Of all the elements that make up your personal style, the most value for your wardrobe dollars is colour. Colour is free: an outfit must come in some shade, why not choose a hue that flatters your skin tone and personality. Colour analysis has evolved creating individual palettes that reflect shades in the marketplace and compliment your overall style for this time in your life. Yes, your colours do change over the years!
Before the 80’s, few people thought about colour when choosing their clothes. I remember my Mom letting me pick out a duffle coat for my birthday. Most of the coats were camel and as I went from store to store trying on the duffle coat, I never cared for the way they looked on me; they didn’t seem to ‘fit’ properly. My last stop was Hudson’s Bay where I tried on a burgundy duffle coat. I loved it; the ‘fit’ was perfect! In fact, the coats all came from the same manufacturer. It wasn’t the size that fit, it was the colour. When Color Me Beautiful brought Seasons to the world, women had a guide to shop for their best colours.
As colour draping evolved, it became apparent to analyze people individually with colours that are relevant in today’s marketplace, and with the need to have colours reflect trends currently in fashion. The warm and cool principle expanded to include the six characteristics of art: warm or cool, light or deep, and bright or muted. Along with embracing an individual’s eye colour, current hair colour, (never cover the hair) and personality, it became apparent that personal palettes attained the most accurate assessment.
The most revealing progress of colours is that a woman’s skin tone and hair colour changes throughout her life. As she ventures through the “Neutral Zone” (aka menopause) colouring is largely affected. The tone and intensity of the skin changes. A person with bright, cool characteristics may suddenly feel overpowered by the brilliant hues she used to wear years ago. Hair colour changes. Whether the choice is to go gray or colour her hair, the result will affect her clothing choices. Did you know that after 50, hair colour is the dominant factor ahead of skin tone when analyzing colours.
Having your colours done is not to be taken lightly. Ensure your consultant offers you the most up to date method of analysis with an individual palette reflecting contemporary hues in the marketplace. You will look amazing, save time and money while shopping, and keep your look current. For the most part, you don’t pay for the colour of an item of clothing; it is free. That’s enormous value simply by knowing your colours.
