Wearing bright colours can improve the way you feel about yourself, says an award-winning image consultant.

Mrs Lessing, 60, was recently crowned Scholar of the Year at the annual Spirit of Inspiration Awards by the International Federation of Image Consultants (IFIC) in recognition of her services and level of training.

One of just 35 Master Personal Brand and Image Consultants in the UK, she tells People: “As far as I am concerned, colour is everything. The right colours can make you shine: make your eyes brighter and enhance your skin tone, and that’s when you get compliments.

“Most colours will suit most people but it’s the tone of the colour that will change. You can still wear black, but wear it with another colour that will enhance your face.

“Appearance is so vital to people’s self-confidence and employment prospects,” adds Mrs Lessing, who runs her own consultancy, Style Talks. Clients include Deloitte, the Big Issue and Birmingham University.