Category Archives: Decode The Outfit

Analysis of the elements of an outfit to determine what it says about the wearer.

TV Story: How To Wear Red

TV Story: How To Wear Red

Interior designers and advertising pros have been studying color for years. They know a secret – different colors bring out different emotions and behaviors.

Color is very powerful. We can use this same color psychology when we get dressed for the day. Wearing the right color for a situation can support your communication and results, while the wrong color can give the wrong impression and undermine you.

Red is a particularly tricky color. If you wear it in the right situations, it can support you or wreak total havoc in the wrong situations.

PhotoGrid_1470848812109Physical Effects

Studies show, when we see the color red, our heart-rates and respiration-rates increase.

Emotional Effects

Red activates our primal survival instincts and turns on our threat response – fight or flight, survival and reproduction. It drives competition, appetite and sexual desire. That’s why you see red used in fast food restaurants…

This is why red is so often in sports uniforms. Wear red when you want to Compete or Fight.

IMG_20160815_091117Red triggers Romance – That’s the origin of the iconic sexy woman in a red dress or red lipstick. Wear red when you want sexual attention.

Women often use red as a power color in business to stand out and get noticed, but this backfires because it makes her seem aggressive and causes people to compete/fight with her.

Red is a power color in the bedroom not the boardroom. If you want to wear red in a professional environment, wear it in a softer way to temper the emotional effects of red. You can do this by wearing red as an accent color, choosing softer fabrics, or more feminine silhouettes

  • PhotoGrid_1471187045192Mannequin 4 – This Betsy Johnson floral sheath dress communicates power and strength with it’s silhouette. Red attracts attention more gently as a floral pattern
  • Mannequin 5 – This men’s dress uses red in an even more subtle way.

If you want to stand out in a work setting, a better color is berry or purple. These colors are bright and have regal attributes that still signify you as a leader, evoke loyalty and respect without the baggage that red brings.

Skip red entirely for interviews, confrontational meetings or anytime you want to build rapport.

Thank you Houston Rockets for the jersey, La Prairie for the lipsticks and Dillard’s for the clothing and accessories!

PhotoGrid_1471186323478This story was used to rehearse on the new Houston Life TV set. It probably won’t air, but shooting it was a wonderful experience. Thanks for the opportunity to practice and get used to the set before it was “for real!”

What To Wear: Dressing For An Interview

What To Wear: Dressing For An Interview

This post was originally published on JenningsWire.com  Mothers may advise wearing a standard navy suit to an interview, but times have changed and that old-fashioned statement may get you eliminated faster than you can blink an eye. These days, appropriate business attire is much more personal and difficult to define. What is appropriate for one… Continue Reading

TV Segment: Power Of Color – Effect Of Color On The 2012 Presidential Debates

TV Segment: Power Of Color – Effect Of Color On The 2012 Presidential Debates

The colors you wear activate different emotions and behaviours in yourself and others. The right colors can support your confidence and verbal message and the wrong colors can undermine them. Here is a summary of the effect of color on the Presidential debates. Continue Reading

Do Your Clothes Harass Your Coworkers?

Do Your Clothes Harass Your Coworkers?

During a recent image seminar to a corporate audience. I was struck by how seriously men take sexual harassment and how hard they work to avoid inappropriate behavior and any unintentional behavior that could even be construed as inappropriate. During the seminar Q&A session, several men expressed their discomfort with formfitting sheath dresses and pencil skirts.… Continue Reading

TV Lesson: Cookie Cutter Images Don’t Work On TV

TV Lesson: Cookie Cutter Images Don’t Work On TV

Shawn Laughlin of Caskata, is a successful business owner and designer of high-end, artisanal paper goods and table wear that are unique and spec-ta-cu-lar!! She recently appeared on The Nate Show – the perfect platform for Shawn to present her products to her target market. The information Shawn presented and the products she demonstrated were… Continue Reading

Decoding The Dress – What Kate Middleton’s Dress "Says"

Every outfit we wear evokes an emotional reaction and conveys a message that sets the tone for our communication and actions. Catherine Middleton’s wedding dress is more than a pretty gown to get married in. The wedding is a union and beginning for the individuals and also the formal start of their official royal positions.… Continue Reading

Could Wearing The Wrong Thing Cost You Your Vote?

If you vote, Election Day is one of the most important days to pay attention to what you wear. You can be denied access to polling places just for wearing the wrong thing. Electioneering ordinances prohibit campaigning within a certain distance of the entrance to a polling place (distances vary by county). This means wearing… Continue Reading

A Tale Of Two Images

With more people working from home and business casual becoming the dominant dress code in corporate America, there’s a tendency to dress more and more casually for business meetings and interactions. Does what you wear really make a difference? Aren’t results really based on your capabilities and performance in business? Recently, I got to be… Continue Reading