HoC Autumns

[Seri77]

Thought I'd start a thread for autumns as the spring and winters threads seem busy and I feel I'm missing out!

I'm an autumn leaf and going for the style day soon. I haven't bought much this year as only had colours done a couple of months ago and waiting to discover my style before spending. I have been decluttering my wardrobe quite ruthlessly as I had a lot of the wrong colours/tatty clothes.

I did buy some Kettlewell tops and have had a few compliments so I certainly believe that colour analysis works.

Unfortunately my autumn/winter coats are black but expensive so I won't be replacing them for at least a couple of years.

Any suggestions for colourful hats/scarves/gloves to lift the black? High street brands please as I can't get parcels delivered to home.

Love that skirt Herbert. I like it in blue too which could also work for an autumn (I think )

chicken don't worry if it takes a while for it all to sink in/feel comfortable. I think there is an assumption that one should leave the colour class feeling 'wow, this is where I always knew I wanted to be, I feel amazing, I feel so confident' etc etc), and actually for a lot of clients (I am a consultant) it's much more of a long term process than that. FWIW I am a dark blue autumn, and although I didn't dislike the colours, they were a million miles away from anything I was choosing at the time. It took a good 4-6 months for me to shift enough of my wardrobe round that i felt comfortable and stylish in my autumn colours (because they do look less than stellar when mixed with summer or winter colours), but I was so converted in the end that i trained as a consultant! Incidentally, if you're really struggling with leaving black, try charcoal as an alternative - it is ok on many blue autumns. It might not be as good as dark olive/navy/aubergine, but it will be a hell of a lot better than black.

Re styles, I am a natural dramatic, and it took me a bit longer to add suitable drama into my wardrobe than it would a winter (think how many pairs of black leather leggings there are in the world. Now think about how many pairs of dark olive/navy ones there are), but I love it now, as it's a slightly less obvious drama than the typical winter black and white combos.

Who was asking about aubergine? It's a great example of a colour that isn't in the swatch book but tones in beautifully, and fulfils all the autumn 'words' (at the front of the skinny workbook), ie it's rich, warm, earthy etc etc. Not always amazing on the more vibrant/soft autumns (as it's so dark, so if you don't score brilliantly in dark brown/dark olive), but great for deeper ones.

snowlie what kettlewell call a royal purple is ever so slightly less rich and warm than what HoC call a royal purple, but as a blue autumn I would still wear it. Probably not warm enough for a really vibrant/leaf autumn though, which is why they don't call it an autumn colour. As a rule of thumb, when looking at colours that tone in, you can kind of push the limits more around your double star colours. So I know I can go slightly brighter/less warm on all the teals, greens, blues, purples etc, as I ** at 100% in virtually all of them, but I wouldn't push the pale browns/coffees/bronzes into their summer mushroom equivalents, as they aren't very clever on me, so making them even less autumny is really going to make them crap.

Hopefully that's really helpful info
And explains why Aubergine isn't in my swatches but as a Warm Deep Autumn I still wear it and get complimented a lot when I do.
Also explains why I can wear a slightly brighter teal colour sometimes (I think)

Thanks Hopefully that's really useful. Adding in the drama is tricky but it's vital. I've ordered the skirt from Jigsaw that herbert posted in both colours and a load of other stuff from Jigsaw and Uniqlo. Will do an online shop from Zara and Cos - who have some great forest greens and cosy cashmere accessories, but i feel Cos are cut for an apple and I am an hour glass so it's always a challenge finding anything cut for my shape.

My normal hit rate for liking anything I try on in general is around 10% - it will be interesting to see if this improves.

chicken and snowlie I totally get the concern with looking too sludgey. I am tall and slim with long brown hair - I never used to wear brown for fear of looking like a big long poo. Before I had my colours done I used to live in dark navy, bright pink and grey. Now I can see that all those colours look dreadful on me, but it took a while to find equivalent staple colours that I felt good in. I also felt like if I wore brown and orange all the time, I'd resemble 1970s wallpaper.

It's been about 6 months since I became an autumn - my best colours are the kingfisher blues, purples, olives, and scarlet as well as darker shades of brown. When i saw these colours against my face, all together in a kind of 'rainbow', i totally got it. they didnt look sludgey at all - they looked rich, intense, and somehow made me look like im wearing tinted moisturiser.

Hopefully told me I'm a cross between a deep blue autumn and a vibrant blue autumn. It's taken me a while to combine them in ways that I find suit me. These days I'm experimenting with different combos more confidently. Today I'm wearing:

A scarlet cropped cashmere cardigan from Brora, with a nude silk shirt from the white company (both ebay bargains) with these Boden trousers in a bronzey colour - they look aaawful in the photo but they're much better on! Definitely not wallpapery or turdlike.

Other colour combos I've found work well are:

A peachy nude longline cashmere cardigan (eBay), olive skinnies and oyster top. Long gold chain (Stella and Dot) for interest.

Olive tweed jacket, oyster pleated shell top, violet/mustard scarf.

Tan biker jacket, petrol navy jeans, leopard print pointy flats, purple suede slouchy bag.

Pale olive ruched dress (Baukjen, ancient), tangerine boxy jumper (Toast), chocolate tights and riding boots.

Teal wool tweed hacking jacket, olive skinnies, nude floaty blouse.

Bronze longline merino cardigan, ivory top, tan skinny belt, mustard skater mini skirt.

Thinking about colour has made me think more carefully abut the styles, kinds of pattern, neckline etc that suit me. I can wear bright colours but loud orla kiely type patterns make my face shrink somehow. I can do surprise colour flashes if it's balanced out with classic or neat styling. I suit discreet dainty jewellery, can wear longer line necklaces because I'm tall, and I rock a Peter Pan collar! I look awful in overly edgy sexy clothes with studs and big patterns.

I'm currently trying to see if I can work aubergine / fig colours. Does anyone think the boden trousers I linked to earlier in purple
here would be good for an autumn? I can see them with a scarlet blouse that's been in my wardrobe for ages, and tan brogues...but just not sure they are warm enough...

I think my name-change says it all. Nearly a year down the line I still can't see it and don't think I look any better for changing to the advised colours . I still devour these threads though hoping one day it'll feel right.

:( autumnleaf could it be the style rather than the colours that don't work?

I'm no expert at all though - but what did you think when you saw the colours against your face at the draping session? Could you recognise the best ones for yourself?

Wombat I really don't think it's the style that's the problem as I'm very happy with choosing clothes to suit my body shape, I'm very "plain and simple" style wise, no fuss, no frills. In fact people always think I'm a lot slimmer than I am because I'm pretty good at dressing for my shape and hiding the lumpy bumpy bits left over from having 4 DC's. Having said that, if I had enough money I would still like to do the style day to see if it could broaden my horizons. I just feel if the colours aren't making me feel "wow" in styles I'm happy with, then what's going on!

Re: the draping session I honestly didn't think I looked any better or any worse in any of the seasons. I think I must have a rubbish eye for colour and was hoping going to HoC would be the breakthrough I needed to help me 'see it'. I'm starting to feel really quite sad about it.

Autumn have you tried speaking to your consultant again? They might be able to show you some combinations that really show you the difference, or be able to spell out the changes in your skin tone in a way that makes sense. I find that different clients need the change in their skin tone explained in different ways (some just get it, some need it explaining in terms of exactly what each colour is doing to eg bags under their eyes, weight on their jaw etc). I'm sure your consultant would rather you were comfortable with your colours.

I am trying to find some legging/jegging type trousers that aren't jeans for winter, but they need to be stretchy waistband, not button and fly. And cheap. There are NONE.

Ideally, I'd like some pleather leggings.

Hopefully M&S have jeggins no button and fly but elastic waist.

Quick q - what's the deal with shoes and boots as an autumn? Is black deffo out?

Thanks Hopefully, that's such an informative post. I'm one month on and as confused as ever. I am trying rally hard though but I can't really tell difference in tones yet, hoping that will come with practice.
From your post it seems as though vibrant is the same as soft, is this correct. I'm finding it hard to find any vibrant tips on google but have found lots on soft autumns.

Vibrant is different from soft spotty - vibrant autumns are good in the brightest boldest autumn colours (red, grass green etc), soft autumns are good in the less saturated colours - coffee brown, light olive green, old gold etc.

chicken black will look less 'together' and harmonious than other colours. I have tan, light brown and lizard grey suede boots, heels in nude, purple and red, sneakers in cream and tan. I actually don't own any shoes that are dark brown, but I suppose that's the classic alternative to black.

I've been lurking for ages...

Really helpful posts, hopefully, thank you. I saw some (v inexpensive) olive pleather leggings in h&m the other day - might be worth a look online.

I would love some trouser/skirt finds for a vibrant autumn that don't involve anything skinny - disaster on me, despite being relatively small. All recommendations enthusiastically received.

The green sparkle jigsaw skirt is gorgeous - I saw it in store last week and this thread has persuaded me to buy it. Ebaying like mad at the moment to get rid of all the black and save up for suitable colours.

It almost feels like I am on a colour diet.....anyone else feel a black binge coming on?

Thanks hopefully your posts are very helpful.

wombat I love the sound of your outfits - taking a mental note for a trying on session when my online purchases arrive.

Sorted out my wardrobe into my colours - and the rest. My colours are really bright - I'm not sure how to slide them together, I fear I will look like a walking Benetton ad, all bright and European....it's not the look I'm after, this is harder than I thought. Has anyone found any nice lizard grey stuff...that might make me feel more at home. I'm imagining it's a kind of greige shade, a bit F&B Elephant' breath...am I right?

I was done by HoC and can't find my swatch book but was definitely an autumn. Do you think I could carry this off?

www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/Womens-Accessories/Hats,-Scarves-Gloves/AD143-NAV/Womens-Navy-Fedora.html

Hopefully did you see my post re jeggins?? Next also have some leather looking ones.

Some of you autumns sound so down! I am 6 months in and I love it! Today I wore:
Dark teal dress - viscose jersey, short sleeve, v neck, tulip skirt
Crocodile green (like lime mixed with gold) cropped round neck cardi
Purple tights
Dark tan monk strap flats
(Plus necklace and bracelet)
I also wore my terracotta trench which I dyed from grey.

I think I looked awesome! Other than my hair, which looked like frizzy road kill,and the big spot on my chin. But I can't blame HoC for either of those. Tomorrow I'll wear

Stretchy midi royal purple dress
Leopard print copped cardi
Heliotrope scarf
Brown tights
Monk strap shoes again.

Honestly not boring, turd like, or divorced from fashion!

Charitygirl I love the sound of your teal and purple dresses! Where did you get ten from please? Xx

snowlie yes, lizard grey is quite elephant's breath like. It's one of my double star at 75% colours. I have a long fine knit wrap cardigan from White Company in this colour. It works really well with oyster jeans in summer, or with splashes of lime, heliotrope or flame. I also belt it over a petrol navy dress.

www.riverisland.com/women/dresses/midi-dresses/Purple-split-hem-column-dress-642737

That's the purple one - looks much better on and a total bargain.

Teal one was from Kaliko and seems to be gone now - but they often have good dresses in the sale.

Ooh Charitygirl that dress is fab!! I always forget to look at River Island, thank you for reminding me.

If anyone is looking for basics, M&S have some good longline l

Argh, stupid iPhone! What I meant is - M&S have good longline long sleeved tees with modal in autumn colours. Pale khaki, petrol, pale browny beige etc. can't link right now, will try later.

Thanks everyone for lovely comments on that skirt

Lovely dress Charity. I love royal purple, don't have enough of it. Have just ordered a dress though, will link when it arrives if it proves to be royal enough!

I love Lizard Grey, it's a great neutral. I have precisely two things in it - a party dress and a waistcoat which I had made. I have seen it a couple of times already this season though, so maybe more will pop up! I keep going and looking at this out of budget scarf and debating whether it could pass for a darker Lizard grey and pale coffee combo. Not that I can afford it anyway, and it's a bit small. Ho hum.