Talk to me about "getting my colours done"

[PerditaNitt]

My wardrobe needs a post-maternity leave update and before investing in more grey, black and navy clothes, I was thinking of getting a colour consultation.

Any views on whether this is worth doing? Also, any opinions on HoC vs Colour me beautiful

Any recommendations for stylists in north west or central London would also be appreciated!

I've posted about this before, but I used Pamela from style-yourself-confident.com and she was brilliant. It's an online one, and she also has free quizzes on the site, but I paid for an analysis and we emailed back and forth loads. She loves what she does and it was ideal for me.

If i didn't already have a job I'd seriously consider training to do colour analysis myself!

@mowglik how do you do modelling for trading sessions?

Ttbb you can email their customer service/contact email and ask to be put on the mailing list for upcoming training events. They seem to have them a few times a year, when you get the email you just call up and book yourself in. You don't get the little colour swatch booklets for your season (but you can buy them) but you otherwise get the full service whether its the colour analysis or the style days which they also do.

I went 20 odd years ago. And have never looked back. I'm a winter bright jewel colours and greys, no browns or oranges for me. It's the best £70 I've ever spent. I got a book with styles of clothes and lengths and shapes in as well which even though fashions change I've stuck to as it always makes me look good. Makes shopping easier if it's not my colour i don't look at it.

I was going to suggest HoF/JL personal shopper. You don't have to buy anything and you'll get ideas you wouldn't think of.

Thank you mowglik!

I had mine done a few years ago. It was worth every penny. I found myself getting it done somewhat begrudgingly as I’d committed to it while drunk and then had to go through with it as I didn’t want to let my friends down . Due to the industry I work in I was a hit sneery that anyone else could ‘tell’ me what colours suited me, and I don’t like the Kettlewell range, and quite frankly thought no one would teach me any different to what I already thought I knew. After all I had a book from CMB and had deduced that with brown hair, olive skin and hazel eyes I was obviously best suited to autumn shades... I didn’t want anyone to tell me I couldn’t wear black or grey anymore!

How wrong I was...!

The Hose of Colour consultant told me that Autumnal shades were the worst I could wear, that I was a light winter and that I should carry on wearing black, grey, silver and blue, that I should wear some pastels 😱 as well as wear blue and pink make up 😭. I was actually quite humbled by the experience as I learned a lot from it.

My wardrobe three years later is a total no brainier. Everything matches! I know what core colours to buy, and always seem to have the right combinations of clothes to wear. My wardrobe is very much slimmed down and I have saved money over the years. No more brown, khaki, or cream for me! The only colour I miss is lime green... 😊

Can't you kind of get n'a idea yourself at home?

Hold different shades up to your face and see what you suit?

As pp's say you night suit emerald green but not pale green.

Old, you can, theoretically, yes. But with HoC it was very helpful to have an expert tell you what suited you best. There is a procedure to it: first of all they see if you fall into the green (autumn/spring) or blue (winter/summer) category, by wrapping your hair and creating a ‘bib’ over your front in cream and white fabrics. Then when it’s decided whether white or cream suits best you are then sectioned into your season through various fabrics that are similar but different. Then your season is narrowed down into a category eg ‘jewel’, ‘sultry’ etc. It’s quite an art actually! It’s also v helpful to have others’ opinions while you’re being ‘done’. I think I was a bit borderline in some comparables and it really helped having others there. Also I don’t think I have such an extensive range of large drapes fabrics in my own house to try doing it myself!

I had mine done by House of Colour over 20 years ago and don't regret it at all. It seems expensive but you 'get that back' by wearing colours you look and feel great in so you really get th wear out of the clothes. It also speeds up shopping because you scan the rails til you find your colours. I went with a friend and glad I did, because I could see on her what a difference the colours made more than my own, and I enjoyed sharing the experience. The consultant will ensure everyone gets their fair share of the time. I always intended to go back for the image consultancy (what styles for your shape) but haven't got round to it 2 decades later!

Julia Van Den Berg in Twickenham is excellent. if you can afford it - link it with a style day. It pulls everything together. It worked out cheaper in the end for me because everything in the wardrobe works together so I buy a lot less and don't make many mistakes. Also shopping is quicker and easier.
Julia gave me my confidence back and my son said made me look ten years younger when I follow her advice

Did no-one else do it and find it a waste of time then?

Hmm, I might have to give it a go really.

I am starting to look like I'm ready for the knackers yard.

I did mine myself and am certain that I'm a soft summer, but it took months of reading up and experimenting to get to that stage.

Countduckula, there are probably some richer shades you can wear in your palette. I'm one of the wishy-washiest seasons, but I still get lots of rich damsony goodness.

I did it. I hate the colours I'm supposed to wear. I was told I'm a leaf autumn, so various shades of dog poo. If I wear them, I look like a Victorian maiden aunt's sofa.

Depends if you want to look chic or high coloured and newsreader ish.

I loved it and it did change my life! I used to get up in the morning, put on some clothes I liked, look in the mirror, decide I didn’t feel good in them, take it all off and start again. At least three times. I didn’t understand that it was because of the colours which just didn’t suit me. Also I had a pile of perfectly good clothes to go to charity sitting in my spare room for a year as I couldn’t quite beat to get rid of them. I realised they were all the wrong colours.

Now I have a much more streamlined wardrobe where things go together. I still like funky fashion but I know what to avoid. No longer do I buy things which then sit in the wardrobe unworn for three years,

Yes you can work it out yourself probably but you’ll need to do some reading and research. Or you could just pay and get it done in 3 hours. I went with my sister but I think it would be good to do with strangers as you can all comment on each other’s colours.

Oh and autumn isn’t all brown! There are a range of colours and they give you a nice wallet to take away. Mine didn’t do it by seasons so I am warm and strong. I’d highly recommend it.

Thanks for all the comments. Sounds like there were a few people who didn't find it useful, but overall seem to be more positives than negatives. I'm going to book myself in and then follow up with a personal
Shopper day at John Lewis as one pp suggested. Thanks all!

I didn't have a great experience, but I think it was my consultant rather than the process. Still no idea how to use my wallet or what type of summer I am. She made it pretty clear from beginning to end that she couldn't get through it fast enough. Talked non stop at high speed, had us back out on the street before lunch and deflected all questions with a 'you'd need to do the style day for that'. I'm embarrassed I didn't complain actually, it was so bad. But I've seen enough people transformed by it to be convinced. But def get a personal recommendation and be assertive!

That sounds awful Ilovecherries. I arrived at mine at 10, and left at about 3. There were 3 of at the session, and she provided a lovely lunch too.

I'm a total convert. Wish I'd had it done ages ago. The only downside is that its so difficult to find my colours in the shops at the moment (I'm a blue spring).

Had mine done as a present about 30yrs ago - don’t wear make up so that bit was a waste of time - but I still follow the basic colour rules I was told then. Makes life so much easier re choosing clothes! And yes, you really can see the difference with the other people in the group - which gives you more confidence in the colours chosen for you. I would never recommend an individual session for that reason.

Mimi, yes I expected lunch as well, as that's what it said in the pre appt info - and she emailed beforehand to ask about dietary requirements (none). I think I didn't object during the morning because I was still expecting an afternoon session, then suddenly she said 'it's been lovely meeting you both. There is a pub down the road that does nice sandwiches' as she ushered us to the door. I think it was the fact we were in her home that made me feel I couldn't kick up a fuss, I'm usually much better at standing up for myself. She started at 10.15 and we were out at 12.45 (two people), and that included a 15 minute comfort stop.

I thought I was a winter, i had loads of black and bright blues and purples.
I went after Mat Leave too and looking at the board I'd have been happy with anything except Autumn, the colours are so boring. Yep, I'm an Deep Warm Aùtumn. However I've fully embraced this, I threw out all my black. Love my clothes now, everything matches, who knew I could wear mustard well? I've recommended it to everyone.