Have you had your colours done, and if so, would you recommend it?

[Abcd3]

I’m wondering whether to have a colour analysis with Colour Me Beautiful, where apparently they give you 42 swatches of the clothing colours that work best for you, and also advise on makeup. I’m thinking this might be useful for finding good lipstick (having spent an hour in Boots trying on lipsticks at the different counters, and coming back with 2 Clinique ones that I now think don’t suit me! I also visited Bobbi Brown and they didn’t have any lipstick that was right for me), and getting advice on the best eyeshadow. In terms of clothes, I don’t know how easy it’s going to be to find clothes in the colours recommended for me. I think I have a reasonable idea of what suits me, but don’t know whether I’m missing out on colours that might be good. If you’ve had your colours done, did you find it changed how you dress? Or did it just leave you thinking - well, those 42 colours would look great, but the reality is that I can’t often find clothes in those colours, so it hasn’t really changed anything?

Get your style done as well. Otherwise you will go out and buy lots of new clothes in the corerct colours but they still might be wrong if they don’t work for your style.

@Chillichutney1 Would you say there was any particular difference between Colour Me Beautiful and HoC?

The free sessions sound brilliant - I’ll look into whether they still do those! Was there an experienced consultant there as well as the trainee?

I worked out my colours form the old CMB book (free from the library) Never bought a pastel since (clear spring)

Op, I paid £30 for an online consultation with styled by susie. Recommended on here. You send photos and she gets back to you with your season and body shape plus advice for both. The £30 package I got was the cheapest but still got lots from it.

I had figured out what I was beforehand, but it helped to have it reinforced.

@Bossinger the hair color doesn't matter for the consultation. They will ask you to come in with no makeup or take it off, and cover your hair so it doesn't impact the color choices. It's all about the skin tones, eye color, things that can't be changed.

When I got mine done my consultant helped me with what color I should be using on my hair, I had been going too red and switched to more of a purple hue in my brown that was much more flattering.

Over the years Ive had it done with Colour Me Beautiful and House of Colour several times (I’m 50 now) and its been well worth it.

House of Colour is better as their take on it is more advanced and modern.

You’ll also find out which type of each of the four types you are, e.g. I’m a Spring but a Blue Spring. That means Im the coolest of the Springs as I sit next to Winter in the colour wheel. This is important as even if you’re typed as a Spring, you might go off and think you can wear bright yelliw next to your face and look amazing but you cant and you wont as yellow is not one of your double star colours, as a Blue Spring (Bright Clear Spring) you look better in the blues, purples greys and greens.

Its not as easy as it looks because of things like contrast and age.

I also recommend getting your style done because otherwise its like going to the hairdressers and getting a colour but no cut. That coat colour may look amazing on you but if its the wrong style it’ll look bad and you’ll have wasted your money. Honestly, its really useful, you’ll find out what your show off area is and what fabrics suit you amongst other things.

A word of warning though, don't be one of those women who dresses head toe in her colours all the time or people will see the clothes instead of you. Keep the majority of your wardrobe neutral.

Thanks, really interesting!

This might be a silly question, but does style depend on your figure at that time? e.g. if you gain or lose a bit of weight, do you have to have it re-done?

I did Colour me Beautiful a couple of years ago. My dominant colouring is deep and strong - no pastels, mainly dark colours. I was disappointed at first, no idea what i would wear in the summer, but it's encouraged me to wear much brighter colours like mustard, orange, red, cobalt blue and to wear colours together eg a mustard top with a rust cardigan.

For lipstick, i went to the boots counter and used their match made service, it came out the same as the CMB suggestions (much brighter than the neutral beige I'd been wearing) but the makeup is cheaper than CMB.

So am I the only person who wasn’t impressed withCMB? I won my consultation, but was excited to do it. But it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. I had always worn the colours that made me look better.
I thought it was odd that my hair was excluded from the process ( you have it all scraped back from your face and covered) , because at the time it was thick and long and as much part of my colouring as my skin.

Had it done 15 years ago, used to wear black all the time but I was actually an Autumn! Over time I completely changed my colours and now have a wardrobe of beautiful colours that suit me and match. Makes shopping much easier too.

This is a good website about the different seasons with ideas what to wear.

www.truth-is-beauty.com/

Yes it was a gamechanger for me but that was also because I had been getting things so very wrong beforehand

@ifeellikeanidiot I’m waiting for my colour analysis from Susie, I’m glad you found it positive. I’m delaying the body shape bit until I’m 4m post partum but I think the colours will be useful now. I’ve also booked a personal shopping session with them for March & again in September for seasonal capsule wardrobes - I need as much help as I can get!!!

I had my HOC analysis done and it was really helpful. I don’t use my full colour palette because although HOC claim all colours in your palette can be with together, they really don’t.

It makes shopping absolute doddle once you know what works for you.

Someone else mentioned to avoid dressing head to toe in your colours which I agree with. HOC say at least 4 colours per outfit but unless 3 are neutrals... just no.

@Abcd3 there is always the tutor who oversees everything including what season/group you’ve been assigned to. In terms of CMB vs HOC, CMB actually diagnosed me as the wrong season.. autumn instead of winter. I actually look like a typical autumn and even I though i was so having used the CMB book mentioned above and various online resources.

It was only when HOC told me I was a jewel winter that the penny dropped in terms of why some of my favourite clothing items made me look so ill (eg mustard, browns)

You can also get the style part of HOC done in the training sessions, I think they do the colour and style double sessions on certain days if you ask, you get a little booklet to take home with you with styles that suit you which is helpful. Email the HQ of both CMB and HOC and enquire.

Thank you, good idea - I’ll do that.

@camrose Hi, just wondering how your colour analysis went? Hope it was good! :)

@Abcd3 Your style/body typing doesnt relate to weight, it relates to your frame shape and you’re assessed from the back so boobs and belly dont matter.

I see - thanks.

Abcd3 - my experience was a bit mixed. I have sent you a pm with more details (would be outing to put details here).

Ah, thank you - I’ve just found it and replied. Sorry that I didn’t see it before!

Hi unburnished, could l ask you what neutral colours you put together please? As l feel l am one of those blue springs, that now have a wardrobe of very bright " stand out" clothes... which doesn't reflect my personality. I have the colour wallet and take it shopping but l seem to have just bought random bits... .
Part of my problem is that l haven't done the style day as it's very expensive and at 52, l do struggle with a style.... things are sometimes a bit young for me...although l don't want to be frumpy.. l see people in their style and copy bits..but my wardrobe is now a bit mis matched...style and colour!! 😜🤣

Youre really missing half the picture if you havent done the style but I know its expensive.

Feel free to PM me with a full length picture of you from the back in leggings and a vest - no need for face! - and I’ll have a go at typing you.

There are also loads of resources online which help such as Ali Art on youtube (just search for body type test & the style types).

As far as neutrals go, these would be ivory, navy and grey and for accessories, tan, grey and beige. Wear your neutrals if youre a classic/natural type or 2 neutrals and a colour if youre more flamboyant. If youre a dark blue spring, you can wear black - just not next to your face. It’s not the best colour for you though.

Hope that helps!

I did House of Colour and it's been life changing.

I'm not convinced about the whole "makes your eyes pop" thing but by having all my clothes from one pallet, I find I wear far more colours than I used to and everything in my wardrobe works with everything else, even colours I wouldn't have thought of putting together before.

I get loads of compliments on my eyes when i wear blue and grey. Not with my other colours though. Agree about everything going together.

Having had mine done with HOC I can’t imagine how styles by susie can give any accurate advice on photos alone. The light in a photo can change colouring so much