Mumsnet Vogue - volume 45

[shopafrolic]

Here we go again. More fashion and beauty chat as we head into Autumn. The perfect boot hunt is on! All welcome, whatever your budget - we don't bite.
Continuing on from here

Aw shop no don't be upset but it must be a bit overwhelming. I hope I haven't made you feel bad. It's just the cynical side of me thinks that this woman has to justify what she's charging you somehow. And you look so good in khaki. Maybe QueenC and Amber can give some insight, as they are winters?

Shop I just wouldn't get rid of your clothes, they look really good on you. I always see you as an autumn and not as a winter. You have mid-tones not high contrast that means it works.

I am really surprised by the winter thing. I know you look good in black. But I just can't see you in the bright jewels. Maybe I am just so used to your wardrobe.

I found cream/white was one of the swatches that I could see the difference in very clearly Shop. I looked so much better in white despite it not being a colour I wear often whereas cream just made me look a bit faded.

I remember reading this story by a woman whose diagnosis changed 5 times! It may make you feel better

Was the person today a HoC person?

Shop I am at your re diagnosis! Poor you, what a surprise. PM me if there's anything I can do to help.

More words of reassurance coming as soon as the baby settles into her feed and I can type.

Phew Hopefully am I glad to see you!! Yes, will PM you if that's ok?
The person today isn't a HoC person either (and I can't afford a third diagnosis)
I'm not going to anything in a hurry......

shop at work, can't be long. That's crap. Don't get rid of anything. You look great in autumn. Just add in a bit of winter too. Thank god for hopefully
Back later.

Right, I can't scroll back to read the full story (why did you end up being re analysed Shop?). BUT, a few things that might help de stress you slightly:

1. Different companies analyse in different ways, and some are better systems than others. Some of those ways are better/worse than others. Did you 'see' the difference in either of the analyses? Or was it very much the consultant telling you?

1. Although at HoC we spend a crap load of time explaining the difference between the seasons and explaining the gaping voids between, say, autumn and winter, the fact is that colours are on a spectrum and at one point autumn meets winter. If you fall at the coolest end of autumn it is a fact that some autumn colours won't be amazing on you (as a blue autumn the yellows/oranges aren't terribly exciting on me) and you will be able to wear some winter colours that tone in with your autumn palette (mole and pine green spring to mind). Colour analysis is a starting point for our clients to start learning to look at how their clothes look against their skintone, and a lot of clients will discover they can pull a colour or two from other seasons and still look good and tone in with their wardrobe etc. Obviously this means that there is some room for error in the analysis, especially if not many drapes are used in the analysis (I have been analysed by another company who used about six drapes and got me completely wrong). Obviously I don't know which analysis is on the right side and which is wrong for you, but the difference between a deep autumn and a burnished/deep winter isn't as great as some people might try to suggest.

1. Talk to both consultants again. I would want my client to see the analysis clearly (and/or bring a friend along to see it if there was any doubt about the analysis. Could that be arranged?).

1. How different are the swatch books? I have seen Winter palettes with orange in, autumn palettes with charcoal and black. Every company uses a slightly different system/colour wheel/colour theory basis, which can also tip a client from deep autumn to deep winter in a different system. This is why I would always want a client to get why they are what they are in the system I use (HoC) and also the skills to start to look at colours against their own skintone rather than being permanently defined by a season name.

None of this is to say that colour analysis isn't worth it (unsurprisingly, I still totally love it), but to show that it's a starting point for you to learn your best colours, not the be all and end all.

Ugh, baby being a pain.

phew Hopefully good one!

God it's a minefield isn't it?
I did 'see' it more with this consultant than with the one who diagnosed me as Deep Autumn. The other interesting point is that personality wise I have never felt like an Autumn but I guess that is irrelevant if that is what suits me.
The woman who draped me today showed me the natural pink colour in my cheeks, how winter colours lessened the shadows below my eyes, above my lip, under my chin. I looked less jowelly. (sp?)
In terms of the Autumn palette I had been given previously, the reds were my strongest colour by far, and the darker bottle green shades. Khaki is ok on me but I tend to wear it more on my bottom half.
The areas that made me worry I wasn't an Autumn? I can wear black and it suits me. I can wear a lot of grey, although darker greys are better. My hairdresser has always insisted I suit cool tones in my hair. I wore a bright blue dress on my 40th birthday and felt great.
Gah!!!!!

I'm a sultry winter, so towards the autumn end. As such I can do some of the less clear colours. I also don't look dreadful in orange. The winter pastels aren't all that good.

The thing that did it for me was when my consultant layered the drapes to mimic a suit, so white around my neck with navy on the shoulder, versus cream round the neck with brown over the shoulder. That was when I really saw it. That and when she worked backwards, showing me each winter drape vs. each autumn drape - the difference was incredible.

Did you get given any guidance on your new Winter 'type'? Deep/burnished/clear etc?

also, re jewellery I would potentially give a deep autumn/deep winter both silver and gold (some season types do both quite happily), so don't panic about tossing gold jewellery.

Yes, as Amber says, the direct comparison as drapes are whipped away is usually v v revealing. Did the consultant do that? And did the original one? The lightbulb switching on and off under the skin can be amazing to see.

Aww Shop thats surprising. I know nothing about colour diagnosis but whenever I have seen pics of you you look fab in all your colours particularly khaki and oranges (which I also love to wear!) So you can def carry on wearing them.

Oh shop I'm shocked. I've always thought you look great. Don't do anything in a panic and don't buy anything new yet. Are you able to go back to the original stylist and ask her opinion again. As others have said you may be borderline autumn/winter. I'm able to take some of the blues of spring better than I can take the burgundy/mole of winter.

Apart from the colours thing what else did she say about your wardrobe/style?

Hopefully I hadn't hired her for colour analysis so it wasn't a full in depth draping so no, no guidance about the specifics. But her way of demonstrating and pointing out the colours that suited was much better than the previous stylist. I had bought her in for a bit of a wardrobe assessment, advice about body shape, style type, identifying any gaps, a bit of an assess and refresh I guess.
So I learnt that I am pear shaped (although even here I was borderline apple). We did measurements, discussed the shapes and necklines etc that would suit me best.
We talked about pattern, ways of introducing more into my wardrobe. Things that would / wouldn't suit me. No major surprises (one was enough!) but some good ideas around outfits to try for the school run etc.
She left me armed with lots of info about dressing for my body shape, and lots of clippings from magazines of looks that would work for me.
Which reminds me - the Grazia Whistles promo starts today.....

Which colours did she show you? How are you feeling about your clothes now?

We looked at the jewel tones. The deep pink, true red, green, cobalt like blue. Icy pastels - blue and pink were best. We did black and white vs brown and cream. I'm still a bit confused on the white / cream thing TBH. I think I suit a chalky white. Not sure. Need to keep trying. Maybe next year I'll save up and HoC it. Or just give up altogether and get into cookery instead

You sound totally shell shocked shop lovey don't rush to change anything just yet as others have advised. I think you not feeling like an autumn is pretty telling, I personally would have thought you'd have started to 'feel' it if that's what you really are colour wise

Bought some new music books today but not quite the ones I was after, going to have to go to a bigger bookstore for the ones I need for my course, the ones I bought today are purely for home learning and my own pleasure

blair you need zinc vitamins.
marsha I've been eying up that blazer, the reason I went into Matches last Friday was to see if they had it, I couldn't see it, but otherwise I would have been tempted. Is it very long in the body? It doesn't look it. As I'm only 5ft tall I need something shorter, fitted... Umm...

I'd love to have my colours done, but I think I'd end up two different types if colours, I've done online analysis and it's always one or the other (can't think what they are... Maybe warm autumn and spring something... I'm blond, blue eyes, yellowy skin)...

In terms of the rest of the advice she gave QueenC - I should try:
More print - strong, geometric shapes or more striking florals
Embellished knitwear
Chunky knits
Dark denim shirt
Jumpsuits
White shirts - more shirts in general
Double breasted navy peacoat (I nearly wept)
Belted or double breasted coats
Faux fur (belted gilet) or accessories if I can't handle full faux
Chunky necklaces
Boxy jackets - nothing that cuts me off at the hip
Hardware on shoes and bags
Biker boots

She also recommended this brand. There ads always catch my eye so it felt as though she knew my taste quite quickly.....

Anyone like the look of these? - over the knee 50 50 stylee

I meant THEIR ads

shop it sounds like she's spot in with the style advice. Can totally see you in all of those styles. How does navy look on you? You say you don't feel like an autumn but do you feel like a winter? Did she look at you in your existing clothes eg the Stella coat and your anya bag? Also have you looked at any old photos? I went through loads when I had my colours done and could totally see that I look better in winter colours if only I'd realised that before. Also maybe nip to boots/dept store and have a play around with some cool pink/red lipsticks.

Cold here most of the day. I need a winter outfit for volunteering as I was wearing my 'uniform' of cropped trousers/ballet flats but need something warmer. I'm allowed to wear jeans but I prefer to separate it from my SAHM wardrobe iyswim. I'm useless with skirts/dresses though. hopefully I need you . It was quite upsetting talking to her today about her loss of independence and how she misses getting in her car and going shopping. I thought how that would be us if we were dying of cancer. Although I take her shopping for just 2 hours a week I like to think that I'm doing my bit to make her life more bearable.

I'm shopping again tomorrow meeting another mumsnetter who's the same style as me so it's always fun to browse together.