Pixel Perfect: Red Alert

What is it with the color red?

I had a woman in the fitting room say to me "Is this dress appropriate for work?"

I answered yes, because it was this dress, and while I don't particularly like the cut (repeat after me: there's no accounting for personal taste) the color is a beautiful lipstick red in 100% silk:

But I added, if you work in a very conservative environment I'd wear a cardigan or blazer over it also just so you don't show your shoulders.
Her response blew my mind.

"But what about the color? Do you think it's office appropriate?"

"What do you mean?"
Honestly, the only time I've heard of a color not being "appropriate" is white to someone else's wedding, but that's self explanatory.

"I just don't want people in my office to think I'm a slut for wearing red."

um...

WHAT??!!

She took my shock as confusion and added "Because everyone else wears like grey and black, so I'll stand out."

again....

WHAT??!!

Since when did standing out = slut?
And since when did red = slut? It's just a poor innocent color people!
I understand the color association, but my mom also told me in the fifth grade that good girls only wear white underwear.
Guess what? I wear black and red and pink and basically whatever tickles my fancy and is covered in lace (it's my underwear, I can do what I want) and last time I checked I'm not spending my nights on a corner in the red light district.

I know I've had other woman say the same thing, maybe not as forcefully, of how they don't like bright colors because it attracts attention, or they think that red and pink are better left to younger girls (fun story on that one later).
People, people, people.

I hate color, but I loooovvee red.
For god sakes, my hair is as close to the color of a crayola box crayon without being unnatural.
I love rocking some red lipstick.
My nail color of choice? Always red for winter, hot pink for summer.
My handbags or clutches are usually red (or some other obnoxious color).
My evening wear or special occasion clothing and heels? Always, always red.

Why? Because standing out is a good thing. When was the last time someone got an award for being "most unnoticeable and generally pleasant human being?"
Yeah, that's what I thought.

So let's have a big hurrah for red, especially lipstick, fire engine, red light red that looks good on EVERYONE.

Mild