Page 148 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2026

SHOPPING
FOCUS ON FASHION
The PSYCHOLOGY of COLOR story by Barbara Travis
One doesn’t have to be a certified psychologist to know that colors affect mood, reflect personality, and signal current fashion trends. For example, most of us know that red and yellow are energetic colors; blue and green are serene; shades of white are classic and puritanical; and black is both elegant and somber. Beyond that, there’s another whole spectrum of color that fills our closets with choices we thought would make us feel and look our best or were simply chosen to check the latest fashion trend box. Stop it! Analyze it! Fix it!
Stop
Stop buying and wearing colors that don’t flatter your skin tone. Stop buying and wearing colors that shout short-term trendy. Stop buying and wearing colors that don’t make you feel confident and happy.
Analyze
Analyze the colors that make you feel good, attractive, and confident when you wear them. Take note. What colors do you wear when others tell you how nice you look? Ask yourself how much of your wardrobe is focused on colors that sincerely suit you.
Fix It
Once you’ve done some personal color soul-searching, focus on what’s hanging in your closet or folded in your drawers and make the necessary changes. First, hang on to basics and neutrals like black, navy, white, and ivory. Second, toss tops,
dresses, pants, and accessories in yesterday’s colors that take up storage space but don’t do a thing to make you feel good or smile when you look in the mirror. Replace them with colors that do both. Think cheerful, think happy.
Color is your fashion and psychological friend.
Embrace it. Study it. Use it. When you look good, you feel good; when you feel good, you do good. The right color choices can change your mood and your attitude! Try something new and see what happens. Color works mental magic!
148 | June 2026
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