rugby context, black  is a very boring and depressing color to wear everyday! I call black the "colour eater" because it makes people look pale and older!

Well, this season is all about color! I assure you that after you start wearing some bright colors you will love it and never stop! Try new combinations, get out of your comfort zone! wear your best colors closer to your face! Dont forget to use color in you accesories: shoes, jewellery, scarfs!!

Here are some color combinations to try out this season:

• Fuchsia and pale yellow
• Fuchsia and orange
• Emerald green and  red
• Purple and orange
• Red and pink
• Midnight blue and teal

If you want to find out your best colors, book for a Color Consultation and Make-up -  it's a lifetime investment! http://www.confidencestyle.co.nz/services/color