Red, Beautiful Red

Oh red, how I (heart) thee! Your energy, your beauty, your light.
First, a few notes on fashion and red.

1. Red hair - love it, always wanted natural red, long, curly or straight, fabulous hair (think the original Nicole Kidman or oh so current Marsha Collier or Bree on Desparate Housewives). As a hairdresser, also LOVED creating red highlights- so vibrant, so alive, so darn pretty in the sun, and truly, since it is natural in hair, easier to attain and maintain.
2. Red lipstick. Enough said.
3. Red nail polish. Not for me as I seem to chip in nanoseconds, but for anyone who can carry it off - admired!
4. Red dress. Every girl should have the LBD, but a red dress, now that makes a statement.

Red is a primary colour, and exists abundantly around us. Red roses, so classic, and statement making. (think American Beauty). The red of maple trees in autumn. Red rocks - Ayers rock - magma - so much power. Red flowers of all species, abundant and glorious, and the poppy with its delicate short life, a favorite. A cranberry, so diverse in its use, from tart juice to sundried sweetness. Red wine.

The power of red extends to brands we cannot help but recognize. Our Canadian maple leaf, so symbolic. The red serge of our Mounties, recognized around the world. The red of a Coke can, the most internationally recognized symbol of the organization with the world's greatest distribution network. Virgin. The Red Room.

Red is of course, the 1st chakra color. Stability, physical energy, passion, courage, desire. It is connected to our spinal column, adrenal glands, legs and more. As it is the color of passion, it is also the color of anger. Red can be demanding. It demands we stand up and take notice. NOW.

Then there are events. Red is representative of so many great cultures. From the red and black of our First Nations, coming from the ochre and graphite used in their first art, to Asian cultures where red is so prevalent, to just being a truly impactful color that creates stunning visuals when guests arrive, and then carries through its energy as an event progresses. There are so many ways red can be used to create expression, to build mood and it is always a colour that when we speak of it, our client's eyes change as they too can feel the energy that will happen. Red is passion, and it easily inspires. BRING ON THE RED!

Brian Dennehy, photographer strikes again!

Photo by Erin Wallace in the Van Horne Ballroom at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

How does red make you feel?