For a long time, red has been associated with feelings of love, passion and romance and with Valentines day earlier this month it felt fitting to share some ways to wear this powerhouse of a colour.

From warm to cool, clear to soft and light to deep, red comes in many shades.  And as with any colour the right shade will lift your complexion while the wrong one will have the opposite effect so getting the it right is critical to your outfit success. For those of you familiar with seasonal colour analysis the best reds from your family of colour are;

• Winter ~ letter box and burgundy red
• Autumn ~ rust and tomato reds
• Summer ~ light blue and raspberry red
• Spring ~ flame and tulip red

Red signifies energy and power and is one shade which, when worn, naturally draws attention while giving the message of confidence and energy in a way that no other colour can.

New to colour and fancy experimenting with wearing red? Start by teaming it with neutrals. From navy and black to brown, camel and grey there are plenty to choose from.  Two of my favourites are a red blouse worn with camel trousers and a simple red dress worn with silver accessories while a red coat will work wonders for brightening up the dullest of days.  For those of you more confident wearing colour, fir green and burgundy looks amazing worn together as does raspberry red and purple or tomato red and teal – the possibilities are endless!

And if that feels too much try introducing pops of red into your wardrobe through accessories and make-up. A red belt worn with a navy dress or a red bag and earrings teamed with a head to toe ensemble in black would look fab – simple, elegant and chic. Lastly, don’t forget about patterns and details on clothing.  A red stripe in a shirt or red cuffs and edging on a cardi are two great ways to give a nod to this shade without having to go all in as is a splash of red lipstick in your best shade (mine’s coral red for the record).

What’s your favourite shade of red?