I think we can all agree that there’s something fascinating about the color purple. It’s the color of royalty. ‎ The color of extravagant and flowery prose.   And, perhaps most importantly, the color of rain in one of the best rock ballads of the 1980s.

Purple is also a color that I think flatters almost everyone, both men and women. A lot of people seem to shy away from it, however. So this post will be short and to-the-point (both because I feel strongly about this subject and because I’m sitting in an airport lounge trying to beat the clock before I have to board my flight) … do NOT be afraid to embrace purple!  It doesn’t have to be in an over-the-top, long, shimmery jacket kind of way (although my child of the 80s heart has a soft spot for that look). Any splash of purple can enhance your skin tone and make you look just a little more vibrant and alive. I think it’s a great alternative to blue (which, let’s face it, can get a little ubiquitous in the men’s button-down), but not as flashy a red.

Here, I’m wearing one of my favorite purple pieces… a Peter Pilotto purple sheath dress that I got from MatchesFashion (http://www.matchesfashion.com). ‎ The deep purple contouring is broken by an interesting pattern of complementary colors. And, as I do with most of my dresses that I want to stand on their own, I paired it with nude heels (in this case from Manolo Blahnik).

I always feel great when I wear this dress. Like I’m wearing a raspberry beret … but better.