Do you plan what effect you want to achieve through color when you attend a networking event, give a presentation, go for a job interview? If not, why not?
You cannot dress neutrally since all colors send a message. Remember from last week that 20% of your optic nerves go directly to your pituitary gland that creates emotions in response to color.
Here are some helpful hints. You also need to be aware that when combined with your demeanor, even powerful colors can send negative messages. I’ve put those reactions in parenthesis.
Dark colors convey more power. That’s why President Obama wears black, dark gray and navy blue suits. We’ll discuss later why he would not be seen in an avocado green or brown suit.
• Blue is the most universally loved color across cultures.
You can’t go wrong with navy blue in business whether it be a suit, blazer, pants or shirt/blouse. It conveys the messages of authority, knowledge, responsibility and trustworthiness. (dogmatic, all-knowing)
Sky blue says calm, reliable, serene and harmonious. Great choice for shirts/blouses and ties. (lacking energy, excitement, case of the blues)
• Gray says success, and the darker the gray the more successful you appear. Also refinement and class. It encourages creativity perhaps because clouds, smoke and fog are shades of gray, and they stir the imagination with their changeable forms.
Silver and platinum are signs of affluence and can be great accent pieces.
More next week!