How to Use Your Power Colors to Create the Life You Want

By Jeanine Byers Hoag –

Did you know that your closet has magical powers? If you have any memories of staring in vain at all of your clothes while trying desperately to find something, anything to wear, you might find that hard to believe!

But it’s true, the clothes in your closet, if used correctly, have the power to help you get hired, earn a promotion, make a great first impression, increase the sense of closeness you have or want to have in your most important relationships and improve the quality of your free time, when the only thing you want to do is relax. Read on to find out more…

The Magic of Your Color Palette

First of all, I can’t emphasize enough that if you’re not wearing the right colors, your clothes will not be able to offer much help. So if you do not know which season you are, then color analysis is the first step. But once you have your color palette, looking at the different colors within it will tell you how powerful it really is.

Dramatic Colors…

In Color Your Style, David Zyla identifies this color as your power color, and suggests finding it by taking a look at the color in your veins. He says that it reveals your authority, so it’s best to use it whenever you want to send the message that you are in charge, or capable of being in charge.

Donna Fujii, author of Color with Style, suggests that your dramatic colors are actually a range of greens and blues you can find in your color palette. My range might include pea green, seagreen, teal green, blue green, Chinese blue, aqua, aquamarine, forest green, chartreuse and true blue.

And she thinks of dramatics as the way to create an attention-getting look, whether or not you are trying to assert your authority.

Power Reds…

For Donna Fujii, your power reds are colors that will draw attention to you, but they might not be red at all. For instance, one of my power reds is paprika, or more like a red-orange. And my red is a warm red, not the Crayola red we often picture when we hear the word.

“Like the Dramatics, the bright and deep Reds also tend to attract attention to you. They are great for parties, speeches, or just to attract attention. Like the Romantic Reds, your Reds must closely match your skin color in terms of coolness or warmth, because they will flatter or undermine your skin tone.” –Donna Fujii

Romantic Reds…

These are the softer “red” colors in your palette, but again, they might not actually be red. For me, they would be colors like coral, mango, mandarin, maybe even a soft tangerine. If your coloring is cool, they might be various soft shades of pink.

These are the colors you might choose for a first or second date, for a romantic dinner, for an evening out on the town with a certain special someone. But these are not the colors you want to take on a business trip with your single boss.

It’s all about the message you want to send!

So take some time to consider your message and then take a look inside your closet to see what you have already and what you might need to add to create the work or romantic life you want.

And stay tuned for part two next month which will help you identify your best version of black, and energize your relationships and your “me” time with your best vibrant colors.

Jeanine Byers Hoag is a personal style blogger and the author of The Capsule Wardrobe Book: Signature Style Essentials for Plus Size Fashionistas. For more information, go to www.capsulewardrobebook.com.