How to Find Your Mood-Boosting Power Color

On a recent rainy, gray fall day, I headed to our office kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. There, my coworker Ramona asked how I was doing. I replied with my standard "Ugh, this weather" grimace. Ramona studied me for a moment and said definitively, "You need to wear more color. You're always in black and gray — color lifts your mood!"

She had my number — like plenty of other New Yorkers, I routinely reach for black, with a smattering of white, gray, or navy mixed in (can you even stand the excitement?). Easy to match? Yes. Liable to cause spontaneous outbreaks of joy? Most definitely not.

So, the following day, I reached for a vintage rib-knit Courrèges sweater I'd just bought on eBay, that is the loudest screaming cherry-red you can imagine. Pulling it on, I felt, well, mostly just conspicuous. Neutrals are a way of blending in, or even hiding, whereas this top is the equivalent of hollering "HERE I AM, WORLD — SEE ME, LOVE ME!" when you enter a room. But throughout the day, I noticed Ramona was right — wearing bright red made me feel invigorated, bolder, maybe even a little happier. Same weather, different mood.

Colors' meaning changes from culture to culture and over time, but it's no secret that color can affect how you feel, and how others perceive you — which makes it an important aspect of how we present ourselves. Ahead, we dive into the potent symbolism of color, to help you find the one that empowers you.

What do you get when you combine perfect style with perfect fit? Perfect confidence — and an outfit that's your #PowerLook. Find yours with Yahoo Style’s complete guide to fashion that makes you feel invincible, and post your #PowerLook to be featured on our feed!