Is the red journal theory real?

Can carrying something red make you feel a little bolder?

We came across an article in Vogue about the red nail theory, and got curious. Molly Barstein had tried red nails to see if they would attract more romantic attention. The results were questionable on the dating front, but she did feel more confident, and found herself talking to more people.

Naturally, we wondered if this could extend to stationery.

With le trifold coming in red, we had a fairly good excuse to find out. So we sent it to five creators with a question: does carrying something this red change how you feel, or even what you do?

We called it the red journal theory. Then we handed it over to them.

 

Crystal: red as a talisman

Crystal, @chrysbekah, told us that lately, she’s been making a conscious effort to give herself more room to be herself.

“I try to remind myself that I make the world a better place by being myself.”

The red le trifold found its place in that intention, standing out in a city with a fairly committed relationship with black.

“In a sea of New York City black, the red le trifold was/is my talisman. It helped me feel as bold and confident as the color of the leather.”

What appealed to her was how confidently red holds your attention. As she put it:

“I'd like to be like red. Sure and confidently rooted in my identity.”

 

 

Giulia: red as a new beginning

Giulia, @bygiuliasuvak, studied journalism before moving into a less creative field. With the desire to write returning, the journal arrived at a good moment.

“I didn’t choose red by accident. I chose it because I wanted the journal to hold me accountable to a version of myself that isn’t afraid.”

She began using it as a commonplace journal, gathering observations alongside passages from her reading. “In the quiet of my routine, I’ve found myself getting bored and, in that boredom, my creativity has come back to life.”

There was, however, one complication.

“Writing terrifies me. This is quite ironic, given that I dream of becoming a full-time writer.”

Over coffee before work, she began making time for it anyway.

“I have found a boldness to pursue my dream of writing, pushing through imperfections knowing it’s the only path to success. That’s the feeling I’ve been chasing for years and somehow found in my red le trifold journal over coffee on a Tuesday.”

She has also started matching her nails to the cover. A small development we feel deserves a mention.

 

Destiney: red as reassurance

“The color red was intimidating to me at first. But since living with it, I’ve learned that it’s so much more.”

For Destiney, @spiceycurry, the colour began to feel connected to this particular moment in her life. She used le trifold to hold her current read.

“The feeling of the book nestled in the softness and boldness of red inspired me to continue to open it up and spend time with it.”

On the metro to a bookstore, she noticed that her nails matched the journal. Completely unplanned. Apparently, this part of the experiment was running itself.

“I knew I was in the right place, doing the right thing, and that meant a great deal to me.”

Her approach to unfamiliar choices allows for a little patience, too.

“I do tend to follow my intuition, but it feels better when I’ve given myself the space to rest on it for a few days.”

 

 

Sadie: red as a push to act

Sadie, @wordlayout, has a long-standing relationship with red. It was the colour of her first car, and for a while, her first choice for practically everything. Even in Pokémon, she always picked the fire starter.

“If teenage rebellion were a color, it’d be red.”

With the journal beside her on her desk, she found herself reaching for it more often.

“I think red is a color that makes me take action, searing me into motion, and I felt more inclined to document my ideas.”

One idea had been on her mind all year.

“I often write ideas in my journals and let them go, but this one refused to let go. I felt called to take the idea out of the journal and make it a reality.”

She began sharing her writing on a blog and launched the journaling club she had been thinking about.

“I felt the confidence to put myself out there and I actually made it happen instead of letting it sit quietly inside of my journal, hidden from everyone.”

This special idea had waited long enough.

 

Angel: red as a reflection of herself

For Angel, @speakoftheangel, red felt like a natural fit from the start.

“I love red journals because they feel like a small boost of confidence.”

Her new le trifold became her reading and media journal, something she picked up during her downtime.

“I think I had this natural tendency to use my red covers for more personal notebooks vs. my black le trifold which is used for work.”

A division of responsibilities we can appreciate. And while red already feels familiar on her notebooks, it brings something different to her wardrobe.

“Especially as someone who wears mostly neutral colours, my journal feels like a pop of colour to my style.”

 

 

So, does it work?

We’ll resist the temptation to declare a stationery breakthrough, but red clearly meant something to everyone who took part. It’s a colour that makes its presence felt. It isn’t made to blend in, and it isn’t supposed to.

What stayed with us was how much each person brought to the question, as the same journal found a different place in each person’s life.

Thank you to Crystal, Giulia, Destiney, Sadie and Angel for giving our theory somewhere to go, and for sharing their stories with us.

Le trifold red is now available in [a5] and [a6], as a permanent addition to our journal collection. If you’re curious, you can take the question into your own hands.

Matching nails are optional, though we’re beginning to notice a pattern.

 

choose red