I was interested to read an article called 'Wearing red boosts attraction' online recently on the BBC website, mentioning that there had been a study by the University of Rochester published in a psychology journal that links red to attractiveness and going on to say that if you are going on a date and want your guy to loosen his wallet strings, wearing red will secure your wish as men are prepared to spend more on women who dress in red.

This is no news to those of us who work with colour and know how to use colour effectively at different times/events in our lives. Certainly red worn with confidence and style ensures you will be noticed and definitely has an effect on the men in our lives.

Wearing red signals that you are upbeat, confident – which in itself is attractive and sexually aware – think of the lure of red lipstick. It’s also a good colour to wear for an interview if you want to stand out. Speaking from experience most women interview candidates wear black and white, so a little red in the mix can make life much more interesting for the interviewers. Most men seem to wear shades of blue/navy and even here as an Image Consultant, I would recommend a tie with red in it. The colour makes you much more memorable.

Of course there are lots of different reds – the range is vast going from raspberry pinks, burgundies and blue toned reds at one end of the scale (the shades that men seem to favour) to true pillar box reds and more orange tones at the other end of the scale. Indeed the sheer variety of reds can be overwhelming and very confusing for the would-be wearer. So how would one pick their best red?

I would suggest trying the colour selected against your face and seeing the effect on your skin, the wrong red can make you look dull and uninteresting whilst the right red makes you look vibrant and in charge. If you have cool grey looking skin then the burgundy, blue-red end of the palette is going to make you look and feel great whilst if your skin is somewhat warmer and possibly freckly then your best reds will be the tomato and orange-reds.

Some people just know they look good in red and seem to be able to wear most shades but if you’re not one of these it could be because your whole look is somewhat soft or in Image Consultant speak – muted. You may have dark blonde or light brown hair or it may be mousy and you could have been colouring it a while, your skintone may look good in medium shades of foundation whilst you may feel that strong make-up is too much for you. If this is the case then a very soft washed out looking red like geranium will be the best red for you.

Disadvantages of wearing red – the wearer can be perceived as pushy, aggressive and bossy and it can be too much for one-to-ones, but apart from this the advantages are great and nobody said it was a colour for the faint hearted – it can even mean a good night out!