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BY DONNA FUJII
Over ten years ago, when my husband first told his mother about me as a potential future daughter-in-law, she wondered aloud whether I might be the pushy type. For a gentlewoman who was born and raised in the country atmosphere of a Salinas Valley farming community, she must have been concerned that I might be one of those "hard" city girls from San Francisco.
I had to make a great first impression with my now mother-in-law, so to counter her fears, it was important for me to dress with a soft and demure image. I immediately ruled out wearing one of my black or navy power suits, which would have been far too strong and assertive. A red suit would have been to passionate and showy. I settled on a warm peach angora sweater set with a simple gabardine skirt, and accessorized with a pearl necklace and earrings. I looked sweet and non-threatening for that fateful first meeting and we hit it off beautifully. Even though I do admit to being a bit pushy at times, we have always enjoyed a beautiful relationship, thanks in part to having that great first impression.
The lessons here are not new, but they bear repeating: 1) first impressions are highly important, and 2) the colors and styles you wear have an lasting impact on how you are perceived by others, for better or for worse.
Focusing on life's big events, where the appropriate image can pay
the greatest dividends, here are some color suggestions to keep in mind when shopping or dressing for that special occasion:
- HIGH SCHOOL REUNION - If you need a dramatic entrance to your high school reunion or an ex-boyfriend's wedding, try a strong, clear turquoise, cobalt blue, or emerald green. These colors will put the spotlight on you because they create a high contrast between your skintone and dark hair color. Also, because these colors lie on the opposite side of the color wheel from, or are complementary to, most skintone colors, they create tension and drama when worn next to the skin.
ROMANTIC EVENING - For a very sexy look on that wedding anniversary, Valentine's Day, or other special romantic evening, be sure to use a deep or intense red. Red symbolizes excitement and passion, and there is no doubt that it has the same psychological effect. Select a cool, blue red if your skintone has a pink or olive undertone or select a warm orange red if your skintone is golden. For the perfect finishing touch, be sure to match your lipstick to your outfit.
FIRST MEETING WITH IN-LAWS - If you are meeting future in-laws for the first time, or visiting a sick friend, you need to convey a supportive, compassionate, and non-threatening image choose a skintone color such as pink or peach. Pink and pink have a soothing effect on the eye because they are so close to a natural skintone. When used in the correct shade, they harmonize with the skintone for a eye-pleasing look. Use pink if you have a cool undertone or peach if you have a golden undertone. Skintone colors are also terrific for the mother-of-the bride dresses.
FAMILY REUNION - For a warm, cheerful, and friendly image that you might want for a family reunion, yellow would be perfect. It is symbolic of sunshine, and color psychology tells us that yellow can lift the spirit and temper depressing thoughts. Asians should take special care in selecting yellows, because the wrong shade of yellow can make one's complexion look sallow, or a sickly grayish greenish yellow. If your skintone is fair select a soft butter yellow. If your skintone is an olive tone, select a bright, clear yellow. If your skintone is golden, chose a warm saffron yellow.
JOB INTERVIEW - For a corporate job interview, you want to look crisp, corporate and professional. The best outfits for such occasions would be suits in deep neutral colors such as navy, pine green, eggplant, charcoal gray, or a medium taupe. Try not to go too light in color, as that can detract from you credibility. Contrast these suits with a white blouse for that professional finish.
IMPORTANT SPEECH - If you are giving an important speech, chose an eye-catching color to hold the attention of your audience. A good example would be a simple black blouse and skirt teamed with a vivid colored jacket in red, yellow or green. If you are wearing a neutral color suit, you should add a bright colored blouse or scarf to frame your face and add some interest.
ART SHOW OPENING - For an artistic, creative look while attending the opening of an art gallery show or poetry reading, black always works well, but for a more daring look, try purple. Throughout the ages, purple has stood for mysticism, sensitivity and artistry. The correct shade of purple combines nicely with Asian skintones, as it is the complementary color to the yellow or golden undertone found in most Asians.
RESORT PARTY - If you will be attending a party at a resort, especially in a warm or tropical setting, select white for a healthy, natural and radiant look. If your skintone has a pink undertone, choose clear white. If your skintone has a golden undertone, try ivory or cream.
Finish off the look with metallic accessories, using silver or pewter accents with pure white, or gold or bronze with ivory or cream.
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