The following is a post from Kathryn’s new personal style blog Kathryn- Annotated.

This past April, I was in Chicago giving a speech and doing an interview with the amazing Ellen Warren (of Chicago Tribune, read the article here.). Chicago in April isn’t the best weather in the world (it’s pretty darn rainy and cold), so it was a great place to try out my color theory.

My color theory is that adding a dose of strong color (yellow, red, pink, etc) to an outfit on a dreary day, not only changes your attitude, but the attitudes of those around you. So, when I had an hour of free time, I set out to wear to brightest colors possible (red Jones New York dress ($50) and Old Navy purple cardigan ($20) on my walk down to the Chicago Institute of Arts.

The Response

The response was overwhelmingly positive. One person commented “Aren’t you a Ray of Sunshine on a dreary day”, which being from the midwest I know could be taken as a back handed compliment (like when someone from the midwest says the meal you just cooked is “Tasty”, which could mean that you put too much salt in the dish ), but since I live in New York, and New Yorkers are known for being pretty upfront about matters of style, I will take it as a confirmation that my theory works.

Thinking Chicago might be an anomaly after a particularly brutal, gray winter (the researcher in me is always working), I test this theory on a dreary day in NYC.

The response was pretty much the same, with several guys on my street commenting on my color choices. The best comment: “You’re like a Sexy Rainbow.”

Verdict: Even in a place like New York, it’s hard to be mean to someone wearing fuschia.

For more on Kathryn Finney’s thought and musings about life and other things, visit Kathryn Annotated.