At least, we are hoping for a nice warm spring here in the UK, but what I really mean is "Warm Spring" is the name of my Colour-Me-Beautiful skin tone.
Some people scoff at it, but I believe that is because they have never had a consultation. Or because they happen to be people who are easily catered for in the shops...or because they suit black. For pale reds like me, getting my colours done was a REVELATION!!
It helped that my colour consultant was really good. I happened to get Daphne James in Wellington (NZ) who is amazing. You want one that is really experienced as you will be basing your wardrobe around her advice. As she assured me at the time, I found that all the colours blend well together and build a co-ordinated wardrobe quite easily.
It is quite expensive (starting at £95 in the UK) but when I take it with me shopping, it keeps me grounded to what suits me and what doesn't. Meaning far less expensive mistakes cluttering up the wardrobe.
The rules don't have to be in concrete, for instance I still have some black items simply because they are easy to co-ordinate with. They tend to be trousers, skirts and shoes or undergarments. They were dead cheap to begin with and I have kept them for years as they are simply practical to finish off an outfit - like a black cardigan that I got at a car boot. I have a black dress that is great to travel with and it fits really well but I always accessorise to add some colour near the face and use lashings of mascara and make up.
I realised just the other day that Ange from Redressing is a colour consultant and she talks more about the spring colour palette on her blog of the 5th March (for some reason I can't link directly to that post)
What about you? Know any consultants you would recommend?
Some people scoff at it, but I believe that is because they have never had a consultation. Or because they happen to be people who are easily catered for in the shops...or because they suit black. For pale reds like me, getting my colours done was a REVELATION!!
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| from the Colour-Me-Beautiful website |
To be honest, I got them done when I was 21, which was *mumble mumble* years ago now. My Mum shouted us both for our birthdays so it was a really neat ladies day together.
They have changed the names of the skin tone groups now, but my colours are still applicable to me. There are other companies too, my Gal Pal Jenny got hers done through House of Colour and swears by that too.
After getting my colours done I was finally not confused about what colours suited me. Fashionable colours are not always the best for me.Vintage colours, when they used more greys, tans and greens do! (Happy result that!)
You can see from my colour swatches that I have a ton of greens, yellows, oranges and tans, but only a few blues - Navy, Medium blue, and Periwinkle (which is getting towards purple). In fact that shade of Medium blue looks so good on me that one might think I suit blue in general, but all other blues make me look quite ill. Grey, purple and taupe are all fantastic on me, they, or rather I, come alive in them (Must. Buy. More.)
Teals and turquoises are easy for me to wear
Melon and peach tones were also new for me. I don't have any true pinks, as, like blue, it just drains me whereas the right shade of pale apricot makes me look quite tanned!
It is quite expensive (starting at £95 in the UK) but when I take it with me shopping, it keeps me grounded to what suits me and what doesn't. Meaning far less expensive mistakes cluttering up the wardrobe.
The rules don't have to be in concrete, for instance I still have some black items simply because they are easy to co-ordinate with. They tend to be trousers, skirts and shoes or undergarments. They were dead cheap to begin with and I have kept them for years as they are simply practical to finish off an outfit - like a black cardigan that I got at a car boot. I have a black dress that is great to travel with and it fits really well but I always accessorise to add some colour near the face and use lashings of mascara and make up.
I realised just the other day that Ange from Redressing is a colour consultant and she talks more about the spring colour palette on her blog of the 5th March (for some reason I can't link directly to that post)
What about you? Know any consultants you would recommend?
Shona x
This is so interesting! I have never had my colours done but I definitely tend towards a certain colours,not just because I like them but because I know they do something for me. I certainly can't do pale washed out types of colour, I need very definite shades, I looked really washed out with a colour that is a 'hint of' luckily I do suit black, but I suit turquoise, green and yellow much more!
ReplyDeleteI had mine done too many years ago than I'd like to remember! I was an 'autumn' then, not sure what that would be now? but yes it has been very useful over the years and a real surprise for some of the colours that I would never have considered before. I know my skin tone has changed as I've got older so perhaps I should get mine done again hmm.
DeleteLove this post Shona- I posted a few weeks back on exactly the same thing (http://redressingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/colour-theory-1-spring-colours.html) as I'm a colour consultant as part of my job! It's always good to know what suits you and what doesn't but it's also good to know if you like it you can still wear it! Wouldn't do to throw everything out!!! x
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I did my own colours with a friend and the Colour Me Beautiful book from the library somewhere in the mid 1980s. As students we couldn't afford any consultant. But it worked fine, since then I knew I'm a Summer type and to know what suits you is really efficient!
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