calling all HoC bods...

[madmomma]

Any pastel summers out there?
Went for my colours day today and loved it; just wondering if there are any others out there with 'my' colours?
Any other summers of any other 'type' either?
Would love some tips from those who have trod the summery path before me.

Thanks

The thing about realizing that you are low-contrast is a kind of cease-and-desist moment. I've all my life struggled with color - most of them drain me or fight my natural pale, pasty colors. I'm a year post-analysis and finally at peace . Have worn mauve once but have not touched the Aeroflot stewardess uniform blue . But cream looks good on me.

The other good thing about a more limited palette is that suddenly most of my clothes coordinate. The same bag works for almost any outfit - you don't need many different coat.

My suggestion: take a look at your palette and pick 4 to 6 colors that you like and that you think would suit your lifestyle. Then build a capsule wardrobe with them (sales/eBay/thrift if you are not sure you will like them). If you are anything like me, almost all shades of denim will work, so you could start with 3 items: jeans and two tops. Wear them, ease into them

I'm a Deep Summer and I wear navy mascara and navy, green or grey eyeliner. I'm high contrast so I don't know if it would work on low contrast summers

Katie I'm a high contrast autumn and can wear teal/forest green mascara better than softer autumns, so maybe there's something in the contrast level.

well I've been and bought a navy mascara (and it is truly navy and not 80s blue). Despite grave doubts, it really looks fab actually. Was going to get brown but the summer booklet said blue and I am feeling very obedient ;)
Also dumped the black eyeliner and started using damp burgundy or grey eyeshadow. Also looks surprisingly good. Am missing my bronzer a little though, and feel a bit 'aunt sally' with the blush, but hey ho. I have changed my hair colour from a neutral brown no a cool brown, so will see what difference that makes tomorrow. Oh, and I've got some silver everyday earrings too. Scarves next. Have never worn a scarf in my life (apart from a long woolly one). Won't I look like an old lady, or an air hostess ??

Not having much luck with ebay so far - can't seem to find anything suitable, and it doesn't help that I seem to have sprouted an extra roll of flab recently.

If you aren't a scarf person then don't buy any. Try some tops in your 2star colours instead . Cheap ones from primary or matalan if you are not sure.

Some style types are not good with scarves eg gamines find them too messy and floppy. Ingenues often prefer jewellery -earrings or necklaces with bright beads in their best colours

I'm a sweetpea summer as well. Navy mascara is best for me (have a Lancome one that's genuinely navy - not sure what's wrong with navy - my eyes look drab and sore with brown). Navy eyeliner is best also - although that might be because I've given up trying to find expensive alternatives only to return to it.

Not sure I get the colour blending right; I don't think my consultant really explained it that well and I keep meaning to book a refresher with her replacement.
I agree scarves are not right for everyone; I'm an ingenue and they tend to swamp me and actually make me feel a bit scruffy or just 'not right' - not always, light lacy ones can work.

I'm impressed with anyone who plans their wardrobe colours; mine's pretty hit-and-miss, but I do find most things work together, and it's so rare for me to a) be shopping, and b) find something that flatters my best bits, covers my worst, and is a good colour, plus fits my style personality, that I grab it regardless.

katie how do I know if I'm high or low contrast?

Madmomma most summers are low contrast, but I have seen low contrast summers look good in navy too (certainly way better than in black). Make sure it's proper navy, not bright blue though (the HoC one is proper navy, but there are probably high st ones too if you hunt).

thanks hopefully

It's great to get some more detailed information from you all. My consultant didn't go into any detail about make up at all, nor did she mention low contrast (have just worked that out from someone mentioning it here). I'm wondering whether to email her actually for a bit of clarification about the brown summer thing.

tartiflette definitely email her, she should be happy to explain anything you need (am also a HoC consultant, so I know how keen everyone is to make sure clients understand their season).

Definitely do Issima . There's nothing worse than feeling that you ought to have this amazing tool at your disposal but not quite knowing how to use it.

Max factor masterpiece max comes in navy

I think YSL do a navy too, and also a grey, a burgundy and a plum shade, which I've always wanted to force a Summer to try.

I think the dark green one I have is a Blinc one (they might do a navy too?), but can't remember and make up bag is too far away for my sore post-exercise body atm.

It occurs to me that DH is a summer. Maybe I could use him as a guinea pig...

I bought a navy mascara yesterday - l'oreal millionize in midnight something (there's only one blue in the range anyway) I'm a huge beauty snob but it's brilliant. Reminds me very much of YSL false lash in quality.

Ooh I'd definitely say navy, but that's cause I'm nervous of reds (incase they're not cool-toned or clear)

Urban day 24/7 eye liner in the navy blue is also v nice for blue eyed deep summers

Issima I think you can safely assume you'll need both . I aim for shoes/boots in most of my neutrals (a nightmare to fi d boots other than black - but I think that's changing this season). So grey, navy, dark brown, then in summer some lighter beigey/pinky shades.
I'm on the lookout for burgundy actually, so might try those..

Clinique eyeliner in blue grey is also a good choice- really easy to apply and quite smoky looking when on.

For shoes , check out these beauties!

www.schuh.co.uk/womens-purple-dr-martens-triumph-floral/1407183620/

High contrast - low contrast explained here.

Think Snow White / Nigella = high contrast
Think mousy / SJP = low contrast

You can get rid of the mousy look by understanding and respecting you natural low-contrast look (and cleverly enhancing contrast a bit, with lipstick for example) but do not overdo drab - many style books dress Summers in awful upholstery-like pastel florals, horrible explosions of polyester print and tired out-of-season light denim. Nothing could be more unflattering. This site is okay (but edit out those awful prints that feature aqua). This site is fabulous, one of the best around - she understands fashion and reading her I realized that Armani colors can be my best neutrals (it works!): - Light Summers here, Soft summers here.

Oh and you can find cool browns. Reddish browns look awful on me (try a reddish brown brow pencil and you'll see what I mean) but very dark cocoa brown doesn't look bad at all.

RadioSilence mid-gray and silver gray and light taupes are some of my best eye pencil colors. Cool pale gold /champagne and soft white eye shadows are wonderful as well.

I have the original Color Me Beautiful book from 1984 (some shocking blusher choices there!) and it says that black is actually an acceptable shoe color for Summers. Nothing wrong with grays and navies but have you ever tried finding really good winter boots in those colors?