To quote Mark Twain ‘Clothes make the man’, I am sure the majority of you will have heard this quote or at least one similar. This is a statement that this writer believes holds true, especially in the corporate world. However I do not believe it is as simple as throwing on a suit and looking the part, there are many other variables to consider.

Now a lot of people will tell you to consider; the cut of your suit, the pairing of the right shirt and tie, how to accessorise correctly, amongst other very valid suggestions. However a further point to consider is identifying your “power colour”.

What Is A Power Colour?

A power colour is what it says on the tin, a colour that makes your feel powerful. For me my power colour is blue, if I have an important meeting the first thing I do is ensure my blue suit is dry cleaned. This is because blue is a colour that is ideal for me; with quite a pale complexion, dark features and bright blue eyes I know this is the colour I look best in.

Coporate Fashion - The Power of a colour

By selecting incorporating blue into my suit I combine the confidence that comes from wearing that colour with the confidence that comes from simply wearing a well fitted suit.

How To Identify Your Colour

This is where a good personal shopper or an honest friend will come in handy. Your colour should be based on several key factors:

  • Your Skin Tone – Different colours look better with different skin tones, one thing you need to ensure is you don’t wash out your skin tone with a colour that doesn’t match.
  • Your Eye Colour – If you are heading to a meeting it is likely that there will be a lot of eye contact going on (if the person is a good communicator). Choose a colour that helps your eyes stand out. For brown eyes and an olive skin tone go for darker more vibrant colours as paler tones will likely make you appear washed out.
  • What you feel comfortable in – If I told you that the colour you are most suited to is hot pink, it is likely that you wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing this as a suit colour and your office probably wouldn’t allow it. A large part of this fashion theory is confidence; you have to be confident in what you are wearing. Find a happy medium between what suits you and what you are happy to wear, this is a rule that can be applied across the board when it comes to fashion.

Corporate Fashion – The power of a colour

Personal Style

‘It’s a new era in fashion – there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style’ – Alexander McQueen

By understanding what colours suit you, you can start to incorporate them into your own personal style. This doesn’t need to be an expensive change to your wardrobe either, investing in key pieces you can match with several different outfits you will save money whilst not compromising on your look.

Corporate Fashion – The power of a colour - David Gandy