Tamara Leigh, Host of Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON and founder of TamaraLeighLLC.com A Communications Expertise Company
As an advocate for intentional fashion and consciously using color as a strategic means of clothing communication on Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON Fashion, Memorial Day affords a field day of opportunity for expressing patriotism and summer fun. Whatever your plans include for the official holiday on the weekend that kicks off summer, here’s why you should, as part of your patriotic duty, don the red, white, and blue on Memorial Day.
Color communicates. It has the power to influence action, thought, and emotion. There is symbolism, psychology, and energy in color. Add to that embodied cognition, the connection between what you wear and how you think (as I wrote about in Back to School Style 101), and it makes for a strong case of feeling more patriotic when you wear red, white, and blue.
Vastrm custom polos
When the American flag was adopted in 1782, the colors were chosen with the attached meaning: Red as a symbol of valor and bravery; White for purity and innocence; and Blue to signify vigilance, perseverance, and justice (statesymbolsusa.org). Depending on your Memorial Day mood, here’s how you can project your personal style of patriotism, and in so doing, honor our brave Veterans, past and present, who protect our freedoms and country.
RED. Often associated with blood, love, medical aid and charity, red is also the color most connected to our physical needs and survival. “The color red makes muscles move faster and with more force…” (WebMD). It subconsciously triggers “fight or flight” — a necessary reaction for any of our armed services. If you’re feeling in an energetic, bold, or positive mood — then splash red in 
your Memorial Day style. Red wears equally well for either gender, communicating leadership, as well as a head-turning effect when worn by women and a masculine message of strength on men (as shown here in the patriotic polos by San Francisco’s customized polo company, Vastrm). For a bold look, play up the red and accent with white or flip it and use red as spirited accessories on a predominantly white or blue ensemble.
WHITE. White is a welcome change for summer attire after the heavy darks of winter. What looks classier or more comfortable than crisp white linen dressed up or down for a hometown parade, backyard barbeque, or country club crowd? White is the beacon of light, not unlike America, shining
bright in hope and possibility. White is country USA t-shirt casual, beer and chicken on red gingham tablecloths. Throw in classic blue jeans and you’ve got yourself about as patriotic a look as there is. Or, always in style, you can pay homage to our Navy men and women with the nautical look in sailor whites and stripes.
BLUE. “Oh beautiful for spacious [blue] skies, for amber waves of grain… America, America… from [blue] sea to shining [blue] sea.” Blue is the color that inspires the majesty of America and our Military. It conveys trust, loyalty, stability, and serenity. Most people pick blue as their favorite color, so wearing it will naturally create an open, friendly presence. Blue is calming, not crazy. If you need to exude a reserved, yet still celebratory persona among your Memorial Day party peeps, then choose blue as your outfit’s main color-theme. For the patriotic spin, blue doesn’t have to be boring either. Navy, royal, light blue, or denim, all offer a star-spangled option with room for customizing to your own comfort and style.
In creating your Memorial Day look (which also applies for 4th of July, but lets not rush summer now that it’s finally here), any combination of red, white, and blue works for a festive, fun, and patriotic, yet personalized, style statement. Accessorize away to add pizazz, but the important point is to pay tribute to Team America on one of our few truly unifying holidays. The Veterans we honor died and served so we could be uniquely individual, but there’s nothing wrong with also celebrating the spirit of our nation symbolized by Old Glory and the red, white, and blue.You can also find this blog post on our Linked Local Network page under Radio Shows for Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON. Also check out my Tamara Leigh’s TREND ON Memorial Day Veterans Outreach of WI blog post: http://tamaraleighllc.com/freedom-isnt-free-but-it-can-be-paid-back-to-our-veterans-how-you-can-help-this-memorial-day-weekend-after/
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