The Red Dress Effect: Why We Wear Red on Valentine’s Day and How to Incorporate It Into Your Everyday Looks
Image Courtesy: Vogue
Valentine’s day is a holiday full of love, chocolate, overpriced roses, and, most importantly...incorporating the iconic color of love into every piece of clothing you wear for 24 hours. It’s a retailer’s dream. I mean, how often do we really get the chance to wear that red lace lingerie set in your drawer or shop for a new red handbag? The answer is more often than you think...enter, the Red Dress Effect.
This phenomenon is rooted in the theory that women wearing clothing with the color red, such as a red dress, are perceived as more attractive than they would be wearing other colors. This is why we have images of icons in famous red dresses such as Rihanna at the GQ awards, Cameron Diaz in “The Mask” or Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” ingrained in our memory. They look powerful, wealthy, and exude confidence as well as sex appeal...which is what sells, right?
Not only does red symbolize love, heat, wealth and passion, making it the central color for the holiday, but it is also a tool used by marketers to capture consumers’ attention and stand out from competitors, which could be why we love the signature red bottoms of Christian Louboutin heels that we hope to have in our closet one day...*sighs* a girl can dream .
The Red Dress Effect doesn’t just work by boosting sales through retail marketing, unintentionally grabbing the gaze of everyone when you strut into a restaurant, or on the streets of a night out (pre-Covid, of course). Wearing red can also help you feel more confident, energized and independent, all of which are sure to give you a boost of happiness so you can radiate positive energy and shine in your everyday looks. In other words, you don’t need to and shouldn’t reserve that new red dress or clothing you just purchased solely for Valentine’s day.
We found several cool, unique items with touches of red that are perfect for casual wear or when you want to truly serve looks, both of which are appropriate for this year’s Valentine’s day. Here’s how to incorporate red into your everyday wear:
Starting from the ground up
Let’s talk about shoes, everyone’s favorite that we can never have too many of, it’s a fact. Sneakers have become even trendier since Covid made loungewear popular last year, and they’ll continue to trend this year too. Palladium is a French brand, with shoes and boots that are both cool and practical, guaranteed to make you stand out from the crowd of white sneakers.
With the platform boot trend in full effect this season, here’s an edgy find from Public Desire, a London-based brand made popular by influencers on social media. The red bottoms give a subtle pop of color, with the black faux leather screaming chic.
Add some flare
Bell-bottoms, kick-flare pants, and jeans are especially popular right now and are the perfect way to add some detail or make a statement with your outfit. Shades of red such as maroon mixed with black or white go with almost any top.
These pants allow you to feel comfy while also making a statement, with a high waist that accentuates your curves, which will help you strut in confidence.
Dyed red denim is also a great way to add color into your wardrobe, and with a classic, high-waisted find like these, you’ll be sure to feel taller and hugged in. Dyed denim can easily be dressed up with heels for the holiday or made casual with chunky boots.
Give me the deets
Lastly, accessories such as rings, necklaces or handbags add small details of red that can serve as reminders of how powerful you are. Statement or dainty rings add subtle pops of the color without being overbearing.
Lastly, everyone needs the perfect red handbag to hold the essentials and make a statement. Bolder textures such as shiny faux crocodile or simple ones like faux leather are essential to complete your look.
This Valentine’s day, pay attention to who the Red Dress Effect is working on, how retailers are using it, and be sure to incorporate the powerful color into your everyday look in case you ever need a boost of confidence.
Strike Out,
Writer: Rachel Lakso
Athens