Colour therapy: Here's how different shades help you define yourself

Colour therapy: Colours also evoke different emotions and have psychological effects on viewers. Apply it to fashion and you are making a style statement (Image: Canva)

Are you feeling blue? Why do you turn green with envy? Why is yellow a happy colour. Our moods are reflected in colours and that in turn expresses how we feel from grey to red. How we feel reflects in the choices of clothes and colours we wear. It also shows up in various fields like art, design, psychology to marketing.

Studying colours, how they are seen and how they come together beyond aesthetics and harnessing and owning the power is colour is all part of its study and comes under the colour theory. This in turn can be used to create compelling visual creations. It helps designers use colour palettes that draw a viewer’s attention and in turn evokes specific emotions.

In fashion, colour plays a major role in expressing who you are as a person and also effects your choices. It can also be part of trends like the BRAT summer where neon green was the dominant shade. The fashion industry is notorious for using colour and modelling clothes and accessories around it.

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Colours can be warm – red, orange and yellow; or they can be cool – blue, green and purple. They in turn can create energy and excitement or calm and peace. How you pair your colours can complement or clash against your skin.

Understanding colour is key to using them in your attempt to not just look beautiful but also in using them to make a greater impact and influencing people.

The colour wheel is key to understanding colour theory. Not just the primary red, green and blue, but there are so many others that are made with the mix of the primary and secondary orange, yellow, and purple. Arranged in a circle, the colour wheel helps you see the linkages between the colours and helps in the creation of tertiary colours.

Colours also evoke different emotions and have psychological effects on viewers. Apply it to fashion and you are making a style statement. For example: Orange is associated with warmth, enthusiasm, and happiness. It can make you appear friendly and approachable. While blue is seen as trust, reliability, and intelligence. It can make you appear professional and trustworthy.

Also read | Wearing colours: Try a monochromatic look, colour blocking and more to express your personality

Putting colour theory into practice

Here are some tips for incorporating it into your life and wardrobe:

• Start with a neutral base: Build your outfit around neutral-coloured clothing items like black, white, grey, or beige. This provides a foundation for you to experiment with bolder colours.

• Embrace the power of three: The rule of three suggests limiting your outfit to three main colours. This creates a balanced and polished look.

• Don't be afraid to experiment: Fashion is all about self-expression. While colour theory provides a framework, feel free to experiment with different colour combinations and find what works best for you.