True Red

Designer Bill Blass once said, "When in doubt, wear red." And he was right. Not only does red stop traffic but it may also make you a winner. In a study conducted at the University of Durham, in England, researchers found that athletes in combative sporting competitions who wore red were more apt to win than contestants wearing other colors.

This winning shade (Pantone 19-1664 TC) flatters everyone because it "resides in the center of the color spectrum, in between a cool cherry red and a warm, orangey tomato red," says New York City makeup artist Sonia Kashuk.

From left: American Apparel cotton T-shirt, $20, www.americanapparelstore.com. Morgan-Gual silk-satin dress, $380, www.morgangual.com for store locations. Club Monaco wool sweater, $69, 212-459-9863. Agnès b. cotton cardigan, $160, www.agnesb.net.