The 1986 ballad ‘Lady in Red’ by Chris De  Burgh is a huge favourite among so many people, it is so romantic and meaningful. There is something about the colour red that seems to have an effect on people causing a mixture of emotions. Red clothes are very symbollic and send out a message about the wearer. It is a bright colour that gains you instant attention when you wear it. It is also a very strong and bold colour that can send out messages of passion, power, happiness, anger or love.

Depending on the style, shade and combination with other colours red can look racy, corporate, sophisticated, cute and fun, preppy or ethnic. It usually has quite a warm feel about it and exactly how it looks in an outfit will also depend on the colouring of the person. The darker the colour of the hair, the more contrast there will be with the colour red and the stronger it will appear.

Red dresses have come to also have a another significance with the Red Dress Collection which is shown at New York Fashion Week. The annual event is held by the Heart Truth Organisation to raise awareness of women’s heart disease and involves some of the best known designers and celebrities. The Red Dress Collection 2010 included Bethenny Frankel in Isabella Oliver, Elisabeth Hasselbeck in Donna Karan, Felicity Huffman in Oscar de la Renta, Dara Torres in Rachel Roy, Estelle in Zac Posen, Heidi Klum in John Galliano, Joan Collins in Stephane Rolland, Jordin Sparks in Badgley Mischka, Kim Kardashian in Marchesa to name but a few! All very beautiful examples of how red can be worn for maximum effect.

Different shades of red - You will notice from trying to choose just the right shade of red lipstick, that there are plenty of different shades of red. Picking just the right shade of red for you is key to looking good in red. Deeper reds often looking better on those with dark hair and lighter or more scarlet reds looking best on those with lighter or blond hair.

Red combined with other colours - As with combining red with different hair colours and skin tones, combining red with clothes in other colours also completely changes its look. Generally the bolder and more contrasting the colour it is combined with, the bolder and stronger the red will appear. Try combining a red top with a black skirt, navy skirt and white skirt or trousers and see how different it looks. Red and black are probably the strongest and boldest combination that you can get but combining red with other primary colours can also give a strong but fun look. Another great way to wear red is by combining with a patterned piece. This red triple layer skirt (pictured above) looks feminine and happy when combined with this colourful floral frill front top.

Styles in red - If you love to wear red but don’t want it to look too racy, choose styles that are not too clingy or revealing. For a more subtle effect choose patterns with red in or red accessories to add some colour to a more conservative neutral coloured outfit.