HoC opinions?

[elspethmcgillicuddy]

Not a thread about a thread but inspired by another thread!

I'm thinking of getting my colours and style done but it's a lot of money. Someone on another thread said that virtually everyone who has it done us really glad they did. Is this true? Has anyone had it and thought it was a bit meh?

I've lost a fair amount of weight recently and need some new clothes. Don't have a big budget but wondering if I should ask for this for Xmas.

As you've seen on the other thread HOC is really devisive. Some people are good at knowing what suits whereas other people need a little help.

I had my colours done 6 months ago as I felt as I was getting older I needed all the help I could get to look good . I knew that greens and blues pretty much suited me and that yellows/browns/orange didn't but was kind of stuck with the reds/pinks/purples. I also tended to stick to muted colours.

I found having my colours done a revelation (yes, I sound like a cult leader ) but it opened up a whole new world of colour for me. I'm a winter so instead of wearing muted I should be wearing brights. I have so much more confidence because of it and everything in my wardrobe tones together and everything I've bought since I have loved.

I did the colour analysis day and loved it! I'd always thought that bright, jewel colours suited me as I'm pale and dark haired. But I found out I'm an autumn and those colours look so much better on me. It makes shopping easier in a way as I don't suit black so I can ignore a lot of clothes and just focus on the things that suit me.

Haven't done the style day yet as I'm a misshapen pregnant blob.

I think my worry is that while I am not stylish in the slightest and often look a mess, I am drawn to quite bright colours and would never try on anything muted as I know it wouldn't suit. I guess I worry that I would spend the money and just be told stuff I already know. But I don't have the confidence to know this for sure!

I had mine done a couple of weeks ago and came out a jewel winter, like QueenCadbury I knew that certain colours (camel/beiges) made me look dead and also have a lot of muted colours.
I'm a sahm, so spending $99 (sorry no pound sign on my phone, at least not that I can find ) may seem like crazy money, but it means that what I do buy should all go together, meaning that what I do spend will be well spent.
I've also recently turned 40 so wanted to be sure to get it right!

I had mine done and loved it. It's not just about the colours, it's refocused my mind about not buying clothes that will "just do" and go for clothes that I love. It cost £100 but I have easily saved that by not buying crap that makes me look like a dog and sits unworn in my cupboard.

IMO a good investment. Makes shopping so much easier and helps you look much better.

This must be a good thing.

I had mine done a couple of weeks ago after reading about it on MN. I was very dubious as I'd thrown money at this before and got two different answers. I decided that since I was changing my wardrobe anyway (lost a stone and everything looked meh) I would blow £99 on a style day. I had mine done in Huntingdon and it was a fabulous experience. It lasted pretty much all day as we were all so fired up and chatty.

The very best part was the fact that when the other two ladies were being 'done' I could actually see with my very own eyes that 'their' colours suited them. One of the ladies was a 'Spring' and until they put the colours under her chin I had no idea what she was. She came alive right in front of me!

It also made me realise where I had been going wrong. My first colour analysis - done when I was in my 20's put me as a bright winter. I didn't feel that good in bright colours though so took it with a pinch of salt. My second session - given as a gift so thought I'd better use it - was a muted Autumn. I spent years in browns and beige feeling rather bleugh but the muted tones suited my personality better and I still wore navy and black anyway.

Fast-forward to my recent experience and I mentioned that I had been analysed before and my consultant asked me not to tell her which. This consultation was done in natural light with my hair covered (I have golden brown (dyed) hair with very dark eyes and pale olive skin) and I'm a sure-fire sultry Winter. In fact, when the lady put the really dark pine green next to my face I was shocked. My actual comment was 'oh wow, you can see into my soul!'

It really was a fantastic experience for me personally, the lady could see why I thought I was an autumn but I left in no doubt that I'm a sultry winter.

What has changed? I wear navy and black with confidence, I've added a sprinkle of bright pink tops to my wardrobe, a cobalt jumper and a charcoal cardigan which makes me feel a million dollars. I've also invested in brighter lipsticks which I'm struggling with a bit but that's because of my wallflower personality that I hid behing a brown autumn instead of a sultry Winter.

I'm getting there!

Hope that helps you decide either way :)

SORRY! I don't mean a style day! I mean a colour day!!!

I found it really worthwhile. I knew I suited pinks and blues but never wore red and often settled on black.
I am a deep summer and some of my best odours are amethyst, cherry red and a deep rose so I now have far more colours available to me that I didn't have the confidence to wear. It also showed me once and for all that black drains me so I now never buy it and only occasionally wear old items.

It has absolutely been worth the money for me and shopping is much faster and more satisfying- I rarely buy things then don't wear them.

I loved it! I've always been an impulsive shopper and frequently had things sat in my wardrobe which remained unworn because I didn't have anything to go with them.

Knowing which palette to purchase from means always having something in my wardrobe which will match, rather than a load of random stuff.

Initially I was really disappointed to be an Autumn. I wanted to be a winter as they're my preferred colours. But! I love my autumn colours now.

I don't always stick to it religiously of course as I still have many clothes from pre analysis, but I try to make sure any new purchases are right for me.

I might do the style day next year. Go for it, it is well worth the £99.

Another convert here! Anyone who knows me in real life would be amazed to know I've done this (which is why I'll probably never tell!) and I was ridiculously embarrassed telling my husband I was going, but I'm so pleased I did it. The (virtual) world seems to be divided into people who 'know' what suits them and delight in asking the rest of us why we can't just put something on and look in the mirror. Well, yes I'd love to be able to do that but, despite my best efforts, I have never had the ability. I'm actually quite good at some things but have a blind spot when it comes to clothes. So, having reached my mid forties feeling out of my depth with a wardrobe full of mistakes, ebay 'bargains' and hand-me-downs and with the crappy feeling that I always look a bit rubbish, I trotted along to a colour day and found out I'm a sultry winter. Best money I've spent in a long time and I would most definitely recommend it.

Was going to come on here and say how marvellous it all is, but have been rather pipped to the post by lots of others! Which is good, as I'm a consultant and it always sounds like a sales pitch (if you knew how bad I am at sales you'd know this isn't possible )

I've had the colour and style day and they were brilliant.

Amazing brilliant best thing I've ever done !

Has anyone had this done in the NorthWest? you've almost convinced me and I'm wondering if any consultants are better or worse in this area

Had it done ten years ago and it's saved me loads of time and money. All my clothes match and I look fab..! :)

Just do it!!

Viper- I had it done in the north west by Catherine. She was great, young and fashionable. Ingrid is winding down so if you book in as a new client you will see Catherine.

I've met Catherine (am a consultant, but SW), she's lovely and v stylish.

Oh, oh- I'm in the North West too! I went to Penny who was lovely- really friendly and took the time to explain everything so I could 'see' exactly why my colours are right for me. www.houseofcolour.co.uk/pennyelger/
(This is m first go at linking so sorry if it doesn't work!)

Can anyone advise on a good consultant that would suit a sceptical 65 year old?

Would like to buy this for my mum possibly.

Wow thanks for the replies. Think I may treat myself when I get to my eventual goal weight. Thank you!

Starlight whereabouts are you? I am obviously awesome, but am in Devon and have a vague feeling you are SE?

I had my colours done yesterday (also SW) and loved it! I'm a Jewell Winter which is a relief as I have quite a few dresses in bright red, green and purple. Most of my smart casual/day time stuff is wrong though so I'm going to have to work on that. My work dresses are all navy, black and charcoal so that was spot on.

The only thing I'm a bit confused about is lipstick. The carmine shade was nice but I recently did an red lipstick trying marathon and tried about 35 blue-red lipsticks and hated them all (my friend and the shop assistants all agreed that they weren't good). I ended up with Chanel Incandescent which is an orange-red.

Ah, so glad to see this thread after the cult chat yesterday....

Its a brilliant experience, hugely useful, use the info how it suits you, makes shopping easier and all your clothes work much better together. I have absolutley NO idea why people who havent tried it feel the need to rubbish it. There seems to be a misconception thats it limiting and youll be told to wear three colours for all eternity...thats just nonsense. Do it : )

Thanks for the recommendations folks. Penny shows as being the nearest consultant to me, I might have a look