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Our Fashion specialist, Neeti, takes us into the interesting childlike world of colour. She explains the inner meaning of myriad colours, thereby helping us connect with its very soul. Our columnist explains the enigma of colours, the life-force of the Fashion industry, in the weekly column, exclusively for Different Truths.
Now that you all got the basics right, here are the rest of the colours, dominating the scene, check out what they mean!
Blue
It is amazing the colour found maximum in nature – in the sky and in oceans, making it easily acceptable!
It’s all about trust and stability, professionalism and calm. It also stands for faith, sincerity and serenity. It can also be a bit depressing if you remember the term ‘Monday blues’ and ‘feeling blue’! Blue jeans are a favourite and staple in all wardrobes! It is the most common color for uniforms and work wear. Everyone wearing formal shirts to work definitely owns more than one blue shirt!
Red
Aah! The very colour that attracts a lot of attention and stands for many different symbolisms. Anger and danger on one side and love, lust and seduction on the other! It has a lot of energy and thus is a colour of passion! It’s popular color for seductive lingerie and evening gowns. In India, red is the colour of the sindoor, a symbol of marriage. Red bangles too symbolise a married woman. It’s an auspicious colour thus used a lot in bridal wear and wedding trousseau.
Green
The calm and soothing green, a part of nature’s scene! Another color so widely found in nature is the colour of the times. Everyone is talking about ‘Going Green’! It’s all about being eco-friendly and natural. Green gives rest to the eyes and symbolises freshness and fertility. Green is also the colour of dollar bills hence the colour of money! The colour of envy and evil, green thus has negative connotations too…. Its rich emerald and jewel tones are also symbolic of luxury and abundance. Its pastel tones give a soothing effect in summer and olive green is perfect for winter outfits.
Yellow
This is the colour our eyes see first! That’s why the warning signs and school buses are all in yellow as it attracts the most attention. No wonder people write messages on post-it that are in yellow! Yellow is the color of the sunshine, the sunflowers and a symbolism of happiness and optimism! That's why smileys are all in yellow! And also all the other emoticons. There is something childish, fresh and warm about yellow! It reminds of the yellow gum-boots splashing in the rain and imbibes a lot of youthful energy in a person! It’s also the colour of gold!
In pastel tones it&’s popular for summer, but the yellow ochre and mustard tones are perfect for winter wardrobes! Bright tones are great for grey rainy days and drab winters too! A full yellow ensemble will be too much to handle so one can use it as accent color with dull tones like greys and browns and add life to one’s outfit!
Orange
A mix of the passionate red and the optimistic yellow, Orange has an identity of its own! Found in nature in Mandarins and chrysanthemums, papayas, oranges and carrots, it’s also colour of good health, vitality! It symbolises optimisms. It’s the colour of the pumpkins that remind us of Halloween! It’s also the symbol of colour of health and wealth.
Perfect for winter wardrobes in its richest tones, its lighter tones are great for summers as romantic shades of Peach! It’s great as an accent color in neon tones. It is also the color of celebration and festivities!
Pink
We have talked of Red and White and so Pink can’t be far away! It’s a perfect mix of these two colors. The passionate Red on one end and peaceful white on the other. One does think of soft, delicate and romantic emotions when one thinks of Pink. It is the color of innocence, like a blush when you think of your first crush. It always relaxes us and never aggravates any negative feelings, making it the best colour for a date with your mate! Tender, sensitive, caring and emotional, it is the colour of love!
Purple
The colour found rarely in nature – in aubergines and lavenders, it’s the beautiful romantic Purple! Symbol of luxury, glam and royalty, not everyone can carry off this color with élan! It’s perfect in lighter shades of mauve and lilac for a flirty, romantic date! Darker tones symbolise mystery and glam, add some glitter and you are ready to party, attracting all attention to your unusual colour ensemble!
Brown
Don’t look at it with a frown, it’s the backbone of the Colour town!
The colour of the Mother Earth, strong, sturdy and reliable are few of the words we associate with color Brown. Often lost in the background, this colour of the soil, looks peaceful on the outside, but is a blend of red and green turmoil. It is the perfect colour of activities involving nature like adventure spots and trekking, offering perfect camouflage, like green. Look at all the brands selling clothes for mountaineering, trekking, wildlife safari and photography…all have shades of browns! A good colour to wear to work as it evokes a sense of balance, harmony, intelligence and reliability!
And how can forget the cakes, and brownies and the melting, dripping, colour of chocolate is Brown…Umm, excuse me I desperately need a chocolate break, see you next week!
Till then happy colour-bathing…
©Neeti Banga
Pix sourced by author from Net.
