personal branding colours…. what are you saying when you wear red

Karen Haller 01
Karen Haller

Personal branding colours - Rockalily Rockette red lipstick. This will open a new browser window.

If you want to been seen, be noticed, then you can’t go past the colour red. It’s literally shouting for attention ‘look at me!’ Red isn’t a colour for the faint hearted or for the shy, retiring violet. But it will certainly be a colour to bring them out of their shell!

Red, having the longest wavelength gives the illusion it is nearer than it really is, therefore grabbing our attention first. You only need a small amount, unless of course you really want to stand out of the crowd!

And women are able to do this with the smallest of applications…. on their lips.

ReeRee Rockette, founder and creator of Rockalily Lipstick specialising in red lipstick, says red is her favourite accent colour. It ‘shows confidence… I suppose you can’t be shy when you wear red!’ Her range of red lipsticks consists of both yellow and blue based undertones to suit all skin tones. ReeRee believes ‘red lipstick is such a classic look, that matches anyone and everyone! It makes every outfit look polished!’

Personal branding colours - ReeRee and Rockalily red lipstick. This opens a new browser window.


colour psychology – positive energy
if you want to inject a bit of energy to  your working day just a splash of red in your accessories such jewellery, shoes, a tie or a scarf should do the trick! And if you want to keep it under wraps why not add a touch of red in your underwear for that hidden bit of energy boost!

Just be aware negatively, red can come across as aggressive, angry, confrontational, especially if you are wearing too much or the wrong tone for your personality type. You may feel energised and powerful, but it could leave others feeling overwhelmed and find themselves going into a ‘fight or flight’ response.

a red for everyone
Like any colour, it’s important to wear the right tone of red, proportion and know the effects it has in combination with the other colours you are wearing.  Knowing the effect this has on you and how others may respond to you, you’ll know which situations to wear it.

many tones of red
Red varies from tones such as watermelon, rust, russet, maroon, burgundy and pillar-box red. There is of course light red, which we know as pink, which has a very different meaning altogether…

So do you dare to wear red? How do you feel when you wear red? How do you feel when you see others wearing red?

Images courtesy of Rockalily Make Up

If you enjoyed reading this post you may also be interested in Colour Psychology – the meaning of red, Personal Branding – what does red black mean to you and other  Personal Branding posts.

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11 Comments

  1. Paola Minekov on February 29, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    I love wearing red, especially for exhibition openings… and weddings! Any time really, it makes me feel great 🙂

    • admin on March 16, 2012 at 6:34 pm

      Hi Paola,

      No doubt it will also make you stand out from the crowd. All eyes will definitely be on you!

  2. Tamsin Fox-Davies on February 29, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    I love red lipstick but find it really hard to get the right one. Your article has just explained why!

    Now to find the perfect red lipstick – looks like I’ll have to head over to Rockalily!

    • admin on March 16, 2012 at 6:54 pm

      Hi Tamsin,

      The undertone is so important to start getting the right red. When you know what your personal tonal colour family is, as you do, then it’s a matter of matching the tone of the lipstick to that. The red I’ve seen you wearing lately is spot on!

  3. duda does on March 3, 2012 at 10:24 pm

    True. I only wear red when I feel confident, on top of the game, feminine and energetic. If I don’t want to get noticed I NEVER wear a red lipstick. But if I do, it’s a winner and confidence boost. Thanks for sharing the article.

    • admin on March 16, 2012 at 7:05 pm

      Hi Duda,

      Great to read your experience in wearing red. You could consider wearing red to boost your confidence or if you need a bit more energy.

  4. Laura on March 13, 2012 at 9:04 am

    Great insights Karen. I love red lipstick. As Tam said, its tricky to find the right one! Any tips?

    L.

    • admin on March 16, 2012 at 7:08 pm

      Hi Laura,

      Wearing the right red lipstick is like wearing the right tone of colours for your clothes. The easy solution for this is to have a personal colour consultation with me!

  5. Nicola Holden on March 19, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    I have recently started wearing red lipstick from time to time, and I love it! As Duda says, it is a confidence booster.

    • admin on March 20, 2012 at 4:46 pm

      Hi Nicola,

      It’s amazing how colour can influence how you feel and your behaviour.

  6. Wendy Kerr on March 23, 2012 at 11:25 am

    I love red too – I wear so much black, that the red makes a great change. After years of wearing brown lipstick, I’ve started wearing my red ones again – and guess what – I’m getting different reactions when I show up – interesting!…..

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