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Original poster

Anyone ever had their colours done

52 replies

Gales · 09/04/2013 12:51

and said "what a waste of money" afterwards?

All I've seen heard is it was the best things I ever did type comments, but usually from people with a vested interest.

After 10 years of being that mum in the fleece with no make up I really need to get my act together, but I don't think I had much of an act before and this seems a good place to start. I like the idea of the whole colours, personal style and make-up lesson thing. It's a lot of money, but I can justify it on the basis I haven't spent anything on myself in years Grin Don't want to waste it though.

OP posts:
AmberNectarine · 09/04/2013 13:01

No vested interest here, I did it and it was brilliant. Seriously, I wouldn't quite say it has changed my life, but it has made a significant difference to the way I shop. Sitting in that chair with the drapes around my neck it was blindingly obvious how bad some colours looked one where it really hadn't been before.

I don't stick religiously to my palette but I'd say 95% of my wardrobe is now in the 'right' colours and I'm really happy with that. In terms of value for money it has stopped me buying orange and beige stuff I then never wore, so long term savings are good!

MadAboutHotChoc · 09/04/2013 14:35

No vested interest and it was one of the best investments I made. I only had the colour analysis and not the other sessions.

Judging from feedback, I have never come across a negative post about H of C and a few negative ones about Colour me Beautiful.

Ogooglebar · 09/04/2013 14:44

No vested interest here but I had mine done with HoC and found it brilliant. I was sceptical at first because I thought it was just some weird thing that Bridget Jones's mother would do, but went along with a friend for her birthday and was vvv impressed. It just really helps with shopping and explained why I felt so shit in some of the clothes I had. It was a fun day out too!

quietlysuggests · 09/04/2013 14:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HintofBream · 09/04/2013 15:07

For many years, I organised adult education classes, and from time to time 'colour sorter outers' offered their services. They usually insisted that they did mine as a freebie. Consequently over the years I have been diagnosed as three different 'seasons' . I do not feel it is a precise science.

Ogooglebar · 09/04/2013 15:24

I'd be interested to know whether it was House of Colour who did yours Hint or someone else - but understand if you don't want to say. I agree it's not a precise science, but...if your 'freebies' were done quickly rather than taking a good few hours experimenting with different colours, and if you had dye in your hair or were wearing a lot of make up, I can see how you might easily get different diagnoses each time. I don't know how it is for other 'seasons' but I'm a really obvious Winter (the HoC lady who did me said Winters are the easiest to diagnose and she took much longer to work out my friend than me) so I can clearly see how the Winter colours work best on me, which might make me biased!

HintofBream · 09/04/2013 16:27

Ogooglebar, sorry but it is quite a while since these sessions ocurred, certainly the first one involved several hours, and I ended up with a green wallet of sample colours if that helps. I was spring that time. Can't remember the other two, except that the last time I was winter, which pleased me enormously as I like those colours best. No hair dye (in those days!) and not a lot of make up.

Ogooglebar · 09/04/2013 16:45

That's so weird. It's not like many people have their colours done twice so they can't compare can they? But you'd think they'd be able to at least tell if you're warm-toned or a cool-toned (spring is warm, winter is cool). I reckon even I'd be able to tell that :)

MostFamousMonkey · 09/04/2013 17:00

I've had mine done twice, both times with CMB. The first time was 25 years ago when CMB first came to the UK. I did it before I got married and bought my honeymoon wardrobe based on my palette. It made shopping for travel so much easier. The second time was 4 years ago when I went with a group of friends.
I do mostly stick to my colours, although now and again I buy something on a whim. Fuchsia pink cardigan springs to mind. Not a good look on an Autumn Blush and needless to say it sits unworn in my wardrobe and doesn't match anything else I own. I also still tend to buy black. It's so much easier to find black trousers than chocolate brown for example.
And I can't give up jeans either.
When I wear my colours I definitely look healthier, less tired, a bit younger somehow. For me it certainly changed how I buy clothes and made it much easier. Although frustrating at times, like when I need some new dark brown trousers.

katatonic · 09/04/2013 17:05

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wickedfairy · 09/04/2013 18:21

No vested interest. I didn't really "see" my colours tbh. Took the HoC lady a while to diagnose me as a deep brown summer, which is not the most common thing to be apparently. I was alone as another customer cancelled, so didn't have another persons viewpoint.

However, when I wear some of my colours I do think I look better. No idea if that helps!

tiredteddy · 09/04/2013 18:35

I just had mine done this feb! I'm a cool summer. I thought I was a spring as I lean towards the bold. But the sweetpea shades mentioned look great on me. I really enjoyed it, I went with friends too. If you are in Surrey I can recommend someone. Have also heard colour me beautiful is not so good.

Hopefully · 09/04/2013 19:01

I have a complete vested interest (an a HoC consultant), so won't try to sell it! But if anyone has any questions about the process or whatever, I'm happy to help Grin

Hopefully · 09/04/2013 19:02

am

LaTrucha · 09/04/2013 19:17

where do you get colours done?

ellesabe · 09/04/2013 19:26

I had my colours done 17 years ago (when I was 13yo). Is it possible they might have changed? Or will my colours always be the same? Is it ever worth getting it done again?

twooter · 09/04/2013 19:35

I had mine done, and it's been great, even though I didn't particularly like my season (autumn). But I know that I look better in those colours, so won't buy out of it, which is a right pain at the moment as there isn't much in the shops.

shopafrolic · 09/04/2013 19:50

Definitely not a waste of money and has definitely changed the way I shop. The biggest revelation for me was not to wear pure white (I'm an Autumn) - it does make me look ill. I stick to my colours fairly closely. Like Amber not religiously. I have grey sweatshirts that I won't give up, and still wear black in the evening but compensate with stronger make up.
The best part for me has been the money I've saved by avoiding colours that don't suit me. And now my wardrobe has more co-ordinated clothes and I can plan my outfits easily.

Hopefully · 09/04/2013 20:50

Ellesabe your actual season won't have changed (assuming you were done correctly - colour analysis systems have improved a lot in the last 20 years, so more accurate analysis of unusual season types is possible), but your absolute best, most amazing colours might have shifted slightly - quite often we move within our season, but we never change season.

Hopefully · 09/04/2013 20:51

Twooter I am an autumn too. I'm finding quite a lot of khaki, and as soon as the weather warms up I find I can generally track down things like coral, bright green and bright red quite easily. But browns/dark olive/petrol/teal colours are always a bit sparse in summer.

emsyj · 09/04/2013 21:03

Can I ask how much it costs to have the session and whether it's usually one to one or a group thing? Also, do you get guidance about styles or is it just colours, and if it's just colours how much difference will that make to my wardrobe? I'm in the position where I'm looking to replace pretty much my entire wardrobe so wondering if this is worthwhile...

Original poster
Gales · 09/04/2013 21:27

Great, thank you!

emsyi, that's pretty much where I am too, but I keep going shopping, in RL and on-line and coming home empty handed and confused.

There's info about the cost and sessions on the House Of Colour web-site. I think the set up varies a bit according to the rep in your area.

OP posts:
emsyj · 09/04/2013 21:31

Oh great, I'll look at the website then.

I keep ordering stuff online and sending it back. Totally fed up with it, wish I could just send someone out to buy my wardrobe for me! I should look into the personal shopper thing, but I don't want to be 'tied' to just one store in that way. Maybe I need to pay someone independent to come shopping with me.

HintofBream · 09/04/2013 21:34

Ogooglebar, there was talk of CMB up-thread, and that definitely rings a bell. I think Hopefully put it in a nutshell, colour systems have changed a lot over the years, and it must be getting on for twenty five years ago that mine were first done.

katatonic · 09/04/2013 21:37

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