JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: You may not have guessed it from our blog, but here at JRW we are all about the Red. Some of us have red hair (or used to...) some of us wear red clothes, some of us sport red polish, but we all have a big dose of Red Attitude.
So we were delighted to make the acquaintance of Kathy Lynn Hall, aka Red Mojo Mama. Blogger, Indy author, social media expert, Kathy Lynn knows that some women are born red, some have red thrust upon 'em, but ALL women can achieve Red. She's visiting us today to tell you how to add more Red to your life.
"When in doubt wear red." --Bill Blass
It
doesn’t matter where you find it, the color red brings life to the
party. Take a basic black and white décor; add a red pillow and a
vase of red gladiolas and suddenly you have drama. If you’re the
shy and retiring type, it’s obvious you need a little red once in a
while to spark up your existence. So, go for it and try one or two of
these suggestions to surprise yourself and those who never thought
that you’d ever DO red.
Wearing that little black dress again? Add a sparkling red rhinestone brooch – retro, of course – and just see how many compliments you get.
- Do you have classic white dinnerware, like I do? No problem. Add scarlet cloth napkins, sprinkle rose petals around the base of a pedestal candle and now you have romance in full bloom.
- Is there a pair of hot red heels in your closet that hurt your feet too much to wear on a long date? (If there aren’t, get on it, girlfriend!) Solution: Arrange to meet your husband or date at a restaurant that has a bar. Wear your flip-flops into the ladies room, slip on your passion-red stilettos and slither slowly to the bar before he even gets there. Be sure to perch on a bar stool turned slightly to the side facing the door, so he’ll get a great peek at your fabulous legs and shoes as he meets his lady for a drink first. Make sure he enjoys a little footsie under the table, before you slip back into your flip-flops for the trip home. PS – make sure there’s a beautiful shade of red on your pedicured feet and he’ll make the mental leap from the red heels to your sexy toes in no time flat.
- Don’t be afraid to do red big-time if you can handle it. As a professional, shock and awe will accompany you into a board room in a simple red suit. Keep the accessories simple and gold tone and you’ll be unforgettable.
- If your life has been basic beige up until now and leaping off the cliff is uncomfortable, take it slow or you may get flustered by your adventures in such a vibrant color. Add red and gold earrings to your collection. Can you pull off a bold cherry lipstick while the rest of you says “I’m understated”? Or maybe a wine-colored purse is just the right touch of radical against a plain background. Experiment.
- Red and sparkly go together like wine and cheese. I have a red beaded purse I hang within sight of my bed just to remind me of that fact. Whether it’s jewelry or sequins, red loves shiny things, so marry them whenever you can.
- Perk up your stationary. Get rid of those sickly pastels and go in search of splashes of the color of passion. Some of the most interesting designs have a bit of vermillion or cardinal in them.
- Add a red bra and matching panties to your lingerie drawer. No one even has to see them for you to feel a little sexier knowing you have them on.
- I have a little fire-engine red car with a matching cooler, stadium blanket and sports chair in the back. People remark on it all the time.
- Don’t forget the scents associated with red – cherries, apples, pomegranates, Red Door and Red perfumes.
However
you manage it, do give yourself a fling with red. See how it fits. If
you love it, then embrace it. Red is truly a lot of fun!
You can head over to Red Mojo Mama for more of Kathy Lynn's wit and wisdom. You can also check out her novels, Red Mojo Mama and Red is an Attitude, her books of essays and her social media guides. You can follow her on Twitter as @RedMojoMama, like her on Facebook, and - new to us! - share with her on Pinterest!
Love red. In some form or another there is at least a little bit of red in every room in my home, including what my husband calls "the lipstick room", our deep red living room.
ReplyDeleteWhen everyone else is wearing basic black the woman wearing the red gown draws all eyes to herself, right?
I own a pair of red shoes, not high heels, but very cute. They're excruciating, but I wear them anyway because they're cute. And red.
ReplyDeleteI love red. My professional wardrobe used to be all black and red. I've broadened to add some other jewel tones to go with the black in recent years, but the red is still my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big woman, and folks say you can't wear bright colors if you're not skinny. Lie! Color makes you come alive!
My husband has noticed that nearly every woman over forty now has red hair.
ReplyDeleteOr sort of red: (that's mine, guilty as charged. Good thing I'm Irish)
As for wearing red? Not so much. Unless it's a Red Sox T-shirt, I'm just a boring muted colors person.
But I LOVE this post and the brashness red stands for!
I've stayed away from red because I felt I didn't look good in it. But I do have a divine leather jacket in a more raspberry shade and I do envy Hank's divine high heels!
ReplyDeleteMy law school housemates challenged me to go a week without wearing red. Happily, because it was winter in South Bend, Indiana, they made an exception for my coat and my flannel jammies.
ReplyDeleteWe remain friends despite it all. :)
It's so fun to see all the ladies who have embraced RED in some way or other. Glad you're enjoying the post! Go #TeamRed.
ReplyDeleteNothing in the world as good as something red. :-) I have a red phone, red purse, a brand new red SUV (because it had to match my purse of course). We remodeled our home recently, with earthtones and red accent pieces. And my new living room has a red accent wall! Hubs would have choked on an entirely red room, but I at least got a wall. So excited about that wall I could cry. Lol!
ReplyDeleteI bow to all of you and your red essence. :)
Rhys, you can always use red as an accent, especially one away from your face, as in shoes or handbag. But really, doesn't everyone look good in some shade of red? My reds are usually clear or blue-toned. Your shade might be one with more yellow in it.
ReplyDeleteA visit to a designer friend's home in Tulsa revealed she also has a red living room, but she's a redhead, and hers is more of an orange-red to match her.
I had a red car once and LOVED it. Now I have a boring green sedan. One of these days I'm going to have another RED car... They are so liberating.
ReplyDeleteSo cool, Kathy!! Red is the happiest, sexiest color I know. Fits you to a T!!
ReplyDeleteI'm all about the red! I'm also one of those "used to be" redheads. :-( I didn't like it much when I had it, but now I miss the red.
ReplyDeleteWearing red...doesn't work so well with my coloring. I'm more of ruby or maroon person -- does that count? But I do own a bright red car, and red is one of my living room colors as of a year ago. Red has grown on me over the years. I used to be only about blues and greens..but reds? Warm and inviting--just like our Reds here at JRW!
ReplyDeleteI am one of those shy, retiring people who shouts "Hello, World!" through her red attire!
ReplyDeleteLast fall I had to buy some clothing to replace the rags I had been wearing (good Lord, how I HATE shopping!), and when I had completed the chore, I realized that ninety percent of my wardrobe is now red. I am especially fond of red and black worn together. I have made red and black jewelry for myself,too. Red has been creeping into my life more and more. I didn't realize it until a friend referred to me as "The Lady in Red"! I can wear a different red outfit to work every day of the week. I do have non-red clothing, but mostly because the item did not come in red. Much of the non-red clothing tends to be in bright shades of purple or pink; I don't stray too far from red. After reading today's post, I think I understand why I feel more like myself in red!
There are very few shades of red in my home decor, though, but that's mainly because I do not have a homemaking or home decorating bone in my body! Except that I have ALWAYS had red blankets, as far back as I can remember. (There's a story behind that, but it has nothing to do with today's post.)
Over the weekend, I lost the case I used for my sunglasses. I replaced it yesterday. The new one is red, much more difficult to misplace than the gray one I had!
Gee, what a fun post today! Thanks!
Must tell Mr. Right I am not the only woman who believes every home needs a red accent wall.
ReplyDeleteAnd how I covet that red lace bra!
Funny, today I'm painting the powder room red. It's fabulous and makes me happy just to see it. I also have a red car and red hair. Viva la rouge, Kathy.
ReplyDeleteEllen's got fabulous hair. I used to be very jealous of my sister's red hair but i've made my peace with plain old brown. I do have four red dresses in my closet. One of them has actually been worn.
ReplyDeleteKathy. You found the right blog to express yourself. You're one of the most supportive people and writers I know. And you do look good in red.
ReplyDeleteI just happen to turn that color from time to time. I look kinda hot, lol
Whoa. My comments competely disappeared. SO WEIRD. Anyway. As I said, I always wear red slipstick--have for years. Sometimes it's trendy, sometimes it's passe. But it's what works for me...
ReplyDeleteI love red coats. I haven't found the perfect one yet, something that will make me feel like Audrey Hepburn. But someday I will.
ReplyDelete