Communicating with Color

Communicating with Color

Color is perhaps the strongest force in communication.  Within seconds of meeting you, others will respond to the 'color messages' flashed by your clothes.  It has been ascertained by medical science that color can influence the viewer"s hormones, blood pressure and body temperature.  When choosing colors be aware of: what impact they will have on:

• Your apparent shape and size
• An emotional level - how they will make others and ourselves feel
• What they will communicate to others about your personality
• How appropriate the color is for the location, occasion, time of year, your personal coloring and age.

Colors produce different reactions when used in different fabrics.  A red jacket worn with a white shirt to a business meeting exhibits confidence and power but a red jacket worn with a lacy red top may be interpreted as saying, "I’m sexy and exciting and I have other things on my mind besides this business meeting”.  Red is also not the best color to wear to a job interview as it sometimes sets the scene for an uneasy interaction between females.

• Dark cool colors (navy, black and charcoal), are seen as authoritarian, credible and professional.
• Medium colors are people –friendly, semi-professional and easy going.
• Light to pastel colors are seen as fresh, innocent, pure and non-professional
• Light muted (greyed) colors are seen as elderly, unimportant and carry no presence.
• Rich (velvety) colors are seen as mature, serene, elegant, wealthy and sophisticated.
• Contrast is a vital factor in impression management.  When the onlooker’s brain picks up contrast (color difference) it literally wakes up, this results in the person being remembered, listened to and taken notice of.  When low contrast is worn, it often results in the wearer becoming almost invisible.

- High Contrast          (bright, dark combinations).  Power dressing: often results in others feeling inferior.

- Medium Contrast    (light dark combinations), the most people-friendly and professionally effective.

- Low Contrast           (little or no color difference between garments).  This combination is seen as elegant and even at times fashionable, but in business or whenever ‘presence’ is required it renders the wearer ineffectual.