Colorz

Colors play a major role in clothes.  Too much and not enough can make or break an outfit.  Depending on the occasion, color can have a positive or negative effect on the outcome.  Wearing too many bright colors can also be negative.

Most common, and safe colors to wear are neutral with a slight pop of color.

For a job interview, black dress pants, black skirt, and black shoes are a go to.  For the shirt, there are three main colors to stick with, white, blue, or a shirt with small red or yellow contrasts.  It can be difficult to know which colors mix well, check out the color wheel  to learn more.

Black is a color associated with elegance and power.  It also also is a neutral color that matches with all the colors.  White is the color of perfection and cleanliness.  Make sure if you wear white, it is clean.  No yellow pits, stains, or fading.  Blue is a great color to wear to a job interview because the color is associated with trust and loyalty.  Adding more defining colors, such as red or yellow needs to be restricted.  Red is associated with energy, strength, and power, but also anger and danger.  Too much red could be too overbearing.  Yellow is a great color in modesty also, it brings happiness and energy.  However, yellow can be bright and could be "a warning" sign of danger.

When going to a job interview, is it best to tone down.  Wear one jewelry item, either a watch, statement necklace, or bracelet, but not all three at once.

For class, the goal is to be casual and comfy.  Neural colors of grey, black, and brown give a comfy feel and a calming feel.  Green, such as dark green or olive green are great colors to add.  These are all colors found in nature, which is associated with calming and freshness.  Too many bright colors can be distracting to out mind.  Adding a pop of a color, such as an orange or purple can add to positive energy and mind simulation.

Mixing and match can be fun, but too much is not good.  Be careful not to mix too many bright colors, such as yellow and red.  Yellow and red are okay in moderation on their own, but brightly paired together, can be distracting and also cause hunger.  Just remember, what colors are McDonalds and Burger King?

It is good to pay attention to the color wheel and wear contrasting colors.



image credit:  frisky

Confidence in Clothz

Whether it be noticeable or not, clothing has an effect on our moods and on our confidence.  When you look good, you feel good.  When you wear big, baggy, comfy clothes, you feel groggy.  The clothes give off a bedtime feel, and that reflects our mood.  When we feel put together, we act put together.  A simple nice pair of jeans or slacks and a causal top can do wonders to our confidence.

There are must haves to every college students wardrobe.  Every one should have a business casual outfit, a dressy outfit, and simple clothing items that can be mixed and matched for multiple styles and wardrobes.  What we wear can be easily changed by subtracting and adding pieces.

For an example, instead of wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, wearing a pair of dark jeans with a t-shirt accompanied with a scarf or a watch could turn a slouchy outfit into a more casual outfit and more respected outfit.

I love feeling comfortable, and wore work out clothes to class all the time.  However, what I wore reflected a lazy appearance, which ended up causing me to lose a job opportunity.  I had one class with a guest speaker who had the power to hand out jobs to any one he felt would be a great candidate.  Because I was wearing work out clothes and he was dressed in a suit, I felt less superior and almost embarrassed.  I did not feel confident talking to him.  When I finally expressed some of my thoughts to him, I was so nervous and embarrassed, I could not even make eye contact because I was so worried about how my clothes reflected on me. Though he liked my ideas, some one who wore sweaty looking jogging clothes did not make a great impression.  To this day, I know if I would have cared a little more about my appearance, I may have gotten an amazing job.

I do not want any one to feel as if they have to change who they are or that only appearances matter.  I want to express the importance of self presentation and the effect it has on ourselves and others.  College of all places is the time to impress, dress to impress.

Some must haves a college student should have in their closet is
For Women

• Black shoes
• Black pants
• Dark jeans
• Black and white cami's
• Neutral colored cardigan
• Blouses of different colors
• Statement pieces

For Men

• Black shoes
• Black pants
• Dark jeans
• White and black t-shirts
• Collard button up
• Neutral sweater or jacket
• Statement pieces

These simple articles of clothing can be mix and matched to create different outfits, or to wear alone to keep things comfy, but casual.  Adding a statement piece, such as a necklace, watch, or cuff links, can dress up an outfit.  Neutral colors keep thing calm, but adding a touch of color can also add a bold statement!

Just be careful on colors, because colors can be blinding!