HoC Spring thread....

[BeginnerSAHM]

This is a thread for all of us who have had their colours done' by House of Colour and are a Spring. (And 'believe' in it....) Or, by CMB and are 'clear and warm'. Think a few other CMB catergories might be spring too - 'soft and warm' maybe/' warm and clear' (different from 'clear and warm' because of the order of priorities/dominance...)?

Feel free to ask any Spring-related fashion/make-up/style questions on this thread.... (I won't know the answer but lots of people on these boards will!)

So, I'll start with a 'spring' question.... I never wear lipstick. I occasionally wear neutral-ish lipgloss on a night out but never reapply during the evening so it's always gone within the first 20 mins. I know as a spring, I 'should'. Can anybody suggest a Revlon lip butter that is springish? I gather they are more sheer than full lipstick so might be a good way for me to start trying lip colour out! Thank you

[SunnyUpNorth]

Ah good luck with your new thread Beginner. I can't join in, being a Winter, but saw you had started it so thought I would give it a bump for you!!

[SeasonofTheWitch]

hey! I probably won't post lots as I was on a spring thread a couple of years ago which then moved to become a (secret) fb group and that keeps me neglecting the husband quite enough but I'll check in when I can.

I've just asked a lip butter-lovin' friend if she can nip over and stick her oar in on this.

[Gillybobs]

Hello ladies...I actually don't think there is a perfect lip butter for spring...I found the clear warm colours too insipid and pale, other than candy apple which is a proper red.
For a nice coral gloss the Revlon colour burst lipgloss in Papaya is fantastic. mac See sheer lipstick is great and not too "in your face". For something with real punch mac cross wires is hard to beat.
Happy to help with any other questions, two years down the line with this whole business now and have learned so much (some of it from the lovely Season , although she's learned loads from me too )

[BeginnerSAHM]

Thanks gillybobs and season!! Will try mac.... Sunny - there are LOADS of winters on that thread so enjoy!

[gladyoucame]

I'm a blue spring but struggle with lipstick, although I've bought loads I don't seem to have found the one! MAC cross wires and Vegas Volt are pretty good, have Lip butter in Tutti frutti, and as they're on special offer i bought two more today in candy apple and a bright pink one today. Think I struggle as I have smallish lips and then tend to be dry, which don't always go well with the bright spring lipstick! Seem to fallback on nude colours for work, which I can see don't look as good as brighter colours, but are safer options, in fact at cosmetics counters they always push the more autumnal colours on me as I have auburn (ish) hair and freckles, but I can see they are too muted for me. Hope this thread lasts as I'm in need to some more inspiration especially for professional work clothes that aren't all navy!

[Gillybobs]

I go for grey a lot for work, easier to find than navy. As long as I add a bright colour (silky or lace tops usually) and my lippy it's fine.

Other lippies I like are max factor pink brandy and coral bewitched, Chanel incandescent for full on going out lips.

[SunnyUpNorth]

Sorry for hijack.... Gilly if Candy Apple is a true red would it be ok for a Winter too?

[jumpinghoops]

Hurrah, fellow springs...like others here I love MAC Crosswires (my fave lipstick) and Candy Apple which I think is quite a warm red to me. I wanted to try Tutti Frutti so I'm glad that seems to be good. I also like No 7 Moisture Drench Coral Rose which I find quite subtle. No 7 have a coral lipgloss that I've been wearing quite a lot this summer.

My question: how do you DO autumn/winter?! I had my colours done in Feb 2011 and I still can't seem to get my head around dressing in the winter months. I can do some navy/cream/tan/chocolate but my consultant was very clear that I should keep things bright rather than too neutral (I'm a blue spring if this makes any difference) and I struggle to find things I like in the right colours in colder months. Do any springs have any items they've bought pinned on pinterest? I'd really love a browse of some fellow spring pins for inspiration!!

[Gillybobs]

I think lippy can pull warm or cool on different people so its possible candy apple could be ok for a winter but you'd need to try it out.

I'm not great with Pinterest but for winter casual wear I have navy jeans and jeggings and some grey heavy jersey trousers fom Boden ( they were v popular lastwinter, forgotten their name now...) and I like my knitwear so I look out for bright blue, green, coral or red sweaters (I'm an apple so like a slightly bat wing shaped jumper). I also like big statement necklaces so that's a great way of adding a bit of colour near the face. I like a navy pea coat style jacket but always always wear a spring coloured scarf at my neck for that pop of colour we need. Another idea is to get a bag in a bright colour so even if you are wearing a lot of navy the overall outfit isn't too dull

[GlassesDontSuitMe]

Hello spring ladies! I am a bright spring, I wanted to be an autumn, I thought I was an Autumn, I'm cross that I'm not an Autumn

I was diagnosed a year ago and I still haven't got the hang of it. I can see that the bright spring colours suit me really well but jeez, sometimes I feel a bit too colourful!

I am slowly eliminating the wrong colours and buying more wrong suitable colours. It's the clear thing I struggle with. Most of what I find is a bit too 'soft' iyswim. It doesn't help that I hate and am useless at clothes shopping.

I thought having my colours done would solve all my problems but it seems to have created more Don't even get me started on the whole wearing three colours thing. It took the consultant so long to figure out what I was I didn't get much advice.

I have just bought a Revlon Lip butter in Sweet Tart and it's lovely. I've always struggled with pink lipsticks but this is lovely.

[BeginnerSAHM]

Hello jumpinghoops and gladyoucame! And thank you for the lippy tips... Gillybobs - you've clearly been applying yourself properly for the last couple of years so really appreciate your input!

I've been not applying myself for years and years but think it's about time i embraced the whole colour system thing as I definitely look/feel much healthier when in 'my' colours.

I've been told I'm on the 'blue-ish' end of the spring spectrum but am not as blue a spring as some. Which I think I understand.

I totally understand about the autumn/winter issue. There are far fewer spring colours around. When I was first 'diagnosed' as clear and warm (or a spring), navy and dark brown (chocolate?) were very unfashionable so I had to stick to black and grey - mostly suits I suppose. A personal stylist I spoke too was very keen on layering clothes - so, for example, putting a long sleeved t-shirt in one of your neutral colours under an evening or a summery top so you can wear it in colder weather. I'm not entirely convinced by that as I feel a bit 90s (probably because I'm old enough to remember my teenage boyfriends doing it with band t-shirt ).

I suppose what we should do, is go for navy/charcoal/chocolate basics and make sure we buy more colourful cardies/jumpers/vests/necklaces/scarves etc. Oasis seems to have a lot of colourful (cheap....) knitwear in springish colours. Benetton has a bit too although mostly winter colours. But there are some colbolts and corals etc. Banana Republic can be good for scarves, although I always find they get in the way when I'm playing with the children or cleaning, cooking, wiping faces etc.

Have other springs been told to wear shiny fabrics? Or is that just a 'clear' thing? There are some nice shiny 100% silk tops in massimo dutti (sp?) in navy and a pretty goldy colour if anybody needs work stuff. I think they're about £50-£65 so not too bad for silk.... I always feel a bit self-conscious wearing shiny tops in the day though so will try to add just a bit at first to see how I feel about it. (Have my eye on a mint velvet jumper with gold glitter in it... DD would love it.....)

Normally I have no idea what's in the shops but had an unexpected day free recently so had a good browse! Too indecisive to buy much though.... And shouldn't be spending much at the moment!

[BeginnerSAHM]

Glassesdon'tsuitme - I feel your pain. I am struggling with wearing 3 bright colours. Together . I can just about manage one with a couple of very very bland ones, on a good day. But I'm trying.... There must be a way of doing 'spring' in a sophisticated and relaxed way! (Hmm - i like to think of myself like that but am not sure I am.)

I reckon we should stick to navy (or chocolate/charcoal), ivory and a little bit of something brighter - coral, turquoise, bright blue or green - near our faces until we get more comfortable with it. I wish I felt more comfortable in scarves!

Sunny - yes, a true red should suit you but you'll need to try it on. And a blue red might look better??? I dunno....

[Joycey29]

I'm a warm/ clear/ light from cmb and am loving my new look - never had so many comments from people!
Watching the lipstick saga unfold... Was recommended sheer rum by cmb - but was not buying on the spot but may go back as the make up she chose was fab.
Currently my wardrobe (holiday capsule) is mainly kelly green, pewter, french navy, mint and coral.
I would never have put them together but they do mix and match.
Have started with a few scarves which I would never have worn before but help lift my look.
Just loving having some direction as was a shopper of clothes that looked good on others!
Can t wait for more style tips!

[Gillybobs]

I love these silk mix tops www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/Womens-Petite-range/WA450/Womens-Hampstead-Top.html. They do a half sleeve version in summer. Fab under darker neutrals at work and nice with jeans and some statement jewellery

I've found that I don't suit three colours in an outfit really, I use jewellery or a scarf to add the third colour, otherwise I look daft. At least I FEEL daft

Are banana republic often have loads of spring stuff in but in all honesty I don't seem to have too much trouble finding the right colours at all, I'm like a finely honed machine now when I step into a shop

[Gillybobs]

Beginner I definitely base all my outfits on navy/charcoal/cream and add the bright in either a top, scarf, shoes or jewellery. I did the HoC style day too and am a classic so need to avoid the "fun" look anyway. You can certainly do sophisticated spring looks by really working the dark neutrals as you say. Half the battle is having the right lippy on, that was the biggest surprise to me.

[GlassesDontSuitMe]

Beginner when I try to follow the 3 colour thing I feel like Ronald MacDonald
I love the neutrals Chocolate/Navy and Charcoal and don't find them difficult to wear it's just the other colours I struggle with. In the spring when our colours were in the shops I was a bit brassic so missed out on stocking up.

I don't struggle with scarves because I wear them 360 days of the year because I'm always freezing. It's the colours of them that are frustrating, that and the fact that when I find one in the right colour it is a zillion quid, which I refuse to pay for a strip of fabric

[BeginnerSAHM]

Gillybobs! Hooray! You understand the issue... My consultant just looked at me a little blankly when I said I felt uncomfortable wearing so many fun colours. (That'll be because I a a misery-guts, style-wise.)

And I know the Ronald MacDonald feeling...

That Boden top does hit the spring button, doesn't it? Weird - I've clocked the ravello top before and nearly bought it but don't generally like the Boden stuff for women so I dismissed it. (They have too many clothes called 'fun something' or 'hotpotch something else' - as I said, I prefer my look to be more glum...)

And yes - I refuse to spend loads of money on scarves. But I might do if I could get used to wearing one. And I thought I'd wear it an awful lot!

[SeasonofTheWitch]

;)

Like Gilly, I tend to wear two colours in my clothes and use the third in accessories and make-up. Always. I almost never wear less than three now - it's a crazy thing but it is proper springy magic when you manage to do it in a way that works for you.

I don't really do scarves (wish i did) so I don't have that as fallback so have to chuck on more jewels and shit. Shame.

I'd really recommend some of you do style days as you'll find the whole thing easier then as some of your issues now will go away. As a Natural Ingenue, I look weird in stuff that's too kinda snappy and rainbowy as it doesn't look boho-y or delicately pretty enough. Understanding that has made a huge difference.

[jumpinghoops]

You see, I think that's it, I probably need to do a style day. I suspect I fall somewhere into the classic category but Ive heard you really cant tell until you go along. Thanks gillybobs though, that's a really helpful start in terms of thinking through how I start pulling colours together.

I feel a bit like a fish out of water at the moment having just had my 2nd child a few months ago, totally lost my style mojo and need to get it back somehow. I live in an ultra fashionable part of east London where people throw on all sorts of stuff with confidence. I feel like their mum sometimes and I'm only 33!

[Whoknowswhocares]

Yay, finally there's is a Spring thread!!!!!!
I'm very new to the 'colours' idea. Well, that's not strictly true, I've tried for many years to self diagnose wrongly, it turns out and never 'seen' the difference in the alleged right colours.
Until I settled on bright spring. Every single colour just sort of works. A stranger even stopped me in the street to tell me my cardi made my eyes look ultra bright and fantastic!
I've still never had the official diagnosis, but I now am finally sure. I've bought a truckfull of new stuff including some very useful Primark basics (camis and long sleeved tops. Very cheap and good colours to use with neutrals to avoid the Ronald look)
What's this 3 colour thing though?

[Aquelven]

Oh, a Spring thread...brilliant!!
I was only diagnosed a couple of months ago & am still on a very steep learning curve. I'm a HoC Blue Spring too.
I'm happy with all the blues as it's always been my favourite colour, but the brightness was a bit if a shock. I've got lots & lots of black in my wardrobe so plan to gradually switch it to navy & grey( which I can see are much better & do like) as funds allow.

The biggest lesson has been the lippy thing. I'd always stuck to muted pinks, I'm a very, very ghostly pale person with naturally white blonde hair, if my eyes were pink I'd look like an Albino rabbit so was convinced I'd be a light summer. The consultant sent me home in a red lipstick, never worn red in my life. Thought " no way " but driving home kept looking in the rear view mirror & when I got home I rang her & ordered two of the same colour!
I've since found No7 Mischief, a very bright warm pink, is good & if I really feel like being a bit less obvious Mac Bombshell is lovely.

Bought lots of cheap supermarket T shirts in my colours over the last couple of months, to get into the swing of it, but need to start looking for good basics, so will be on this thread a lot. Thanks for the brilliant tips do far

[cardoon]

I'm a bright spring and am loving the lipstick thing - have taken to it like a duck to water

My favourites are HOC 174 and jane fardon poppy

The thing I struggle with most is green - always seem to chose something too blue toned/emerald.

and if anyone sees any good multi/print/coloured scarves could you link please, I'm hoping this will be the key to bringing all my bright colours together.

[Aquelven]

SO far
Why is there no edit facility for typing mistakes on MN?

[cardoon]

err, I didn't mean green lipstick there BTW!

Jane will send you a few samples of the lipsticks, which was great for me as I am so indecisive!

[Gillybobs]

Scarfs are a real saviour when you love the dark neutrals like I do, this kind of thing

www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/Womens-Accessories/Hats,-Scarves-Gloves/AD134-COR/Womens-Coral-Flower-Burst-Printed-Scarf.html

I've dozens of printed scarves which are great for adding colour to winter neutral knitwear. I've had great scarves from Zara, warehouse, TK Maxx and Lola rose

A big shift for me was away black footwear - a struggle at first but now I think black boots just look so clumpy and heavy. Love tan for shoes and bags, also grey but its harder to find