Is there another way to know your colours?

[myotherusernameiswittyandgreat]

I can't afford a consultation yet but I want to stop wasting money on clothes that probably don't suit me.

I'm 5ft4, size 16 so quite big. I'm pale skinned with dark hair.
I have no idea what I should be wearing. Has anyone managed to teach themselves without paying HOC?

If it helps I'm winter.
I have olive skin tan easily very dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

My colours are all the true colours so not sludgy at all. reds have to be bright or maroon, not burgundy.
No browns at all except for taupe, pinks are hot and bright.
No pale colours or pastels.
Suit Navy, proper red, green, navy, purple, royal blue, silver, charcoal, black and white.

Oh oh milminge could you tell me
Mine too pretty please??
I don't know what information is needed but here goes; I'm 30, 5'7, slim build, long dark hair, dark brown eyes, brows and lashes and medium coloured skin (if that's how you describe it ), erm, oh, and my hands look crap with light pink nail polish too!

waits with bated breath

Oh and can you tell me what colours belong to the season you think I am because I have no idea and no clue on how to dress

Can you do me too please?

Ive got mid brown hair that I do have highlighted as feel better with blonde bits, green eyes, fairish skin that the lady at bobbi brown says has pink tones, got freckles but body will tan face only slightly.

I love autumn colours and am brown hair olive skin Hazel eyes.
Yellow hates me

Hello there OP, I might have similar colouring/weight as you, except I am a bit shorter - 5ft2. I have blue eyes, fairly mousy brown hair, so not really dark, pale skin, Irish heritage. I have been considering my colours for a while, might splash out before Christmas, and have colour/style done... Do you suit pastels? I think pastel shades wash me out.

Interested in morethan's statement - I too am winter (HOC) but I'm pale skin, dark hair brown/green eyes. Just made me think that the olive/pale skin may be a bit misleading. I suit the same colours as morethan but she is olive & I am pale; don't use skin-tone as your fail safe guide.

Blah- how do you look in black? Can you give me a couple of colours you know look good and a couple you think look rubbish?

Chocolou- do you think you suit bright or more muted tones? What is your best/worst colour?

Apparently my skin is warm and my hair is cool

I'm assuming she doesn't mean cool in a "wow you are so cool" way

More of a "shit my coffees gone cool" way

46direct- here - does this feel about right?

literally every single person I've had through the door who has 'worked out' their season before coming has been wrong

Hopefully, that is spooky. Well done to your mum though.

Do people often turn up quite convinced? Also, do you suspect roughly what people are as soon as they walk in or do you not get any impression till 'the draping'?

this is a helpful quiz to help narrow it down for anyone who is struggling or just curious.

12 blueprints site is a good resource too.

Milminge - googling Neutral Winter Palette such as this all the colours I suit & some of the ones I'm dubious about, but still like, are there. If I rule out the warm section (contains mustard - urgh) it looks about right!

Thank you

Temporary my mum is a PITA, she would be the one person who knew, of course .

TBH I really genuinely thought that once I'd trained I would be able to tell what most people were when they walked through the door, but the truth is it is impossible to know how amazing/terrible you can make someone look until you put the drapes on them. I have so often had a client come in who looks very low contrast/muted, and you put the winter or spring colours on them and suddenly they come completely to life and look far more glowing and bright than you could ever have imagined. Or someone like me comes in who looks high contrast but is completely overwhelmed by the bright season colours and needs the muted colours to 'show' themselves, iykwim. I was quite disappointed that you can't tell instantly!

Witchway, going from the colours you say suit you and your description of your looks, I think you might be a deep winter. I am too (didn't pay for a consultation, just did some research and worked it out).

I can get away with chocolate brown and I like it, but I've noticed it's not the optimal colour on me.

Milmingebag - thank you so much. Your help is appreciated, I am another one who just wants to look a bit more put together!
I had a look on Pinterest at some colour pallets and your suggestions look spot on. i will obv have to spend a bit of time with different shades while out shopping!
thank you again for your time :)

Milminge - I think I look nice in black.
. Dh says I look abit washed out in beige when it's against my face, like a scarf. I don't think I look good at all in light pink does anyone? oh, and pale blue. Maybe ? I deff don't seem to be able to wear any yellows.

This isn't helping is it

I think i look good in bright blue, hot pink, black. But maybe I don't ???

Katherina - thanks - the deep winter palette looks more or less right I think, although I'm not sure about icy pink

Agree chocolate is much better than warmer orangey browns.

Blah - that was helpful. I think you sound like you need a lot of saturation to your colours but with a sprinkling of warmth. Have a look at clear/bright winter. If that is too saturated then dark winter might be a better fit.

Witchway- not every colour is going to work in the palettes for everyone. It's just a general guide. Some people favour the darker/lighter shades within a palette- it's just about best fit. It's like those generic lipstick lists. There is so much variation in the seasons that one bright winter might be able to wear Cherries in the Snow and yet others will look better in clear red lipsticks -yet they share the same season.

Agree Milminge - I find it odd though that I just don't like certain colours that are supposed to suit me, such as icy pink! Also the converse that I like colours that make me look awful - I like mustard as a colour & love all the autumnal shades which do nothing for me...

Perhaps I'm overthinking it

ooh, oh, milming - do me too! I have mousey/mid brown hair and blue eyes, reasonably light skin but I never know if it's yellow or pink based (how do you work that out?). Colours that look good: soft/mid blues; soft purples; greys. I know I shouldn't wear black

I think a lot of people who struggle with this are a neutral of some description.

The general idea is as follows-

High contrast between skin and hair but cool - true winter

High contrast between skin and hair but warm- true autumn

Low contrast between skin and hair but cool- true summer

Low contrast between skin and hair but warm- true spring.

A lot of people who are this obvious know their season.

If you are more neutral then you are looking at-

Dark autumn ( between autumn and winter but warmer than cool and needing dark colours)

Dark winter (between autumn and winter but predominantly cool- also needing deep colours)

Soft autumn( between summer and autumn but more warm than cool - needs muted tones)

Soft summer ( between autumn and summer - a tad warm and needing muted colours)

Clear Spring (spring with an element of winter. Can pull off black. Needs highly saturated warm colours)

Clear winter ( a tiny bit of warmth from Spring -really bright colours. Doesn't do well in icy colours - needs highly saturated colours)

Light Summer ( between Spring and summer so although predominantly cool colours they are brighter due to Spring influence.)

Light Spring ( between Spring and summer - so a slight coolness but overall warm and light in colouring)

It does get even more nuanced than this. If none of the above are obvious than you may have to refine a palette even more so that it is the best fit. One example of this is the soft summer deep category. These people are darker than the typical soft summers but winter colours are too much (Katie Holmes is often cited as an example of this colouring).

I personally don't think you need to be draped to work this out. Most people are aware of some colours that work for them and the addition of a palette of compatible colours helps them to expand upon this. There are some make or break colour guides online so it makes it easy if your are struggling. I think if you have a clear idea as to what your worst colours are then it's easier.

The Enchanted- glad you feel that one works

Have a look at this nobutreally.

You sound like a cool, muted, neutral from the colours you describe. Does that seem about right?

Witch way - I am a frustrated artist guilty of major over thinking of this flimflam

Off to dodge the bullets of the colour mafia on here

Anyone hazard a guess at me?

VERY pale skin (I could be in twilight without the make-up) blue eyes but quite muted with light brown around pupil. Pale lips. Freckles but again they're pale. Light brown hair but with a lot of red in it.

Colours I tend to stick to are blues and greens, Dh says that deep green suits me. Anything remotely coral toned makes me look ill. Beige/nudes look awful and pastel pink also does nothing although I have been complemented when wearing bright pink.