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Wear these colours to improve happiness

As many Emmy Award watchers probably noticed while tuning in Sunday night, it was hard to miss Homeland’s Claire Danes. And not just because of the baby bump she’s sporting or the fact that she scored a trophy.

Wearing yellow for happiness Masterfile

As many Emmy Award watchers probably noticed while tuning in Sunday night, it was hard to miss Homeland’s Claire Danes. And not just because of the baby bump she’s sporting or the fact that she scored a trophy. Instead, you couldn’t miss her because in the sea of smart suits and butt-busting dresses (we’re looking at you Sofia Vergara), Danes’ lemon-yellow dress stood out brightly. (Ditto Modern Family’s Julie Bowen with her neon strapless yellow frock or funny girl Leslie Mann’s pineapple yellow floor length skirt.) And while bright yellow is definitely a designer do right now, it’s also the colour associated with happiness. Colour, of course, hits our emotions and different colours influence a variety of feelings, notes Dr. Carole Kanchier, a Calgary-based registered psychologist, who shared some insights on the happiest colour of the rainbow. “It’s been demonstrated in research that the colour that makes people happiest is yellow. According to research studies, yellow is linked to this mood because of its brightness and it also gives off a calm energy,” says Dr. Kanchier. “A second colour associated with positive mood is blue, although yellow is more effective than blue. Blue also brings in the feeling of relaxation and so does purple to some degree.” There are other connections between colour and mood of course — red is an attention-getting colour, greys (when they’re not associated with Christian) are a more sad hue while pink…well, it’s not just for Barbie that’s for sure. “Pink is the most calming colour of all,” notes Dr. Kanchier. “Often prisons use pink to paint their cell walls because it’s the colour that drains the negative energy and calms aggression.” So how can we incorporate this colour that, well, not everyone’s comfortable wearing? Think sparingly instead of daringly. “You don’t need to wear head-to-toe yellow because in fact too much yellow can be over stimulating,” notes Dr. Kanchier. Instead pick the right shade of yellow for you — including gold, she adds — and throw hits of it into your day (think a yellow phone case or a scarf studded with yellow) or accenting a room with this sunny, warm colour. What colour makes you the happiest?

Want more happiness news? Follow me on Twitter @AstridVanDenB

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