Simply Red: Magnificent 8 Collaboration

Red is a color that is often associated with strong emotions and various symbolic meanings. In the realm of fashion, it’s a versatile choice that can convey a variety of impressions and meanings.

As indicated by the title of this post, the color red is in the spotlight for this latest edition of the Magnificent 8 Collaboration. It’s a bold and attention-grabbing color that’s understood to make a strong statement. By drawing focus to the wearer, it is commonly chosen as a symbol of power and confidence.

Red can be quite a versatile choice since there are so many various shades of it, from bright and vibrant to deep and rich. This adaptability allows it to be incorporated into a wide range of fashion styles and preferences. From red carpet events to board room meetings, red can be elegant and glamorous as well as strong and powerful. While some might see red as primarily a holiday color, it’s truly quite a classic choice all year round.

Symbolically speaking, the color red is typically associated with emotions like love and passion. It can also used to project energy and power. Universally, red is used as a warning and to alert the viewer to danger as it does with stop signs and fire alarms.

Red is known to stimulate and energize, increase heart rate, and create a sense of excitement. It’s often used in advertising and signage due to its ability to grab a viewer’s attention. Also highly visible, red is used for traffic lights, emergency signs, and other situations where attention is critical. In many Eastern cultures, red is a symbol of good luck and prosperity which makes it a common choice for many traditional ceremonies and weddings.

Numerous recent style and fashion articles have shown monochromatic head-to-toe red ensembles as the look for this season. While those outfits are truly stunning, wearing red need not be an all-or-nothing proposition. Red accessories, such as handbags, shoes, or scarves, can add a pop of color to an outfit and create a focal point. This is true for any bold color, for that matter. When a color, or pattern, or detail is trending, you don’t have to go whole-hog or spend a lot of money incorporating it into your look.

In my case, I simply shopped my closet. Oh, I did do some looking in my local stores but it seems that they hadn’t gotten the message about red being a current trend because I found very little of it until the holiday items started to appear. I must admit to being one of those who tend to associate red with a certain winter holiday (one that I don’t celebrate). The other association I have with it is to flag holidays and then it’s usually worn with white and blue.

As such, red isn’t well-represented in my wardrobe. It’s mostly limited to inclusion in a pattern or to a few accessories. I typically keep my eyes open for red shoes, especially boots, but I haven’t had a lot of luck. About 8-to-10 years ago, red blazers were having a moment and I tried finding one that suited me but had no luck. I would still love to find one but I’m not holding my breath.

The closest that I’ve come to finding a red blazer is the tweed jacket that I’m sharing today. It’s a thrift store find made in late 2019 or early 2020. I initially passed on it (actually didn’t buy it until my third visit to that store) but couldn’t resist when I saw that the price had been reduced to $1.

This jacket has appeared at least twice before on the blog (see Last Week, This Week: Enlightened, March 9-13 from March 2020 and Love Languages from February 2022). It also has the distinction of being part of my last office OOTD prior to retiring although I didn’t know it would be when I wore it that day. That was the Friday before the initial COVID-19 lockdown.

Working in a bit more red into my look for today’s post, I’m wearing my Rebel Heart t-shirt and a pair of dark red booties. And although not easily seen in these photos, I’m also wearing a red heart bracelet that The Husband gave to me many years ago. It’s the darker, moodier shades of red you see in my jacket and boots that are my personal preference. Monochromatic looks aren’t really my jam so wearing a key piece or two in red is my way of embracing this current. Or whenever I’m in the mood.

Time to move on to the Magnificent 8 Collaboration. Working in tandem are 8 stylish women, each in a different age bracket ranging from early 20s to early 80s, with the intention of showing that fabulous style has no age restrictions. Wear what you want, when you want, add a smile, and strut your style with confidence. And be sure to check out the other 7 amazing gals! These posts are shared on a quarterly basis … be on the lookout at the end of January for the next post in this series.
The Magnificent 8 Collaboration began in the Summer of 2018 as a quarterly venture and this is its 22nd installment. The previous ones were; Life’s A Beach, Distressed, Workout Wear, Spring Pattern Mixing, White Dress, Animal Print, Family Heirloom, Garden Party, Hello Yellow, Pearls, Outside The Box, Statement Pants, Inspired By, Invested In Style, Stick A Pin On It, Secondhand Style, Summer Linen, Western, Viva Magenta, Blazing Through Spring, and most recently Maxi-Mizing Style.

Have you visited any of the other Magnificent 8 gals yet and seen their spins on the theme of Simply Red? In case you haven’t, allow me to help get you on your way.

Grace of Graceful Rags
Mica of Away From The Blue
Roxanne of Glass of Glam
Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge
Rena of Fine-Whatever
Eugenia of The Age Of Grace
Lesley of Jodie’s Touch of Style
And Charlotte of Jodie’s Touch of Style

Remember, you can’t put a number on style!

Even as styles and trends can change, red remains a timeless and impactful color. Fashion allows for experimentation and self-expression. Wearing red is one way for anyone of any age to express their personality and mood. How do you wear red?

Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.

Photo credit: MMPerez