Welcome to day 9  of the “New Year New You” Challenge, which I am hosting with Ceri from Fabafterfifty.co.uk. (although you don’t have to be over 50 to join in!), and tomorrow’s challenge is to “be radiant in red”.

We are posting each challenge the evening before so that you have time to prepare your outfit/ your challenge ahead of time.

be radiant in red

New Year New You Challenge 2021 : Be radiant in red

“When in doubt, wear red”

Bill Blass

A woman in red exudes power, confidence, passion and sex appeal. 

Be radiant in red

The “Red Dress Effect” is a putative phenomenon in which women wearing red clothing, such as a red dress, are perceived to be more sexually appealing than they are when wearing other colours. – Wikipedia.

In fact, men are statistically proven to spend more money on a date with a woman who wears red, and it is definitely an attention-grabbing colour that will make you the leading lady! 

It is the symbol of love, sensuality and passion, and it is usually also associated with warmth. It is a very powerful colour and it captures our attention immediately.

be radiant in red

The “right” red is also great for making you look healthy, because it enhances the complexion. However, red comes in many shades  – from light to dark, from warm to cool and from bright to muted. Whilst, the right red will make you look radiant, the wrong red will make you look drained and older! 

To discover which is the right shade for you, try holding a number of different reds close to your face in natural light and see which makes your skin glow. 

Be radiant in red

If you are unsure which red is the right one for you, then avoid wearing red too close to your face and wear it as a skirt or trousers or as accessories, such as shoes, a bag or a belt. 

As it attracts attention, don’t wear red if you want to blend into the background! Or at least, don’t wear it “head to toe” and just opt for one garment in red or a couple of accessories.

Its positive associations include power, passion and love, but it can be considered aggressive and arrogant if used too much, and too much red can overwhelm us! 

Be radiant in red

Another thing to bear in mind is that as we age, we usually need to “soften down” the reds we wear so that it isn’t too overpowering and draining! 

Here are a few ideas for how to add red to your look: 

Be radiant in red
  • Red clothes (“head to toe” or just one item, such as a shirt or a jumper)
  • A red belt
  • A red bag
  • Red shoes
  • Red jewellery 
  • A red watch 
  • Red hair accessory (ies) 
  • Through make up (nailpolish or lipstick)

The aim of this challenge is to experiment and have fun with your wardrobe, by wearing what you already own to put together new outfits.

It’s about putting together what you own in new ways and shaking you out of your style rut. So, just have some fun with it! 

I hope you enjoyed these tips for how to be radiant in red and have a look here for more style tips.