The tube this week was a North sea of commuters in grey and black, with the odd ‘exciting’ glimpse of cream, tan and beige, like shells on an uber-bland beach. My red shoes and lipstick (oh, and my new little inky rabbit) were the lone twinkling beacons of colour.
I fixated on my shoes for dear life. Others stared at my shoes like they’d found God - and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a fetish thing *remembers some of the fellow travellers. shudders*. Well… not for all of them. So what’s going on?
It’s been proven (by researchers at the University of Essex. I didn’t make that up, honest) that bright colours make you feel a bit happier and a whole lot more kick-arse.
And now for the science bit *applies goggles*
Volunteers (they weren’t named, feel free to imagine Joey Essex) who were shown sunny shades scored up to 25 percent higher in tests of mental agility than those who were exposed to dull, dreary shades of grey. Brighter colours increased hand-eye coordination by 20 percent and physical strength by nine percent. Red increased confidence, happiness and reemness (sorry, you can hate me now. NB: I don’t even watch the thing).
You don’t need to become the CBeebies presenter of the corporate world, just wear a bit of actual colour – anything that prevents you becoming submerged in that sea of grey.
Coming out of that tube station, I saw a siren in a scarlet coat – my spirit lifted a little and if my red shoes could, they would have given the coat an old-skool Beetle’s beep.
Red rabbit, red shoes, (red lipstick not shown).
I’m soooo with you! It bores me and saddens me going into the city and seeing a sea of greyish everywhere. I contribute to some happiness with my red pair of glasses and my divinely gorgeous and bright scarf
I wouldn’t be able to do red shoes though, it even sounds too feminine (like red nail varnish)
Isabel, you always contribute to my happiness but whether it’s the glasses, scarf, Spanishness or the mannish trousers, who can say?
But try red shoes once and you’ll never look back!
My love affair started when I was 3 and wore my new red shoes to bed. Happy to report that quite a few years later, it’s still love : )
Oh yeah G, ‘love’ is the right word!
Definitely with you on the colour thing! I don’t think anyone really wears black well, for most it is too overpowering and they can look corpse-like, not a great look! I avoid it like the plague. I love my red shoes.
Do you get people fixating and complimenting on yours, Janine?
Ironically I am in black and white today as we had (I say ‘had’ – nobody had a gun to my head, to be fair) to wear spots today for Comic Relief. The only top I have with spots is black and white and I felt less fat in my black trousers than I did in my jeans. So on a day when everyone is supposed to look silly and bright, I am in black and white!
Are you going to look silly and bright the rest of the year as penance, Lindsey? *stern look* I very much hope so
I love wearing colour. The last time I looked the world was in glorious full colour, not black, white and fifty shades of grey, so why not embrace colour every day.. Live life in colour, it makes life just a little bit brighter. And yes, I too have red shoes!
That’s what I don’t get, Anne… like you say most people admire the gorgeous colours in the world around us and then despite that they dress in monochrome.
*starts the Red Shoe Fan Club* NB: only wearers of said shoes are allowed in, not the ones who just fixate on them
An ex boyfriend of mine bought me a red dress for Christmas … I was a bit unsure but the amount
Of comments I received it was the beginning of my love affair with the colour !!
I can imagine the comments, gorgeous Helen
That’s the thing isn’t it? It’s almost impossible to scuttle around unnoticed when wearing bright colours – I guess that might be partly why people feel more comfortable blending into the grey scenery
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