I’m sure we’ve all had that moment when a dress or top looked good on a hanger but, when we tried it on, left us looking tired and washed out ????. I’m also certain we’ve all looked at somebody and thought ‘wow, you look fantastic!’ ???? They have a glow about them, their eyes are sparkling, and they look fantastic in what they’re wearing. This is because the colour of the outfit flatters their natural complexion. Either that person has lucked out by stumbling upon a colour that really suits them or, the chances are they’ve had their colours done and know exactly what to choose to make them look fab.
Colour analysis, or having your colours done as it’s more commonly known, first started back in the 1980s and has been widely used by stylists for film and TV to make leading ladies look fantastic. We all know how fabulous the red carpet can look and it’s because these stars are wearing dresses that compliment their natural colouring.
Looking good makes you feel good too and puts you at ease with yourself. Have you noticed that if you smile, people smile back? It’s the same with confidence, if you’re assured people around you will react positively to you. These days colour analysis isn’t just for celebrities, it’s for anybody who wants to understand what suits them best and feel confident about creating a more ‘put together’ look.
What does having my colours done involve?
Well, we all have an undertone to our skin, that is either warm or cool and a colour analysis identifies that undertone and which colours compliment your natural colouring. I look at my clients’ skin, eye and hair colour and use coloured drapes to identify which palette flatters them most.
There are four palettes, named after the seasons, which really helps you identify the characteristics of the colours that suit you best.
The two cool seasons are Winter and Summer
- Winters suit cool, deep, bright and dramatic colours and love contrast between their lighter and deeper shades
- Summers find cool, soft, delicate and misty colours most flattering
The warm seasons are Autumn and Spring
- Autumns look best in warm, deep, rich, earthy shades and they generally prefer a more tonal approach to mixing their colours
- Springs suit more exuberant colours, with warm, vibrant, light and radiant tones
Wearing colours that compliment your skin tone creates harmony
It makes your skin look clearer, blemishes and wrinkles are less evident, and your eyes look brighter too. This harmony means that others are drawn to your face, they see you rather than the colour/clothes that you’re wearing.
My clients regularly find that when they start wearing clothes in their palette they start getting comments from friends and family like; ‘have you been on holiday, you’re looking well today, somethings different – have you had your hair done?’ I took the plunge several years ago after my analysis and switched my trusty little black dress for a deep teal one. I can honestly say I’ve never had so many women stop me in the loos to say, ‘that dress looks great on you’! ????
To illustrate this just look at the comparison below. The same photo ia dropped on to both colour swatches and it’s amazing how on the teal background my face seems larger in the picture. My eyes and lips are brighter, my skin and hair looks warmer and the lines around my eyes are less obvious too.
During a consultation we also cover makeup. This is colour that we put directly on to our faces, so it’s super important to get that right too.
I’m an Autumn, with a warm undertone to my skin, so I look best in golden and warm colours. Before I had my colours done, I generally wore a rose blusher and pink lipstick. They went together well but just didn’t go together with me.
These colours would be perfect for someboody with a cool undertone and soft complexion, in other words a Summer.
My clients leave the session armed with a wallet of beautiful colour swatches which they can use when shopping to check if a piece of clothing matches or tones with their palette.
After a while of using your swatch wallet when you shop, you’ll find that your wardrobe becomes more harmonious and it’s easier to create outfits because everything goes together. I’ve less clothes in my wardrobe but they are more versatile, and I get so much more wear out of each item. So, if you’re wondering whether Colour Analysis is worth it, the answer is yes as it will save you money as well as making you look and feel fab. ????
I love helping women discover their colours and offer both in person and zoom consultations. Get in touch if you’d like to start the new year with some sass in your step and sparkling eyes.
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