A Splash of Color

Who knew orange, yellow & fuchsia would be the new black? Okay, that might be a little extreme, but who hasn't seen a splash of color brighten an outfit, your office or even your day?

Although I love bright colors on bright sunny days, it is even more important to wear a splash of color on a dreary day. It brightens moods and outlooks. Case and point. This week in the Washington, D.C. Metro area, it rained for five straight days, count them, five. So each day I wore a different bright colored trench or jacket. Walking on the train platform I noticed a few other bold ladies. Some brightness amongst all that black and beige. One gentleman said, oh I love what you do with color. So it made his day and mine.

Don't be afraid to experiment. Even if you work in a conservative, professional environment. A little color never hurt a dress code. It could be your tie or socks (men), or your jewelry, handbag, shell under your suit or a belt. Test different colors (and shades of color) next to your skin and see which ones look good against your skin tone.

Think about adding color to your work space so you can whistle while you work. I won a door prize once, it is a simple set of attached blocks, it's fuchsia, lime green & orange. I keep it on my desk at work, it adds a little color to my office. I place my paper clips, binder clips and small note pads in them. It's fun and quirky, add colored paper clips or post-it notes. What's your favorite color? Get a vase, marbles, canister or the such like and place it on your desk, it's a great idea for the perfect splash of color.

Did it not do you good to see colorful trench coats emerge? Gone are the days where a trench is either black or beige... oh, how dreadful. Don't get me wrong, I still have both, but I tend to gravitate towards the colorful ones these days and it does make a difference when skies are dark and gray.

Pastels are wonderful, but why not try something new for the Spring/Summer, get your favorite color in an accessory or try a bold color that's close to or compliments your fav. Go on, what are you afraid of, what are you waiting for? It doesn't have to break the bank, get something small. Go ahead make your day or week and I promise you, you will get noticed. Be creative, be unique. Color can make a world of difference and may even get you noticed. Don't want the attention, then let it just make you feel great.

Remember, when you look good, you feel good and .... Image does count!