Does RED make you more attractive?

After years of wearing black Rowena Becker decided to see just how much of an impact colours have on how we are perceived

- ASHLEIGH PAGE

For years, I shied away from wearing different colours, preferring to blend into the background rather than stand out. As a busy working mum, wearing black and neutral colours has always seemed so much easier. But when I started my blog, My Balancing Act, about balancing life as a working mum, I realised I needed to be braver, and the blog helped me to feel more confident. Now, in my 40s, I’m ready to embrace a more vibrant look, and according to experts, red is the colour to wear. Research suggests that wearing red makes you 70% more attractive, so I thought I would give it a go. On a mission to find out how I’m perceived in different colours and if red really does have an impact on how I look, I added a rainbow of shades to my wardrobe and asked a panel of strangers for their brutal honesty. Here’s how I got on…

BLACK DRESS

Lindsay Edwards, 39, is a personal stylist (lindsayedwardsstylist.com) who lives in Bedfordshire: ‘The first thing I notice is how serious Rowena looks. She has a golden skin tone, hazel eyes, and brown hair with caramel and honey-toned highlights. With this in mind, the most flattering colours for Rowena to wear will be those that share the same overall quality as her colouring – warm.’

Lanre Bianeyin, 50, is an artist who lives in Surrey: ‘The harsh colour makes her look a bit dull. In a room full of people she’d blend into the background.’

Darren Whelan, 43, is an electrician from Kent: ‘Bland and boring – those are my first thoughts. She just looks dull and unexciting, which makes me wonder, is this reflective of her personality?’

Rowena, 44, from West Sussex, says: ‘I feel comfortable and sophisticated in this and as though people will take me seriously. It’s too safe though – I need to step out of my comfort zone.’