To ask why Mumsnet is obsessed with “having your colours done”?

I've never had my colours done, I know I suit reds (which is good as I like red)
I can tell that you have never had your colours done! I tried to google how many shades of red there are: of course nobody knows but plenty of sites say more than 100.
Do they all suit you?

Me either but now I’m intrigued! 😄

You don’t need to spend money on getting it done. It’s very easy to work out for yourself and there are lots of explanations on SM. I’m a light spring because I’m neutral / cool but I don’t stick slavishly to it - I wear gold jewellery rather than silver and I still wear black, although I might not if I’m feeling tired or under the weather as it will make me look drained. I wear very little colour and I do look better in grey or navy.

It's really just part of figuring out what suits you (which isn't always obvious to the individual themselves, hence the professional consultants). I probably wouldn't go to get mine done or get too obsessed with which specific subtype I supposedly am, but I'm definitely cool toned and prefer a high contrast but not super bright look, and have felt better about myself since buying clothes that conform to that. It's popular on Tiktok, along with Kibbe, so not an old person thing.

I've had mine done.
I wouldn't have paid for it myself tbh but my auntie did it for me, my sister and cousin and it was quite fun to go together and do it.

It was quite informative actually, I'm not particularly fashionable but I think I manage to look fairly well dressed by knowing what suits me. I'm a warm, soft autumn, so jewel / earthy tones look good.

There were some surprises, like mustard yellow, which I'd never worn much of but actually look really good in! Dark green, purple and maroon look great on me which is good as I wear a lot of them anyway.

I was told never to wear black but instead wear aubergine, which I thought was hilarious as I play/sing in lots of ensemble concerts etc and the uniform is always black... can just imagine saying "oh no sorry I can't wear black like everyone else, I'll have to wear aubergine!" 😂

I’ve seen multiple threads on the theme over the years, but almost always on the Style and Beauty board (unsurprisingly). Those who’ve had it done tend to have the zeal of religious converts, which is always worrying.
I wouldn’t spend any money in it because it will either confirm the colours I like and buy already (in which case it’s nice to know but improves nothing) or suggest colours I utterly despise like peach or chocolate brown (and then I wouldn’t change what I have already but would feel less confident about wearing my clothes). So it’s pointless either way.

If I remember rightly, olive skin looks golden, but actually has a blue undertone. You might well be a Winter who suits cool, strong colours.

Carole Jackson also wrote that there are far more Winters than any other seasonal type and they come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. I found her Colour me Beautiful book very interesting.

Even if you looked much better in the other colours? 🤔
Maybe black etc suit you anyway, you probably know. I just look grey and pasty in grey and cream. I love white but have to up my make up and bronzer to wear it so probably not my colour but I won't be changing it!

Some people know innately what colours suit them.

Others don't.

Anyway, Chat GPT will do it for free. Load a photo of your face in daylight. Ask it what colour season you are, and... 🎰🪄🎩

@Wiltingasparagusfern if I could go back in time I’d have just taken her out for a nice meal. The only time it’s actually made me rage was when we were shopping for her dress for my wedding, I contemplated pulling the fire alarm so we could leave.

Ok, so yes, it was really big in the 1980s (I was a young teen but remember my mum having it done),

But - the principles are valid. Some colours do suit some people a lot more. I don’t stick to it completely - e.g. I am a spring but I do wear black even though it’s not supposed to be one of my colour. However, I find it really helpful to know what suits me. E.g. khaki looks ok on me but teal looks terrible.

Do you read a lot in style and beauty? Maybe it's all in there?

Chuckling at this, got AI to do my colours on the back of several Mumsnet posts talking about it. AI basically told me to wear really dreary colours ie dress like Lynn from Alan Partridge. Will be ignoring.

It's just that sometimes when seeing people in colours which supposedly do/ don't suit them, it really seems to make a difference.

I really don’t get it. If I was told I was a ‘spring’ or whatever, there’s no way I’d start wearing blue, yellow or green if that’s what ‘spring’ entails.

My friend had it done (it was SO expensive) and she sticks slavishly to a (frankly alarming) colour palette.

Nothing could persuade me into anything other than black, grey or white. I don’t care what colours someone holds up against my face and tells me to wear. Not interested.

i remember my mum and her friends doing this 40 years ago. Ive never had it done because I know ill be a season that means I should wear warm colours, which I hate and not the black and cool colours which I much prefer. I'd have loved to have been an ice cool tall Scandinavian pale skinned blue-eye blond, instead of a short, squat, olive skinned brunette with warm brown eyes.

I haven’t seen it on MN for years but it is ALL over TikTok and Insta. It does make a difference if you have an idea of the colours which particularly suit you.

I've been on MN for about 15 years, and likewise, yours is the first thread I've ever seen dedicated to the topic. Am struggling to recall ever even seeing any posts on the subject.

Your OP fairly drips with contempt towards anyone who might consider having it done so I'll need to book me an appointment at JL as soon as poss.

I find the "I'm jewel, autumn" and the like comments quite pretentious. It usually comes with a "have you tried a personal shopper from John Lewis" comment.

I've never had my colours done, I know I suit reds (which is good as I like red) but haven't a clue if black suits me or what bloody season that is.

I’m under 40 and while I’ve not “had my colours done” I’ve definitely seen it on social media as a bit of a trend at the moment, and honestly the concept makes sense to me. I’m pretty confident I’m a spring and those colours suit me the best. I think once you pay more attention to colours you can spot what does and doesn’t suit people, but I’m not going around being like oh she’s an autumn.

In don't know - but we've all seen some friends look great in some colours and awful in others. I have a friend who wears a lot of black. I think she thinks she looks elegant - but really it makes her look ill. She looks so much nicer in bright colours.
Why is it annoying you so much? Have you been asked to pay £££ to have yours done?