'House of Colour' review...

[ellangirl]

For those that expressed an interest in knowing how getting my colours done went...

Overall I would say it's fab. I learnt some things I really didn't know, and will have confidence to try some new brighter colours that I would never pick but actually look really good. I would say I thought it was just for older women, prob because most of the consultants are older themselves, but I think it could help anyone, if they're open to the idea. I also got to try a bit of the makeup, which was lovely. Trying lipstick colours was great, because I've never managed to find one before that looked great. I don't think I'll go for the image/style day that comes next, not least because I can't afford it!

So, if anyone is thinking about 'house of colour' I would recommend! Book with a friend- I don't think it would be as nice with people you don't know in the class.

[FluteyBoots]

I had a couple of sessions with House of Colour, and also thought it was great.

Same as you, I now buy things in colours I would never have even looked at before, and it's true people do comment on how well you look! Also completely changed my choices in lipstick. I would also recommend.

I went on my own, and found it fine. The consultant was so friendly and made it really good fun, so it didn't matter that we didn't know each other.

[KristinaM]

Glad it went well ell an. And thanks for coming back to update usi

[ellangirl]

I'm a deep summer, which I could have taken a stab at anyway, but it's good to know for sure. It was between summer and winter, but the winter colours were too bright- you really noticed the colours before my face. I'm happy that my silver coloured jewellery suits me- would have been upset if that had been wrong!

[FellatioNelson]

What's all the 'deep' about then? And is there a light/shallow alternative, or just plain Summer or Deep Summer?

Were you both the kind of people who were very unadventurous with colour before this? I'm just wondering because I have never looked at any colour and said 'I'd never wear that' although obviously I do mostly stick to within the group that I think suits me best.

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

I'm a sweet pea summer!

Also did a style day and I'd say it's definitely worth doing - just adds another dimension and really helps you feel comfortable with what you wear.

[FellatioNelson]

I look crap in pale colours as well. If I have a tan I can wear pale lemony yellows, I can just about manage pale pink, but peach, nudes, beiges all make me look dreadful at any time of year, and pale blue makes me look positively jaundiced.

[ellangirl]

In house of colour there's 3 'families' in each season, do I'm a deep summer which is the stronger shades, there's also a brown summer which is more musky pink/beige shades, and another one which is more the lilac-y pinky pastel shades. All summer colours suit me, but deep ones more than the others, that's all.

I wasn't completely unadventurous before, but mostly stuck to blues and purples, but found there's a lot of red I can wear, and found out which nude and grey shades are best. Raspberry is one of my best colours apparently everythingchanges. There's so much nude coloured fashion out there and like fellatio says, if you pick the wrong one it's dire- I look like a corpse.

There is a shade of yellow in each season, but it's an easy one to get wrong. I've always said there's no way I can wear yellow, but the shade she showed me was quite nice.

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

Sounds like they've changed the definitions in the last few years the, ellangirl. I was definitely told I was a 'sweet pea' summer, although I do have a lot of blues and lilacs so maybe that's the one you can't remember.

I also had a revelation about red and raspberry pink being among my best colours.

[ellangirl]

Sounds like we have the same one whichever it is whatswrong. Have you managed to not wear black then?
I can't quite imagine how to have a wardrobe without it, but then most of my best colours wouldn't look good with it. I don't want to look older than I am, so I can't say I would normally go for the lilacs etc. What sort of thing do you do?

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

How old are you? I hadn't consciously thought that about the lilac, but there must be some reason I don't own anything in that colour!

I had mine done about five years ago, so plenty of time to filter out the black, although I don't think I'd worn a great deal since student days.

Not sure I have any method, tbh, but I suppose I decided to replace black with other dark neutrals like chocolate brown, charcoal and navy. I try and avoid strong contrasts as well (supposed to aim for the effect of 'a jar of sweet peas!'), so if I put two things together I'd wear different tones of the similar colours, or two colours of the same intensity - dark brown and dark red, eg.

But I don't obsess about that side of things too much - you end up coming home from shopping empty-handed if you get to hung up on it.

What I do find a pain is footwear. I absolutely love wearing shoes in 'my' colours, but manufacturers so often seem to take the 'you can have any colour as long as it's black' approach - shoe shopping can be utterly tedious. Although a good website that lets you search on colour is a godsend.

[ellangirl]

I'm only 27, so just feeling maybe it's harder to get fashionable stuff in the right colour, that also fits! Hmm, will have to have a look round the shops and see. It doesn't help that I don't have any access to a great variety of shops where I live, so tend to rely on internet shopping!

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

If you can, it's worth going somewhere with lots of big shops, not necessarily to buy anything but just to get the hang of picking out the right colours.

Once you get the knack you can scan around in no time, and internet orders are no big deal as most places do free returns now.

Don't know what your normal shopping habits are, but might be best to start with somewhere cheap and cheerful like New Look, so you can experiment without spending too much cash.

[StepMaMadness]

Its a wee while since this thread started but I just got my colours done a few days ago and was told I was a "summer anemone". I see other palces talk of warm/cool etc but I have no idea what that is. Anyone know the anemone bit or the cool etc bit?

[Stokey]

Was it House of Colours?

I don't know but try posting in the HoC Summer thread.

[OopTheShard]

I found my session relally interesting but a bit daunting. I didnt actually buy anything in my 'colours' for nearly a year, though, as I was scared!

I'd been wearing gold jewellery and nude/caramel/brown/olive green/cream for years. I came out a Winter and my optimum colours were electric blue, indigo, charcoal, ice white, raspberry and emerald green...plus silver jewellery. It was an adjustment .

However, I started buying stuff in my colours this year and have built up a collection of clothes and accessories in my colours now....and it is SO OBVIOUSLY RIGHT!!! I look miles better and brighter, people comment all the time on how blue my eyes are and good my skin is and how well I look (definitely the right near my face).

Money well spent.

[OopTheShard]

*right colour

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

I did HoC last year and thought it was fab. I am 30 now and feel so much more confident in the colours I choose, everyone compliments me. It's great and I'd really recommend it! I'm a spring BTW- warm, light and fresh.

[AWholeLottaNosy]

I did it 12 years ago. I was a bright autumn. I wore black all the time before and I rarely wear it now, it's very draining. I feel right in my colours and now have a wardrobe of beautiful colours that I know suit me and matches. I often get compliments on my colours and I always say it's because I got my colours done! So glad I did it, it's saved me a fortune in both time and money. It was a big adjustment though and I built up my wardrobe over time. I did bite the bullet pretty quickly and got rid of the black though as I could actually see what she said about it draining colour from my face. I highly recommend it!

[RaisingSteam]

Stepmamadness, if you just had your colours done a few days ago, I should email your consultant back with your queries. They should have explained all this and highlighted your best colours out of the summer palette.

If you google pictures of anemones (apart from sea anemones obviously) you get quite strong pinks, mauves and blues, perhaps she means the more bright/contrasty end of the summer spectrum. I'm a winter and quite like some of those.

[midnightmoomoo]

I'm an anemone summer too, I had my colours done in 2001! The photo is a really good summary of my better colours ie not the browns or the pale pastels, more the middle shades.
As a child my friends mum did colours and said I was an autumn and by the time I hit my twenties I'd fallen into the black trap (handy for teaching though, black suit and any old top) so I practically fell off the chair when the consultant told me I was a summer!! Haven't worn black since, not even shoes with the exception of a pair of black maternity trousers when I had DS3 because I just couldn't find or borrow any navy or grey ones!
I love my colours, especially as DH is also a summer (and by default the kids are too because we refuse to buy them orange!) I'm a mixed metals though so I can wear silver or gold and actually look better with gold or mixed than silver by itself.
It does take a while to get your eye in, use your wallet to help you to start with and remember that the shades won't be exactly the same as the ones in the wallet.
It always helps me to think of Monet paintings, that soft, watery colour palette helps remind you of summer colours generally. Avoid anything jewel like, bright, sludgy or orange and you won't go to far wrong!
Enjoy it! Being a summer is fab!!