I remember my first tryst with the colour red. An older cousin was visiting us, and she wore red lipstick. She was pretty, willowy and spirited. I resented something that she represented — I guess her youth, beauty and social success. She was visiting us alone, and for me, that was independence. I was six years old. So I stole the lipstick from her purse and gave it to our house helper’s daughter, who was getting married and was barely 15 years old. I felt the red lipstick would do something good for her. I guess I thought she needed some strength to deal with her newly found “adulthood”. I was helping her to claim her freedom.

Red makes you feel that you are in charge. Red has other associations, too. A large red bindi, red lipstick, rubies and red outfits remind me of Ma Durga and Almodovar movies simultaneously. I remember a night watching my first Almodovar film and the friend mentioning that my sister and I remind him of the women in these films. We can wear red. Red blood flows through our veins. We are unabashedly emotional, passionate and are drama queens.

Red should happen to everyone. You should find a shade of red or let it find you. I remember my mother in a red sari and wearing red lipstick, which was reserved for weddings and certain special events. Also, by default, the red lipstick would always be in her purse when we were visiting our grandparents. It could double as sindoor.

Red keeps changing. Sometimes it is a symbol of sensuality and sometimes freedom. However, red never became the fashion staple, like an easy blue or a pink. We reserve our reds for special days.

If we embrace red the way we embrace our pastels, do we become different? Will we come across as stronger? Will we be more comfortable in our skin? When we say red is the new black, how many of us actually follow that fashion rule? Black makes me look thinner, while red accentuates my curves. Black helps me to blend in, while red draws attention to myself. Can we wear red to corporate meetings? Will a woman draw too much attention to herself in red in a boardroom when the men are dressed in shades of blue?

As I age, I see a few lines on my face. Years ago, I used to wear my mother’s red lipstick on New Years’ Eve and went dancing with my friends. That was the only night when we could party late and meet the boys.

Today, I prefer having a drink at home and watching TV while the younger generation parties away. But I still take out all the red I own during these subdued evenings. I want to usher in every New Year, wearing red, thinking of myself as bolder and wiser.