The ManicaPost
Hello Mutare, hope you are all well. I am not as happy as I usually am. I am sure your have those days right?
Well my mood was affected after the theft of my phone last week (LG–D722 Black Slimline with cracks at the corners kkk). I just thought I would throw that out there in case someone see’s it.
Now what does this have to do with Fashion? A lot!
I am not one of those people who is addicted to their phones or social media. However, my phone was my office. Yes I am one of those businesswomen whose businesses were on the phone because I am on the road most of my day. So when it was stolen, that is six years of information, gone with it.
The SD card was also gone. My life literally stopped, and with it my ability to function effectively as a CEO.
So I was talking to a friend who is big on “functional healing” and she was saying the colours I have been wearing since the phone got stolen, are showing I have high levels of stress, and not handling it well.
Ha ha ha seriously? But you know what, she was right! For the whole of last week, all I wanted to wear were brown, blue, black clothes and maybe a touch of white or cream or dull gold. I woke up this morning feeling a bit better, so I put on a pale coloured top . . . guess what?
I removed it after an hour and changed to a brown top. It all sounds ridiculous, but after two more friends commented on the colours, I realised that yes my mood affected my colour choice.
Of cause you guessed it . . . I decided to share the colour vs your mood information with you all (male and female), so that those of you who are not really in touch with your moods and the effect it has on your fashion choice, get an insight.
For those who are sceptical, just ask educationalists why classrooms and study rooms are painted a certain colour.
Also ask medical representatives why hospitals, consultation rooms etc, are painted certain colours. It is not by accident, it is deliberate. Certain colours affect the brain and the mood in certain ways.
While perceptions of colour are somewhat subjective, there are some colour effects that have universal meaning.
Colour even plays an important role in brand identity — it draws consumers to products, stirs emotions and has a huge impact on brand recognition.
Colours can make us feel happy or sad . . . they can make us feel hungry or relaxed. Let’s take a closer look at how colour impacts our emotions and behaviours.
Warm colours — red, orange and yellow are next to each other on the colour wheel and are all warm colours.
Warm colours often evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy. However, yellow and orange can also slightly irritate the eyes and red can increase a person’s appetite.
Think about fast food restaurants like McDonald’s or KFC — most of these places incorporate the colour yellow and red. Why, because they want people to get hungry and then eat quickly.
Red — is the warmest and most dynamic of the colours — it triggers opposing emotions. It is often associated with passion and love as well as anger and danger. It can increase a person’s heart rate and make them excited.
Orange — enhances a feeling of vitality and happiness. Like red, it draws attention and shows movement but is not as overpowering. It is aggressive but balanced — it portrays energy yet can be inviting and friendly.
Yellow — is perhaps the most energetic of the warm colours. It is associated with laughter, hope and sunshine. Accents of yellow help give your design energy and will make the viewer feel optimistic and cheerful. However, yellow tends to reflect more light and can irritate a person’s eyes. Too much yellow can be overwhelming and should be used sparingly.
Cool colours include green, blue, and purple. Cool colours are usually calming and soothing but can also express sadness.
Purple is often used to help spark creativity as it’s a mixture of blue (calm) and red (intense). If a company wants to display health, beauty or security, incorporate these colours.
Green — symbolises health, new beginnings and wealth. Green is the easiest on the eyes and should be used to relax and create balance in a design. It is a great colour to use if a company wants to depict growth, security or inspire possibility.
Blue — evokes feelings of calmness and spirituality as well as security and trust. Seeing the colour blue causes the body to create chemicals that are calming. It is no surprise that it’s the most favoured of the colours. Dark blues are great for corporate designs because it helps give a professional feel, but using too much can create a cold, disengaged feeling. Light blues give a more relaxing, friendly feel. Great examples are social sites like Facebook and Twitter who use lighter blues.
Purple — is associated with creativity, royalty and wealth. Purple is often used to soothe or calm a viewer, hence why it is used in beauty products. Incorporate purple to make a design look more luxurious and wealthy or a lighter purple to show romance and mystery.
Neutral colours include black, gray, white, tan and brown. In design, these colours are great as background colours. Use black, gray and white when using brighter colours. If you are using textures, then incorporate tan and brown as your backdrop.
It is important to note that colours can be subjective — what might make one person feel cheerful can make another person feel irritated depending on the viewers’ past experiences or cultural differences. Colour is not completely agreed on universally and can appeal differently to individual countries. A designer must study their target audience and choose colours accordingly
So what’s the bottom line? Experts have found that while colour can have an influence on how we feel and act, these effects are subject to personal, cultural, and situational factors. Oh well . . . what can I say after that?
That’s it from me this week folks. I will make an effort to work on my colours to lift my mood this week. God bless!
Fashion Diva can be found at Utate Gardens, Mutare.
