A Mood-boosting Experiment Using Bright Colors
Liana Satenstein, Senior Fashion Writer at Vogue magazine, had been going through a ‘’downer’’ state for a couple of days now. She was feeling sluggish and exhausted at work and nothing seemed positive. Looking down at her clothes, she realized she was dressed head-to-toe in dull shades of grey, in other words, funeral colors. At that point, a colleague dressed in bright blue-and-red pieces, chipped in that adding colors to your daily wardrobe can uplift your mood!
Reflecting on her wardrobe, Liana realized her downcast mood was mirrored in her sartorial choices. Being a girl who disliked drawing attention to herself through clothes, she always preferred colorless ensembles. On a daily basis, she dressed in a combination of black and grey. Nevertheless, in view of her current gloomy state, she decided to revive her wardrobe, and hopefully herself, with colors.
Next, she took advice from a color therapy expert, Constance Hart, to fully understand how her wardrobe was affecting her mental wellbeing. Hart explained, ‘’Color has an effect on our psyche, it’s always affecting us whether we are aware of it or not.’’ She also said that too much black can have a depressing effect.
After this discussion, Liana decided to embrace colorful fashion and dress up in only rainbow hues for the next five days. She also charted down how her mood and mindset were benefitting from this experiment. The results are as follows:
Colors worn on day 1: Burgundy and Pink
Image source: vogue.com
Significance: The rich color burgundy helps in decision-making and makes one feel balanced, grounded, serene and confident. On the other hand, pink boosts self-love.
Result: Being a new member of the Vogue team, Liana was somewhat introverted. But the pink sweater and burgundy skirt raised her confidence levels. She was energized and her coworkers thought her to be more perky and friendly. Well, that’s the power of pink!
Colors worn on day 2: Orange and Navy Blue
Image source: vogue.com
Significance: Orange promotes social interactions and helps you come out of your shell and adapt to changes. Navy blue strengthens your intuition.
Result: The outfit inflated Liana’s confidence! She actively interacted with her team members throughout the day.
Color worn on day 3: Green
Image source: vogue.com
Significance: According to color therapy expert Constance Hart, green is a ‘’bridge color’’, bringing stability between the self and others.
Result: The exhaustion she felt the last week had completely vanished. On the contrary, she felt highly energetic!
Colors worn on day 4: Red and navy Blue
Image source: vogue.com
Significance: Hart describes color red as ‘’an energizer’’. It is the color of action, positivity and passion.
Result: Liana used to wake up feeling drowsy, confused and unsettled. The gloomy emotions would follow her throughout the day. Dressing up in red made her feel upbeat and put together, while navy blue helped her focus better.
Colors worn on day 5: Pink and Yellow
Image source: vogue.com
Significance: Pink stands for kindness and warmth. On the other hand, yellow is like a ray of joy that makes you feel chirpy, enhances mental clarity and gives you the ‘I can do anything’ attitude!
Result: After entering her workplace, Liana changed into a pink outfit and a bright yellow jacket. On her way to work that morning, she was dressed in her usual colorless garments. Owing to a stomach bug, she felt extremely sick and almost fainted on the subway. Following the ordeal, dressing up in yellow and pink elevated her physical and mental health. She felt great and even got the compliment ‘’Sassy Liana’’!
Conclusion:
It’s natural feel low-spirited on certain days. During such times, dressing up in vibrant colors can have very positive effects. Colors are energies that impact the way you think, feel and live your life. So, tap into the power of colors and boost up your holistic wellness!
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