House of Colour - is it *really* worth the ££?

[BabCNesbitt]

Currently a SAHM on a fairly limited clothes budget, but I've made too many stupid shopping mistakes lately in an attempt to create a decent post-baby wardrobe. Would it be worth spending the £99 on the colour workshop in an attempt to at least get that bit sorted, or would I be better (as DH says) just spending the money on a couple of nice things?

I would think money well spent, will save you forever from colour mistakes at least and be a real boost to you.

If you aren't confident in your choices, regularly make mistakes you can't afford and don't have a friend with a damned good eye for colour and what flatters a body shape, then yes. Go for it.

I think the colour advice thing is good for a lot of people but they do seem to give rather identi-frump style advice.

YOu need to find and define your own style, to my mind that's most important. Do you have pinterest? It'd be well worth grabbing 1001 links of looks you love (however impractical for your lifestyle and inapropriate ffor your colouring), then going through them for common factors to work out how you can use them in ways that do suit you and how you live. Will help you come up with an individual style that you feel good about. Once you've done that and have an idea of what suits you (shape and colour wise) then you'll be raring to go.

I do use Pinterest, but most of my style pins seem to relate to the stuff I wore pre-DD, and I feel like I've grown out of that look a bit (not just practicality - it just doesn't feel like me any more), without having quite worked out what to replace it with!

worth every penny!

I've not wasted anything on unworn items since having mine done.

For shapes rather than colours I recommend Dressipi - put in your measurements and it will tell you what shapes suit your figure.

SO WORTH IT. I look awesome every day now

When you say you're making mistakes - is that in the colours don't suit you or that you're just not buying clothes that work for your current lifestyle.

I definitely went through a bit of a post-baby fug with clothes, but posting on here really helped me to pull together a decent/practical wardrobe.

Do you know which colours suit you and that you like wearing? And what shape/size are you?

Maybe going for a personal shopping session in john lewis or do you have a blunt/stylish friend who could go shopping with you?

I hate shopping and had both colours and style done with colour me beautiful (some kind of deal for both). my DH thinks the whole idea is ridiculous but I have found it such a help to decide what to buy and where from and have the confidence to spend more on a quality item rather than panic buying in Asda! I had it done after several of my friends did as I already thought they were stylish but noticed the improvement in them. Oh and I didn't really tell anyone but quite a few people said I had lost weight when it was purely better dressing!

MrsCB, it's a combination. I really have no idea what suits me at the moment - colour, shape, whatever. I'm 5' 5" and a somewhat flabby 12-14 with a thick waist and wide shoulders, but I think I must have a long torso because every dress I've tried in the high street has a waistline that sits on my ribcage. Oh, I have a Debenhams personal shopping session booked in the Oxford Street store, but I'm a bit scared that they might try dressing me in lots of garish polyester prints!

I'd been wearing lots of sludgy colours (olives, browns, mustard yellows) because I thought they were the ones for me (brown hair and eyes) then wondered why I looked so sallow all the time. I can't tell if I'm 'cool' or 'warm' (veins in wrist appear both blue and green), so I'm curious to see if someone else can do better at pinpointing what suits me, as I can't tell any more (and none of my friends would be especially into being style advisors ).

I'd try the personal shopper first. Ask her specifically about what colours she thinks suit you. The John Lewis service is very good btw. Ditto HoF - I did it at Debenhams a few years ago and she was good but for me Debenhams seems to stock less stuff that suits me now so I wouldn't go for it again (the service was really good though)

Mine got me to try lots of things I wouldn't have looked twice at on the hanger and knew her stock really well.

I really should do it again!

Bab I'm glad you've posted this, I'm also post baby and really want to get it done but I'm toying with it because of the price.

You mentioned that you're always drawn to the stuff you liked pre-baby - well that's good I think, you possibly just need to adapt to your life now though.

So I would think about what 'outfits' you need, ie, stuff for playgroup, stuff for seeing friends, something for going out in. Then go and try a lot of stuff on, paying particular attention to what colours look good on you.

I'd personally order a lot of things online, perhaps 4 colours of the same style top and see which colour really looks good on you. But then I didn't enjoy shopping in shops with a small baby and rather tried stuff on at home.

Are you pear or apple shaped? Its just I am an apple and find dresses very hard indeed, I really need shift style and unfortunately they tend to be more formal so don't work for my life as a SAHM.

I do tend to stick to the classic SAHM uniform of jeans, nice tops with scarves etc.

Also worth looking at blogs to see how people put things together, I love tiffany at the moment.

I'm not sure about the Debenhams personal shopping purely because its not a shop I ever look in - would it be possible to switch to John Lewis at all as their stock range is better in my opinion. I think they also do a colours thing there now too.

I had mine done and am so glad I did! HoC lady told me to stop dying my hair....what a revelation! I look so much better with my natural colour (would have never dared do it before she suggested it and don't think I'll hit the bottle again!) she was bang on with the colours too and I now try to only shop for dresses etc in winter (my colour). I've now worked out for myself the style of clothes that suit me too, the session really focused my mind on the whole package....

I had it done 12 years ago. It's saved me a fortune in terms of both time and money. And I have a wardrobe where everything matches and I look fab!! Do it...

I had my colours done after I had my last child. It has been brilliant. I make far fewer mistakes and everything in my wardrobe goes with everything. Do it!

Another advocate of HoC - worth every penny, shopping is so much easier (and much more enjoyable) as I only go for my best colours. A consultation will also advise you on the right metals for jewellery, colours for accessories, hair dyes etc.

Absolutely do it! I had mine done a fortnight ago after a client of mine looked so groomed and together I just had to ask her her secret and she recommended HoC so my DP booked me a consultation for my birthday in I loved it!

Now I feel so confident in what I wear, I get loads of compliments, and I have to say so myself I look pretty darn good especially in photos where before I looked pale and unhealthy.

The beauty of it is no matter if you buy cheap clothes they will look good quality if they are in your colours and after only a fortnight I can walk into a clothes shop and instantly know which clothes will suit me.

I'm definitely an advocate of it you cannot regret it as once you know your season and your colours you will never buy the wrong things again.

Does HofC advise on the best make up colours too?

Another yes from me - I had it done (along with style/make-up/skincare) by an independent lady who had trained with HoC and it was fantastic!

I'm another one who had made many mistakes over the years and I don't have a good eye, so it's given me confidence. I also had more compliments in the first week after having it done than in the previous 5 years I think!

My DH was also a bit but I just ignored him! It felt very indulgent, but I loved every minute, and I'm sure I'll wear these colours forever now.

Go for it, really, do it.

Ok, I've been persuaded - appointment booked for the 6th!

Be very interested to see how you get on! I have heaps of clothes and always end up wearing the same few. Thinking of having it done to pear down my out of control shopping habit and give me some focus!

The colours part is spot on and really helpful. 5 years later and 'my' colours are now second nature when I'm out shopping. Which is great. However the photos they use to illustrate things will not necessarily reflect what you want to wear, so don't be distracted.

How did you get on op?

I'm thinking of doing this. Am a complete fashion and shopping moron at the moment, totally clueless.

When I found the thread I thought there would be a mixed bag of reviews but it seems it might be worth it.

Is HoC the best one to do? Has anyone had the style session too? I need all the help I can get!!!