Bringing Colour into our Lives

‘Pink isn’t just a colour, it’s an attitude!’ – Miley Cyrus

Have you ever thought about the colours you wear and the impact they have, both on you and others around you? Do you tend to wear light or bright clothes when things are going well and darker ones when things are not so good? If you do, it may not be merely coincidence, but actually a subconscious choice. Not all the time of course, we probably all have a favourite black outfit that we might wear when we are having a great time. Although even then, are we wearing it because we really want to or because we believe black is slimming, or we will blend in with others, or it’s appropriate for the occasion?

Thinking about it, I know people who always wear black or dark colours and their world lacks the light it might have. It’s impossible to know whether simply replacing some of their clothes with brighter colours would have an impact, but I suspect it might.

Looking at my own wardrobe, it’s quite a mix of dark and light colours, probably half and half, but most of the clothes I genuinely love are bright and cheery. My favourite shoes are white pumps with bright flowers on them! Currently I am wearing a pink and white sweater with blue jeans and bright socks and I am feeling happy, content and calm. So when I wear a dark colour, am I in a more sombre mood? Am I not feeling so optimistic or confident? Maybe my mood is reflected in the clothes I wear. I don’t know but I’m going to start being more aware of the choices I make from now on.

‘I am a believer that color affects people’s moods’ – Lilly Pulitzer

Plus it’s not just clothes – I read in a magazine this morning that wearing a bright, vibrant lipstick can lift our mood really quickly. Apparently at the end of 2022, sales of red lipstick had increased by 41% on the previous year. There is even a term, ‘lipstick index’, which shows that sales of red lipstick soar when the economy shrinks! The reason, it would seem, is that a lipstick is a relatively low-cost item which boosts mood, confidence and well-being, as well as the complexion.

So it seems we can convey how we feel by using colour instead of words. Whilst colours can mean different things depending on where we live in the world, many of us will see red as a confident and energetic colour. We only have to think about the ‘red carpet’ – associating the colour with importance, prosperity, and the confident ‘look at me’ of the celebrity world. Green on the other hand represents nature, new beginnings and growth and is calming and balancing.

‘Colour possesses a language without words’ – Billy Dugger

So maybe we should think more about the colours we wear, rather than just the design or material our clothing is made of? What we wear might well be the first thing someone else notices about us and could even influence what they think about us. Choosing the right colours could not only give us more confidence at an interview or on a first date but could help the interviewer or potential love interest decide we are the right person for them!

But, for me, I love the idea of introducing a little more colour into life. Whether it be what we wear or what we accessorise our houses with, I do think that colour affects our moods. Given that this blog is all about the little things we can do to improve our health and happiness, I think a little injection of colour is a great tiny tweak! What will you do to brighten up your life?

Just before I go, I saw this quote and it made me smile!

‘I want to be different. If everyone is wearing black, I want to be wearing red’ – Maria Sharapova

Until next time xx