Sugar Blaze

Photo by Al Fassam

Just as we interpret others’ appearances to have meaning, our minds take cues from us about our own looks, as well. Everything from the color, shape, and texture of your clothing, to the amount of jewelry and make-up you’re wearing, can affect your overall mood. Often, mood is what drives you to make the choices you do each morning, but whether they are enhancing or weakening to your mood can be tricky.

There are days when you know you’ve made great choices, because your mood lifts every time you look down and see your bright yellow dress, or your lucky charm bracelet, or even your funky platform shoes that get so much attention. People compliment you on how great the color looks on you, or they gush about your sense of style. Or, maybe no one says anything to you, but just looking at the bracelet your best friend gave you for your birthday reminds you of the amazing time you two had partying together that night, and you can’t help but smile. Certain items are feel-good pieces, and you know it, so whenever you’re in a fantastic mood, they’re the first things you reach for. Using them in such a way is positive and worthwhile.

Of course, there is an ugly side to mood dressing. Not everyone is happy all of the time, and there are days when we all feel sad, or lonely, or angry. We might grab the dreariest or the angriest thing in our closet and wear it, because it matches our mood, but it ends up keeping us in an ugly mood all day, instead of helping to lift us up. Dressing to all of your moods, the good ones and the bad ones, can be very beneficial, but it must be done correctly.

Contrary to how you match outfits to your positive moods, selecting clothing based on negative moods must be done differently.  For instance, rather than matching an angry mood with angry clothes, it is far better to steer an angry mood to a more neutral place with calming choices. The fit of your clothing, the style and shape of it, even the material it’s made of, can all affect your mood. Taking care with each element can be substantially rewarding. To help you make the right impression every time, both on yourself and on others, I’ve devised a guide that focuses on color. (I will be covering other topics in the future.)

Combating Anger & Sadness with Color:

• If you’re feeling angry, and your initial reaction is to grab red, try wearing a soft shade of green instead. Red raises your heart rate and blood pressure and prolongs the angry fire within. Green, on the other hand, is soothing and relaxing. It neutralizes negative energy and helps connect you with the rest of the world.

• If you’re feeling angry, and your initial reaction is to grab black, try wearing light pink or soft white instead. Both colors are calming and uplifting. Pink diffuses the strength of your negative emotions and promotes gratitude, while white reflects light and enhances your sense of peace. Shy away from bright whites and dark pinks, though, as they may irritate you after a short while and keep your anger company.

• If you’re feeling sad, and your initial reaction is to grab blue, try wearing orange instead. This will give you a boost of positive energy and improve your spirits. Yellow can also lift your mood, but it requires a bit more caution. Never go down the yellow road if you’ve been crying, as it’s the hardest color on the eyes and will irritate already bothered peepers.

• If you’re feeling sad, and your initial reaction is to grab gray, try wearing rich purple instead. While gray is often drab and can imply insignificance, purple enhances feelings of worth. It is hard to feel down when you feel your presence has meaning.

Using Color to Make Good Impressions:

• Blue is the best choice when you want an extra boost of confidence, either from others or from within. Wearing blue causes others to feel very comfortable with you, making it a great choice for those times when you need to make a good impression. It also increases strength and endurance in performance, which will aid you in following through on that impression.

• Red is the best choice when you are feeling determined and wish to command attention. It is often the power color of choice for public speakers, but you should be careful not to wear red in situations where you feel many others will be wearing red. Too many people wearing the same color dampens the affect it would otherwise have. A good alternative is yellow (just stay away from pastels).

• Yellow is the best choice when you’re in a fun-loving, sunny mood. It is the perfect color for birthday parties and amusement parks, but the possibilities do not end there. Yellow draws attention and can be used effectively to win over others, from just one person (try soft yellow) to a large crowd (go with bright yellow). Like yellow roses, yellow clothing works in almost any situation.

• Green is the best choice when you are in doubt. It is the most universally appealing color, because it is easiest on the eyes. It is both relaxing and refreshing, and it will keep you in high spirits without offending anyone else, as yellow or red might.

• Purple is the best choice when you are feeling creative. Because the color is so rare in nature, it lends itself to extraordinary things. Purple is generally considered the most magical color.

• Orange is the best choice when you’re feeling upbeat and productive. Highly energetic, it will keep you moving. The brighter the orange, the better, but even dark oranges can infuse a sufficient amount of feel-good vibes.

• Pink is the best choice when you’re feeling romantic. Being the most feminine color, pink brings out the sensitive side in all of us. Pink can also be used to counteract violent anger, which is why I believe all cars should come equipped with pink steering wheels. Imagine the slogan: road rage kills; pink steering wheels heal!