Has anyone had a colour image consultation?

[RhodaCamel]

I’d love to have my colours done as I’m always in black or grey and at 46 I think it’s draining and ageing.
I was thinking of something like a Colour Me Beautiful consultation but they are quite expensive though, I was thinking of using money that I was gifted for Christma but don’t want to be left disappointed and feel I’ve wasted the money.
Is it worth it?

I had a HOC consultation about 4 months ago in Dubai and its one of the best things Ive ever done for myself.

Ive since been back to Dubai twice to see the consultant and we're working through getting me completely sorted.

It would be useful to hear from someone who's been more recently to see whether it's still value for money

I think I paid about 160 pounds for my session and I was surprised by the swatch being paper and not fabric. That said though, what I got from the day was priceless and Ive since been back for two more sessions.

I had my colour analysis with HOC 2 years ago (can’t believe it’s that long!). I think I paid £140 for that. It’s been well worth it for me. I’ve also had my styling done. I’ve basically overhauled my whole wardrobe in the last 2 years (gradually), I think there’s probably only a handful of items that have survived my colour analysis, style consultation and my weight fluctuations! It’s helped me to avoid making pointless purchases, know what to look for when shopping and also to have the confidence to send things back when they’re not right. Some colours I never would have gone for like mustard..I bought a scarf in that colour, only a cheap one from Tesco but I got loads of compliments when I started wearing it. I think since you don’t have to go too often (I’ve been twice for my colour and styling but am contemplating an advanced colour class) it’s worth travelling to find a HOC consultant personally. I know it’s an expensive thing to do but I think it’s saved me time and money in the long run by helping me avoid trying on stuff that won’t suit me or buying it and not wearing it because I knew it wasn’t quite right.

I agree - definitely travel for a good one if you can get a recommendation. I have been told I am spring, winter and summer (or 'clear and warm'/'clear and cool'). So everything other than autumn...

I'm going for one next week in London. Only £49 from Groupon. Quite looking forward to it.

@FaithInfinity what did you cover in the style consultation? I’m considering going back but for that but I’m not sure how much I would get out of it. I already know that I’m a pear shape for example, but is the focus different than just dressing for your shape?

I had it done (with HoC) and I think it was worth it, although I take the “wow colour” recommendations with a grain of salt. My consultant took ages determining if I was warm or cool, and tbh my skin is very neutral and I suspect I span two seasons (spring and winter). I can wear warm or cool colours as long as they are saturated, and not dusty or dark. I still stick to the season my consultant settled on (spring) because it means everything in my wardrobe harmonises together and I can throw any combination of pieces on and look pulled together. That’s the real beauty of the system - a limited colour palette means your wardrobe becomes truly interchangeable.

It’s a combination of your shape and personality determining your clothing personality. There’s 7 different women’s clothing personality but most people are one with a bit of another, I’m Gamine (fun one!) but with classic elements. So she went through how what you wear expresses your personality. I got advice on types of clothing, jewellery, shoes...it’s a half day session but she covered a lot in that time. She talked about how small differences can make a big impression. I’ll dig by books out and see exactly what they said because although I know in principle what I’m doing when I shop now but it’s hard to express it!

Paperflowers yes last time we packed for holiday my DH was amazed at how little I’d packed! I explained it was because everything went together! I know what you mean about the wow colours, one of mine is the salmon pink but I’m never drawn to it.

House of Colour. Was very cynical beforehand but it was a total game changer for me. I’m sure I’ve saved thousands over the last five years since having it done!

I did HoC too and it was worth it for me.

I’m not very naturally stylish or creative and struggled to see what suited me. I liked being told what to wear and I am very conscious I get most compliments when I wear my wow colours and I know all the items in my wardrobe work together.

I went for a Sci/art consultation which was expensive but a game changer. It’s not based on your hair or eye colour but how your skin reacts to the drapes and you spend a long time comparing each season with each other so when you finally get your season it just feels so right.
I took some favourite clothes, lipsticks and jewellery and I could see what was working and what wasn’t and why.
I’ve gone from someone who hated makeup because it never looked right to someone who wears lipstick / tinted balm in my season’s colours every day now because it just pops! She gave me loads of lipstick recommendations so that was the first thing I went shopping for.

I haven’t thrown all my non-season clothes away. But even wearing things that are too warm for me with my season makeup feels better.

I wish I’d done it years ago.

I’m in Essex and I had a it’s my colour consultation today in Billericay. The lady was recommended to me by friends who had had it before and I really enjoyed the experience. It was lovely to have a couple of hours to think about myself, go through the colours that suited me and consider different ways of styling. I paid £100 for 2 hours and I have left feeling excited about clothes for the first time in ages!

Had the Kettlewell fashion catalogue or online site still got colour guidance on it?

Free. Was quite helpful.

Be interesting if those if you who’ve had it professionally done tried it on the Kettlewell site now and cane up with the same answers!!

Look at the style yourself confident website. Lots of guidance and ideas to set you off before you pay out. I think she does an online consultation, which I'm tempted to try.

I did my own DIY version one summer when I was bored, by browsing Pinterest and juxtapositioning a jpeg image of my face against various colour palettes.
The right colours become instantly obvious, as do the wrong ones.

I shop clothes primarily by colour now, and my eyes are instantly drawn to the ones I already know will look great.

Kettle well still has colour guidance but the result will only be as accurate as how you describe yourself. It said I was a winter but I’m in fact a summer.

Maybe do the quizes first - that quiz was great thanks Ferry and have a play with the colours suggested to see if it works for you. I have done so many quizes and they all say Warm Spring so I can't justify forking out for a consultation to tell me what I already know. There will be colours in your palette that you just don't like, I can't abide bright turquoise on me, more that it represents a hippy vibe than the actual colour iyswim, but that's ok too.
That 30somethingurban quiz link is fantastic.

I would absolutely love to get this done and have been considering it for a while. Does anyone have any experience of/ recommendations for any of the South London House of Colour consultants? Helen White, Anna Gryce, Ali Westmoreland?

I did it myself from a book. Holding up towels of different colours to my face. The key thing was not whether it seemed to suit me, but which looked more expensive. It transformed my charity shop strategy.

Having had mine done with HOC I wouldn’t ever recommend styled
By susie or anyone else online. Seeing the colours draped on you is amazing and someone telling you online is not the same thing at all. You need to see it yourself, sometimes it’s a complete revelation

Yes - also finally went to a Sci/Art person. V expensive but I feel she definitely got it right. I could really 'see' it. I looked much healthier in the right colours for me - shadows under eyes much less obvious, shadows from creases between mouth and nose not there and my skin looked much clearer. Some next door seasons were 'ok' but I could see my sub-season was spot on. Gabi from Chromology if you want to google.

I've just done both of the online tests for fun, and was completely (and differently!) misdiagnosed both times.

If you can go in person I would recommend it. I'm a deep summer (and it took the consultant ages to get it, lots of winter colours also look good on me). It also really helps to be in a group and see other people's true season. Seeing how amazing they look in the right colours really gives you confidence in your own diagnosis, even if it's hard to see on yourself whilst being draped.

I had mine done 2 years ago, I’m mid-30s and it was so helpful. My wardrobe has almost totally changed over the last 2 years and I rarely buy a “miss”.

@missl1 if you can get to Central London, I had a really good experience with Susan White.