Fashion Feisty For July 2014
Jul , 2014- Colour Magazine
- 4 Min Read
Colour Stories
Discover the importance of colours and imbibe them in your clothing to notch up your fashion statement. Get trendy today!
The relationship between fashion and colour is perhaps as long and complicated as any relationship and even more. Colours in clothing have always symbolized specific values, depending on the time and culture they were worn in, and even today, they are still one of the primary communicative aspects of clothing. Throughout generations and cultures, people have used colours to express feelings and emotions by showing their preferences through personal expressions in clothes, shoes, bags, and other fashion preferences.
Fashion, as popularly perceived by the layman, is not only about having the most expensive and trendy clothes, but rather an ability to mix and match, thus crafting new creations. However, this doesn't come easy and is usually a dilemma faced by anyone who is interested in playing the wonderful game of fashion. Most are often at a loss about what colours go together, but matching colours need not be such a dreaded exercise and can be used to spice up your wardrobe instantly! Although matching colours is a matter of personal choice and your choice reflects your personality, research has shown that colour is a very powerful communicator, which can affect the behaviour, perception and responses of both the wearer and the observer.
It is perhaps because of this that black, a popular non-colour, is the most often worn colour to suppress and protect emotions. Any colour worn with it is a paradox, since it represents unrealized potential, and the promise of power that black evokes lies within the consciousness of the wearer. Black when combined with another colour augurs control over its influence. White, on the other hand, highlights a colour and worn alone symbolizes a clean palate, completion, purity, cleansing, and strength. While grey, being the combination of black and white, symbolizes the diversity of the two, creating a state of caution.
So, the good news for all monotone lovers is that the trends this season are veering towards the cutting-edge combination of white and black, which is ruling the roost, while icy pastels and hints of pink are being seen all over the spring/summer 2014 runways, ensuring that colour enthusiasts are not disappointed. From oversized blazers and sexy pencil skirts to tailored blouses and chic cropped jackets, pastel clothes will be fashionable, sleek and elegant springtime wear that can be worn to office, to brunch or just for a relaxing day out with friends. Eventually, at the end, it's all about your confidence and comfort level which will help you in colouring the world in your hues with aplomb.
Colour Trivia
Colour Facts For July 2014
Green being a colour from nature is said to have great tranquilizing and harmonizing properties, which is further proven by the fact that the suicide rate from one particular London Bridge declined by 34% after it was painted green!
Source:During the Middle Ages, Blackfriars Bridge in London, a gloomy black structure, was noted for its record number of suicides until the bridge was painted bright green.
- On the one hand the term "paint the town red" is euphuism for celebration whereas in South Africa the colour red is the colour of mourning.
- It is indeed true that some colours can make you work harder especially the colour blue because blue has a chemical effect on the nervous system which helps one clear their mind and focus whereas too dark colours can cause depression.
- The colour of the stars is used by astronomers to determine their size because the bigger stars look bluish while the smaller stars appear warmer with a red or yellow hue.
Colour Quotes For July 2014
"The best colour in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!"
- Coco Chanel
"There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and won't go. For me, India is such a place. When I first visited, I was stunned by the richness of the land, by its lush beauty and exotic architecture, by its ability to overload the senses with the pure, concentrated intensity of its colours, smells, tastes, and sounds. It was as if all my life I had been seeing the world in black and white and, when brought face-to-face with India, experienced everything re-rendered in brilliant Technicolor."
- Keith Bellows
"Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different
ways."- Oscar Wilde
Colour Tips For July 2014
- The next time you are repainting your house, do not worry about the fate of the leftover paint, as you can use the extra paint to touch up furniture or give it a 'colour makeover' by making a statement with colourfully mismatched chairs!
- The latest trend of having a one coloured wall in a room often doesn't add anything and can even be a distraction or make a space feel smaller. So, when selecting an accent wall colour, go for one that is only two or three shades different to the main wall colour and consider a different finish like gloss or semi-gloss.
- If you are getting your ceiling repainted, it will be wise to opt for a high gloss finish, as it makes the ceiling appear higher than it is, increasing the sense of space in the room, as the ceiling will reflect the light entering the room back to the eyes of the viewer.
World Of Colours
Colours & Emotion For July 2014
Warm colours like orange and yellow are known to bring about feelings of contentment, hope and energy. Too much of yellow and orange can also irritate the human eye, and too much of red is believed to increase a person's appetite!
Name some famous fast-food restaurants and the colour red and yellow is sure to pop up in your mind. McDonalds or KFC, anyone?! And let's not forget the world-famous Coca Cola red!
Known as the colour of the mind, blue has the most soothing effect on us and our thoughts. Whenever we require concentrating on something, a lighter shade of blue immensely helps us in achieving it.
Blue is the colour of our skies and oceans, and as such, is a colour that we immediately trust as it has been such a constant in our lives. Thus, it invokes a sense of familiarity and calm.
#FunFact Several studies across the world have also discovered that blue is world's favourite colour!
Colours & Fashion For July 2014
Black is often the most worn colour to suppress and protect emotions. White, on the other hand, highlights any colour worn with it, and when used alone, symbolizes a clean palate - completion, purity, cleansing, and strength!
The seductive power of black works its full force in this never ending gown weaving subtlety and sensuality together.
Colours & Gems For July 2014
Colours, in essence, are vibrations of light, and the shades seem varied in different lights. Like colours affect our senses, gemstones affect our lives; the traits of the colour have an influence on the gemstones and should be accordingly used. For instance, red gemstones are used to enhance strength, vitality and will power.
Colours & Nature For July 2014
Often in life, we keep putting off living to the next day, but nature in its own beautifully subtle way reminds us to not miss all the beautiful colours of the rainbow looking for that elusive pot of gold!
Gold is a precious metal found at natural spots all over the earth and ocean. It's interesting to note that gold is the colour that symbolises success, abundance and victory. The psychology of gold has always been implied prosperity, luxury, prestige and elegance.
- Nature can give any master-painter a run for their money with one stroke of its colour setting the sky aflame at sunset or magically transforming a familiar landscape into a snow-white wonderland or by painting beautiful autumn colours on trees, or a clump of daffodils in the grass with glow of soft sunlight.
Décor
Give Your Wall A Classic Spin
Bring out the happy moments of your life with this unique and vintage wall photo frame idea. Let your walls speak with picture frames!
If classy is what you crave, then go for a classic display scheme that's been used since Victorian times. Create a gallery wall of family photos and other small pictures in contrasting frames, arranged on a large wall such as a stairwell or hallway; this will lend a stylish elegance to your den.
This is also an excellent opportunity to make a statement about who you are by creating a wall gallery, which allows you to personalize your walls. It is recommended that at the time of beginning, lay out your framework on the floor to have a better idea of which arrangement looks the best and you can also take snapshots of the different variations and compare them to arrive at the best combination. It is important to note that not only the combination, but the placement too, is very crucial, so never hang the frames too high or too low as eye level works the best.
To add some drama to your gallery wall, pay special attention to the frames you are going to use. For example, for a neat look, frames in the same colour and size are perfect, but to add a vintage feel to your gallery, mix and match unique picture frames with an old world vibe, so that it seems that it has been collected over time.
Say Goodbye To Clutter
Discover the difference glass cabinets can make to the décor of your kitchen.
Having glass-faced cabinets in the kitchen not only adds style to your kitchen but also acts as a great incentive for making you and your family organized, as any clutter or dishware put back in the wrong place will be visible!
Glass cabinets infuse a neat and modern look to the kitchen without the cabinets making your kitchen appear walled off from the adjacent spaces. In addition to this, glass-front cabinets also help a small kitchen feel more open by adding texture and visual interest to the otherwise plain kitchen area.
For the conservatives who do not want to go the whole way with glass-front cabinets, they can start small by using glass inserts in place of some of the solid wood cabinet doors. These glass-front cabinets will also help break up the potentially heavy look of the wood cabinetry and instead of making the room feel smaller, glass-front cabinets will also make the space feel lighter. Not only this, but glass-front cabinets also help in reflecting the light streaming in from the skylight or artificial lights.
The Beauty Of Sheer
Add a lacy twist to the décor in your home with this monsoon-friendly home decorating idea!
Get rid of heavy drapes in morose colours this monsoon and go for colours like aqua, turquoise, scarlet and corn yellow to brighten up your surroundings. Monsoons are the perfect time to have lucid flowing drapes adorn your windows and to drape up your room with lace curtains to ensure that enough daylight passes through your room, lending it radiance along with the privacy that you prefer.
Heavy drapes and monsoons aren't exactly best friends, as they take ages to dry and also block precious sunlight, so why not kill two birds with one stone by dressing up your windows with thin cotton curtains, which are great as home decorating ideas for this season as they dry quickly and are easy to wash!
Flowing drapes in chiffon and georgette will allow every ray of sunshine to filter into your room, in addition to permitting enough breeze to flow through for excellent cross ventilation. Another good variation to this is to use half curtains beginning at the eye level, letting the light pass, along with providing privacy, which gives a surreal look to your house. So, let nature awash your home with its light this monsoon.
Colours & Ancient Sciences
Feng Shui For July 2014
When practising Feng Shui, it's important to provide a sense of security and comfort to the people residing in the area, which is why sharp angles and corners are not desired as they are believed to produce a "cutting Ch'i" or 'poison arrow', which can be compared to the edge of a knife and is known to disrupt the flow of Ch'i. Such energy is known to affect people by making them feel irritable, uncomfortable and edgy. These arrows consist of aggressive energy, which undermines people's health and wellbeing by targeting their personal field of energy and weakening it.
Therefore, sharp lines and corners are not advisable in Feng Shui. Roundedness is favoured, as sharp corners are believed to release negative energy. Ideally, corners should not point to beds or chairs, as they will prevent serenity and relaxation. If you have any sharp corners pointing at you, cure them with the help of hanging plants, wind-chimes and potted plants to break the gathered destructive energy pointing at you.
Reiki For July 2014
Reiki, as a spiritual practice, aims at the holistic healing of individuals - the giver and the receiver; and so, uses colours as a form of energy to bring out the desirable change. The example of the colour yellow can be taken in this case, as it is used in healing to induce clarity in thought and strengthen intellect.
In Reiki, the colour yellow symbolizes intellect, enlightenment, creativity, optimism and the power of persuasion, and is commonly used by practitioners in healing to promote clarity in one's thoughts. It is common to find religious deities feature a yellow halo around their head; this symbolizes a high spiritual development and appears as a result of intense spiritual and divine thoughts in their mind.
The Yellow aura is also one of the easiest colours to be seen and is directly associated to life energy. The colour is known to create a feeling of joy and optimism, and those who suffer depression from seasonal disorders are advised to add the "sun colour" to their walls, environment and wardrobe to lift their spirits.
Vaastu For July 2014
Walls are an important part of our life. Why? Because we're more often surrounded by them than not!
According to Vaastu, the colour of your walls can impact your life. Ever wondered why hospital walls are green? It's because green is believed to have healing properties. Likewise, ceilings should be white, as white emits vibrations of peace and positivity.
When it comes to bedrooms and personal spaces, the use of light colours on walls is advised. Lighter shades of blue, green, pink, lavender, ivory, etc., help maintaining the room's tranquillity, thus encouraging calm behaviour and restful sleep.
Pink is especially considered an auspicious colour for one's bedroom walls because it symbolizes joy and happiness, add some accentuating colours like light shades of green and blue, as these are believed to be the colours of hope and serenity, respectively. Although, in the case of children, green is recommended as the colour green encourages rejuvenation and growth and is known for heightening concentration.
