Continuing with our tips to help you achieve the impression you want to make at networking and other events through colors you wear, we turn to black and red this week.
• Black is the most powerful color so choose it wisely. It says dignity, formality, power, sophistication and, yes, it is the most slimming color! When combined with powerful body language it can become too powerful and overwhelming. Black also has a mysterious side such as in black magic, darkness and the “bad people” dressed in black. You are more intimating in black, and it can make you feel out of place if your superiors show up in a camel blazer or light gray suit. It is not by accident that the judge in a courtroom is dressed in black from neck to toe.
• Red. Interesting indeed! Your pituitary gland responds to red. Your pulse rate and your blood pressure increase. You even breathe more rapidly as you respond to chemical changes in your body. Red means adventurous, exciting and dynamic and is best worn in small amounts for maximum effect such as the red tie, blouse, scarf, necklace, etc. Red suits are not recommended for business meetings since men still set the power color standards, and red suits are not worn in male-dominated boardrooms. Women in red are also seen as more flirtatious and playful. It might be exactly what you are seeking in your social life.
Want to know what messages other colors send? Pick up a copy of Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships That Last.