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

[Wiltingasparagusfern]

One of those Mumsnet things that makes me feel like I’ve wondered into Hyacinth Bucket’s house:
what’s with the getting your colours done stuff? This is not 1982.

Helen Fielding was taking the piss out of it 20 years ago. Surely no one under 40 does this anymore? I feel, like savoury jelly, china ladies, and serving hatches, it belongs in a different era (“Another mini gherkin, Bridget?”).

Or am I wrong? Should every woman have her colours done? Are those of you that have seen the light (gone to John Lewis…is that where this happens?!) looking at women in the street and going tsk, she is clearly a jewel autumn or whateverthefuck?

I am baffled, please enlighten me.

I get you don't LIKE them, but on which planet are ochre and tan "mental"?

What colour would not be 'mental" in your books?

My mum had hers done and became quite evangelical about it and got me a present of having my colours done.
I don't think I would have bothered otherwise, and was sceptical, but I found it really interesting. Apparently I am a paintbox spring (!).
I don't suit black or white, I wear cream or navy as neutrals. I really like the colours that are meant to suit me. Grass green, geranium red, coral, turquoise, violet etc. Many of them were not colours I had worn. I wore lots of pastels and looked washed out.
And BTW, I have definitely noticed quite a few threads on mumsnet about this topic!

I've had mine done. I'm an Autumn, up until then I wore nothing but black and blue and cool shaded makeup. No wonder I looked washed out. I know the shades of clothes that suit me now, also accessories, hair colour and jewellery. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe.

Maybe some people are naturally good at choosing clothes in colours that suit them, but I’m not.

Me neither @Gundogday, but some posters are utterly baffled that we aren't as great as they are at choosing the right colours.

Great post @PeopleWillAlwaysNeedPlates

Nothing frilly in my house @Slothlydoesit

I got ChatGPT to do mine and I found it interesting. However, from what I’ve noticed, redheads are some of the people who benefit from wearing “their colours” the most. A redhead I know had her colours done (was a true autumn) and when she wore the recommended colours for clothes and makeup the way she lit up was just amazing. I haven’t noticed it having such a dramatic effect on everyone though.
However, I think there’s value in it, so YABU.

I tried on a cherry red zipped fleece when I was on holiday, and it literally lit up my face.

I didn't buy it because it was too long, but it really was a wow colour on me.

At a colour analysis session the consultant drapes scarves of similar colour but different tones so you can really see what a difference that, for example, an orangey red and a cherry red makes to my face or lime green vs emerald green.

I found it a complete revelation.

I initially had my colours done in the late 1980s after a friend had recommended it, then I had them done just before lockdown. By then HoC had added sub divisions of each season. So I was still winter, but am now a jewel winter.

I found her posts very sneery (and ageist) - she claims "light-hearted" - but thought I was in a minority of one.

I had my colours done and my shape analysed too when a friend was doing lots of it during lockdown and was giving out great deals. I'm a soft autumn and with a strawberry figure (shoulders wider than my hips). I really loved it and found the advice really helpful when I was made redundant from my charity job in 2020 and got a job in the private sector. I still use it now, until then I really didn't have a clue about how to dress, the colour assessment also did make up colours which was also really helpful.
I'm guessing is you know how to dress, your awesome at make up then this isn't for you. I felt a total mess and this gave me a new lease of life.

I paid Style Me Happy 35 quid a few years back to tell me what colours suited me. I now look much better in photos and have saved a lot of money by not making expensive mistakes.

(I was a light summer so cool-toned colours, not too bright but also not pastels either. Orange/ochre/mustard/black were right out, but there were cool-toned versions of pretty much everything else that were OK)

That's interesting. I definitely have the redhead gene.

One of the things colour analysis gave me was the confidence to wear red, I literally owned no red - but everyone has a shade of red thar suits them.

I now have several red clothes and wear frequently- tis the colour of assured femininity they say.

I'm a Paintbox Spring too- definitely did not expect it as I am a quiet personality!

But actually it makes sense as the colours do the talking for me. I actually think I have to make less effort to be understood. I genuinely do feel colours make a difference - I've worn power colours when I need to have no bullshit thrown at me in meetings etc.

Quite telling that some posters are saying they won't pay to be told what colours they should wear or not. The fact is, all seasons can access almost all colours (with the exception of black which I believe is for winter only*). There are just different tones, and differences in light and dark. If you took the trouble to look into it you'd know. And it does make a difference!

Anyway, I do think we can get away with a lot of fashion 'sins' when we're young. We get older and think what can I do to help things along now that I don't have the glorious natural beauty of youth? And this is one way of doing that.

Better that than botox imo!

*disclaimer the black/colour rule mainly applies to those clothes which are close to the face and neck. Black trousers etc are not such a problem as they don't reflect on your skin so much.

This
I've been on MN for donkeys years and this is the first post I've read about having colours done. Is there a sub I'm unaware of?

Yeah, I wear black trousers with the stronger colours in the summer palette. It would be a bit hard to stick to the "blue-grey" and "greyed navy" recommended by Colour Me Beautiful in the 80's. I'm a fairly dark summer and I originally tried to convince myself I was a winter. But nope.

It's all a bit harmless but the reason it's cropping up is because of AI. It's a good way of pulling in a new demographic of users. Skynet in lipstick if you will.

I'm a vintage Goth with Helena Bonham Carter undertones, and it will be a cold day in hell before I'm parted from my 50 shades of black, which i roll through every day and somehow come out suitably attired. I'm supposed to look scary, and if I changed my people would probably stage an intervention.

I’ve never had them ‘done’ but I remember Trinny & Susannah talking about it and it made ultimate sense. Unfortunately it’s great if you suit black or white - the shops are full of flattering shapes in those colours, but if you want something nice in a true mauve, or dove grey, or grown-up pastel pink forget it!

Mumsnet had obsessions.

Having your colours done isn't one of them.

Another ChatGPT vote here! I've tried several different pics and get a similar result each time and generally agree that I suit most of the colours suggested.

Can you do this without having to give them your email address?