Ties

In the world of work, many workers, especially men, are forced to wear a 'uniform' of black and grey suits. There is one area in which a male worker, in his dark work 'uniform' can show his individuality... that is in the colour of the tie that he wears!

BUT did you know that the colour of something as small as a tie, or a scarf round the neck in the case of a female, sends out a very powerful message indeed!

The most popular colours for ties tend to be red or blue, for very good reasons indeed. Ties are a way to advertise yourself, to clearly state the message that you wish others to receive about you.

Red Tie A dark suit, a white shirt and a red tie for a man, or a red scarf in the case of a woman, is the 'Power Dressing' outfit in the world of work. Why is this? Why is the psychology of colour so important here?

Black, charcoal grey and navy blue suits all give out strong messages of capability, of being a force to be reckoned with. This message is that you are a person of power, a person who is capable of taking charge and giving orders.

Add a red tie or scarf to this combination and the message becomes very powerful indeed. In the world of nature the colour red says 'Danger', 'look', 'pay attention to me'! The red tie gives out the same message of strength and awareness, as well as the messages of energy and passion. Add these colour messages together and you have the perfect clothes for the ambitious young person, the CEO or even the world leader. Barack Obama wore either a red or a blue tie nearly every day in the first two important weeks of his Presidency, when the eyes of the world were upon him and the message he was giving out about his new Presidency.

If you are wearing a tie on a night out when you want to be noticed, guys, wear a red tie... and ladies, get into that red dress!

Wearing a blue tie with the same suit sends out a subtly different message to anyone working with you or seeing you.

This strong blue colour sends out the message that this person wearing it is stable, is in control; this is a calm person with mental clarity, someone who can deal with a tricky situation. Change your tie slightly to navy blue, made by adding a little black to your blue, and you are now seen as very authoritative. After wearing that red tie to attract the girl of your dreams, wear your blue tie on the first visit to impress her parents! Who said colour isn't powerful?

There are some colours that are not good to wear together at work. A yellow tie or scarf teamed with a brown suit sends out a message that you are not powerful or particularly in control. It suggests a certain lack of self worth, and may mean that your colleagues disregard you and your views - not good if you want to be taken seriously.

If your job involves you working with closely with others who need to trust you and to open up to you, be they colleagues or clients, neutral and paler colours, including beiges, teamed with paler ties and scarves, for example in pinks or greens, are excellent choices that encourage others to converse with you. However, the wearing of grey ties, or suits for that matter, can easily give out the robust message that you are a 'company' person, evasive and not open to commitment or ready to take a stand over any issue.

Always select the colour of your tie or scarf, be it red or blue, pink or orange, grey or yellow, from your own specific colour range, not only to give out a powerful message to others, but also to gain benefit from your chosen colours for yourself.

Our instinctive psychological responses to colour are linked to the colours found in the natural world. Next month at Scarlet Pixel, we will turn our spotlight onto the mysteries of colour messages in the natural world.

Did you know that Chris Gay, Scarlet Pixel's very own Colour Consultant, has been broadcasting a series of features on BBC Radio Wiltshire. You can see and hear what she had to say about various rooms in the house by clicking on the links below:

Read the article on the BBC website

Listen to: General decorating principles

Listen to: Bedrooms

Listen to: Bathrooms

Listen to: Living/Sitting Rooms

Listen to: Dining rooms

Our website is constantly being developed to provide helpful information for all those interested in discovering the power of colour. If you need a colour related present we have a secure shopping cart and in addition to our Personal Colour Analysis you can now purchase the first of our colour related products, including some beautiful pen and ink drawings by artist John Kitchen, why not take a look at his work. Another area that we are developing is our 'colourful lyrics' section where you will be able to find the words and tunes to songs about your favourite colours.

Via the Internet, our Colour Consultant is able to offer advice and a worldwide online/postal high quality Personal Colour Analysis service. To order your Personal Colour Analysis now, please click here.

Using our site you can also read book reviews on related topics and news items are presented from time to time. A selection of past articles are stored in our 'All about colour' section and have covered a range of topical issues. Maybe you want to discover more about crystals or gemstones - so start here! Perhaps you want to explore the chakra or decipher your aura? Or maybe you wish to know whether your colour season is winter or summer, perhaps spring or autumn? We can show you how to use natural healing to alter your moods, to combat stress and to improve your general health, beauty and well-being.