Just before I sat down to write this column, I was listening to ‘Colourblind’ by Darius Campbell. Every mood of his was described by a colour. We use colours to describe our moods — we feel blue when we’re low, green when jealousy strikes, jaded when things don’t go right. If colours can describe feelings, they must also mean a whole lot too. So, what’s in a colour? In building or projecting our image, colours have the most important influence in our lives. Every colour conveys a particular feeling or mood. For example, violet symbolises royalty, richness, intuitiveness. Black connotes mystery, authority, sophistication and sexiness. While we understand what style of clothing is appropriate for an occasion, we tend to overlook colours and what they could stand for or convey. Have you ever wondered why you feel extremely hungry in a Chinese restaurant? This is because most of them have red interiors and red is a colour that stimulates your appetite. Similarly, companies choose colours for their logos depending on what they stand for.
I for one enjoy wearing a lot of colour. It is also important to choose colours that suit us rather than wear what is trending. Here’s some colour etiquette:
At weddings: If you’re going to a church wedding, you’d do well to stay away from white by not “competing” with the bride on her special day. For all other traditional weddings, stay away from bridal colours like red, green and yellow.
For an interview: For the all-important job interview, always choose “power colours” like grey, black and navy. Stay away from over-the-top or pop colours, although a touch of colour in an accent makes you stand out from the rest of those being interviewed.
Suits for men: When it comes to men’s suits, all colours are not equal. Three basic colours that can be worn universally are charcoal grey, black and navy blue. Charcoal grey is great for younger men, while navy is more suited for older men. Black is the most versatile and formal of the lot. Brown is a popular base colour for casual options.
Bridal showers: With bridal showers becoming a growing trend, you should choose a colour that the bride-to-be is not wearing. The general trend is to be colour coded in a pre-decided theme colour. However, if there is no theme, avoid red and black. Always choose pastel shades as they connote happiness.
Funerals: Stick to conservative shades or simply wear white.
First date: There are no real rules for the first date, apart from choosing a colour that suits you the most and makes you feel confident. It will highlight your features and make you look radiant.
Writing letters: Stick to blue and black for all formal communication. For informal letters, indigo works. Teachers usually use red for correction and people in positions of higher authority use green.
The colours you choose send out messages at various levels, so choose well.
