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Original poster

Hoc colours and kettlewell, I'm confused!

15 replies

Pennypig · 27/03/2014 08:40

Having recently had my colours done, I was browsing the,kettlewell brochure, and see that some of the colours span 3 seasons, how can this be, as this would mean they are warm and cool at the same time?? For example, mallard, scarlet and Auvergne are all summer, autumn and winter. Heliotrope is spring, summer and autumn. Teal is spring, autumn and winter. Lobelia is spring, summer and winter. Gandhi purple is spring, summer and winter. I could go on and on, there are so many than span 3 seasons. Can anyone explain this to me, as I am getting more and more confused about how to identify a cool winter colour when there is so much,overlap. Thanks

OP posts:
Hebburnisaplaceonearth · 27/03/2014 08:43

I asked the lady that did my colours this- she said it was in kettlewells interest to make colours fit more categories as they would sell more that way! There is Always going to be crossover with colours- you just have to consider the colours carefully alongside your wallet.

Original poster
Pennypig · 27/03/2014 08:52

Thanks for the reply. I understand that kettlewell may be trying to maximise profits, but I don't understand how there could be much crossover when 2 of the seasons are warm tones and 2 are cool. Is it possible that a colour can be both warm and cool?

OP posts:
themoneyone · 27/03/2014 08:56

It confuses me too. My consultant said to only get the crossover colours if you ** in them, and to avoid if not.

Original poster
Pennypig · 27/03/2014 09:07

Very confusing indeed. It's making me wonder if the whole warm/cool thing is just rubbish, and I was so excited after having my colours done!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennypig · 27/03/2014 10:54

On the same subject, has anyone else really struggled with identifying whether their clothes match the swatches? I went home all excited about working through my wardrobe, I am a winter, so was looking at all my bright blues, greens, reds etc, but for the life of me, couldn't work out whether they were cool or warm. They seem to go ok it's the swatches, but I think some of the autumn and spring colours go well with my winter swatches too. AAAGGHH, have I wasted £110??

OP posts:
vitaminC · 27/03/2014 12:29

Scientifically, there is an explanation for this and it's definitely possible to suit more than one "season".

When we refer to colours as "warm" or "cool", we are actually referring to the amount of yellow (warm) or blue (cool) the colour contains. Warmer complexions will suit colours with more yellow, cooler complexions colours with more blue.

True red is just red pigment, with no yellow or blue at all, and should therefore suit all complexions. Depending on your skin tone (light/dark) and hair colour (and contrast between the two), you may suit lighter or darker versions of this true red (i.e. pinks and burgundies = just red and white, grey or black, with no blue or yellow tones), but red in some form should suit everyone.

The same applies to the opposite colour - green. A true green, with equal amounts of blue and yellow should suit everyone. Again, with lighter or darker shades depending on complexion.

There are other colours for which this applies, based on the balance between yellow and blue (some purples, turquoises or browns, for example), but hopefully you get the idea and no longer feel you've wasted your money!

Original poster
Pennypig · 27/03/2014 12:42

Ah, that's helpful thank you. Hopefully it'll get easier to identify warm, cool or true colours as I get more used to it then. Here's hoping!

OP posts:
JenniMoo · 27/03/2014 13:20

I find the aubergine colour being in autumn in the kettlewell as strange, as it doesn't seem warm at all to me, not much yellow. So I avoid that one.
With the swatches you're supposed to avoid 'matching' and try putting the side that doesn't have the closest colour match next to the clothes. It should 'go' rather than 'clash' if it's right. Sometimes I can see it, sometimes not. I was really pleased to discover I could see a green vest I bought didn't seem to be right for my colours, unfortunately I'd pulled the tag off...

vitaminC · 27/03/2014 13:23

Aubergine is a (darker) true purple, so shouldn't contain any yellow at all! It's one of those colours that should suit everyone, except those with very pale skin.

JenniMoo · 27/03/2014 13:27

But not a warm colour, that's what I meant.

vitaminC · 27/03/2014 13:29

No, but as a true colour, it's not strange for it to be in the Autumn range Smile

JenniMoo · 27/03/2014 19:15

True, now I'm just confusing myself!

Original poster
Pennypig · 28/03/2014 08:14

Thanks all. So if I understand correctly, if I'm looking for a pink for example, I look at it with the side of my swatches that doesn't have.pinks on it??

OP posts:
drawohamme · 28/03/2014 08:17

I know nothing about HOC but I do work in the fashion industry. We have been selling aubergine, scarlet etc extremely well for a few seasons now and it is predicted to be on trend through until 2015. I suspect there is a bit of what the customer wants the customer gets going on too.

RobotLover68 · 28/03/2014 10:17

2 members of my family are winters - I find it helpful to think of their key words when buying winter colours - my HOC consultants said think of jewel colours eg. emeralds, rubies etc.

When looking at reds for myself (summer) I think of cherries and raspberries (cool) not tomatoes (warm)

I also found it helpful to take something with me that was exactly the right colour - in my case it was a raspberry coloured jacket - if what I was looking at sat well with that colour I knew I'd got it right

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