PERSONAL STYLIST TIPS: HOW COLOUR CAN HELP YOU LOOK AND FEEL GOOD (during the lockdown)
During the lockdown we have been having to, in some cases, completely transform the way we are working, particularly as mumpreneurs. Our business lives are being swamped with online video calls, our kids are with us, and often our partners are also with us. To add to this, an overwhelming amount of emotions we seem to be going through, from highs from being able to spend more hours with our loved ones, to lows where we feel almost trapped within our own homes. I wanted to share a few tips to help build your positive mindset and confidence using something as simple as colour!
What effect can colour have on our mindset?
Psychologists and marketers have poured countless hours into researching what colours can do to affect the mind, and this is only a small summary of some of the research I have found, particularly focusing on the colours themselves. Colours can greatly affect our moods, but also how people respond to us, with research by Keith Jacobs and Frank Hustmyer in 1974 finding that our heart rate, blood pressure, and even respiration, can be changed just by the colours we see.
Knowing these basic elements to the ways people respond to certain colours could help you potentially reach for the colours you love, and consider how they’re making you feel. It could also help you if you want to have a specific mindset, or response by others to your outfit, whether another colour may be great to addition.
Blue – how does this colour affect my mindset?
Blue, a colour I love to wear, and Pantone’s 2020 colour of the year, apparently encourages people to feel loyalty, stability, and tranquillity. It can help when you feel you need to bring some grounding to your life, as it can evoke feelings of truth, and according to psychologists is the most stable colour to wear. Blue can be a tricky colour to wear, so consider your skin tone and think about which type of blues can work best for you to help you feel confident, and bring some of the tranquillity you may be craving at these times to your day.
This blue, soft denim jumpsuit from Warehouse is something I love to wear as it works perfectly with my skin tone, has a belt to draw me in at the waist, but is still comfortable enough to wear when taking my child to the park. It also is professional enough for client calls!
How can Yellow affect my mood?
Yellow – a beautiful, happy colour, and one I can’t write without bringing a smile to my face, and I am sure many other people feel the same. This is a colour which brings happiness, optimism, and can bring joy to your outfit. However, it can apparently also bring about a feeling of unstableness as it’s such a bright colour it can be tricky to have an all over outfit in just this shade, and can be over-energising for the workplace. If you’re working from home, however, it can be a great colour to jump to if you need to pump up your energy!
This is another colour which can be tricky for some skin tones, so I recommend having a colour consultation or putting different shades near your face to see which hues brighten you, rather than drain you.
In this wonderful outfit, you can see how blue and yellow have been brought together, to add the stabilising effect that blue can have on yellow. Then paired with a simple black skirt, but bringing the yellow pop in the shoes helps to bring the whole outfit together. I love that it can be appropriate for work and I truly see how yellow can bring brightness and joy to an outfit. If you are conscious of wearing yellow in this way, I’d recommend trying a yellow bag to add to your more toned down look, or perhaps yellow shoes for a little pop of fun colour!
Green and its effect on mindset
Now green is an interesting colour to wear! It is associated with healing, hope, and success! It’s also a great colour to wear if you are in front of a computer screen as it apparently has the least amount of eye strain. The use of green in an outfit can also bring a feeling of freshness and harmony, so it’s a fantastic colour to use in these times, and when attending business meetings, as its association with success can bring a more secure feeling to the person you are meeting with.
Deep greens can be a great starting point for you to dip your toe into the world of this colour. Lime greens and bright greens are often quite luminescent but can be great if your skin tone works well with it. I love the use of the neutral top with the deep green in this outfit, and it can be perfect for work and for date night – add a leather jacket or jewellery to upgrade to the date and you’re ready to go out!
What does the colour black do for your mindset?
A classic colour, but did you know that black can convey the message of power, mystery, and even professionalism? This is why it can be used in so many professional outfits such as suits and the classic, little black dress! I often find even if black isn’t considered to be the “right” colour for a client’s skin tone, it makes them feel great, so if you feel the same way about black, then go for it and add this professional colour to your day if you have several meetings coming up, or need to record a professional video for your business. Adding a hint of colour such as green, or blue, can add a touch of personality to an all-black outfit, should you feel you need it.
In this all black outfit, something I always recommend doing with black is showcased here perfectly – different textures! Black on black can look a little flat, so adding other layers of black that have a different texture or pattern are a great way to make an outfit look more polished. The arms on this dress go a long way to changing this dress from what could be quite simple, to something appropriate for the office.
Orange and its effects on the mindset
The final colour I’d like to showcase in this list of the top colours to transform your mindset, is orange. This colour is a good go between for red which can be seen as passionate and great for a first date, not so appropriate for the office! Orange, especially in these times, can be an excellent colour choice as it brings through feelings of energy, fun, and warmth. It’s a fantastic colour as it’s bright and colourful, like yellow, but can be worn on many more skin tones and is perhaps not quite as daunting. It also helps to bring a feeling of stimulation and enthusiasm, so if you’re feeling your get up and go has got up and gone, bring some orange into today’s outfit, it could go to help improve your energy!
As you can see, orange comes in so many shades, and is incredibly “hot” right now in the fashion world. A few ways to use it is like the above where the whole outfit is based on orange with perhaps black or green accents. If this feels a little too much, try starting with an orange scarf or shoes, so you can dip your toe into the colour for a little bit of a boost to your mindset!
I hope these colours have given you some ideas for adding some colour to your daily outfits whilst in lockdown and how they can potentially change your mindset. Do let me know some colours you love to gravitate to, and if you’d like to know which colours suit you best, I’d love to arrange an online stylings session with you!