Colour analysis surprise result - anyone else?

[crispinglovershighkick]

100% convinced I was a winter, had colours done to figure out what the best bits of my winter pallette are, turns out I'm a deep/dark/blue autumn. In autumn colours I don't look like myself, it's very odd, my blue eyes turn hazel. Most of my wardrobe is blue! I always thought I looked like family member A, in new colours I look like family member B.

I did it for a bit of a tweak and refresh and it's provoked an existential crisis

I agree that this is a middle-class, middle-aged thing to do and I can just wear what I want, and I'm overinvested and should give my head a wobble

it's not woo at all - people have different skin tones. I'm a full on winter. Peaches/soft blues etc would make me look like the walking dead. A few women at work look really lovely in a light orangey red. They'd call 911 if I turned up wearing it

I know I’m autumn. Black doesn’t suit me. Navy is the better option.

I'd love to get mine done. Are you supposed to go in makeup free and with natural hair or if you've got a colour, I have some highlights, do they take that into account. I have green eyes, tan easily but otherwise pale, sometimes flushed, mousey/dark brown hair naturally but currently blonde highlights. I also like blue but wonder now if I'd be surprised..

HeyGirl I think they cover your hair if you have colour. Yes, no makeup, they put a bit on after the analysis.

Standrew I have no navy in my palette, only a few warm greeney-blues and the one closest to navy isn't one of my best colours apparently. I think I'm meant to wear chocolate brown as a dark neutral.

I was curious enough to get my colours done. I was adamant that I wasn’t an Autumn, I even dreamt about it!

However, I couldn’t deny the difference when I was draped, the cool colours did nothing for me. I had a noticeable double chin, noticed my spot more, bags under the eyes. I look brighter, fresher, thinner draped in Autumn colours. It took a while to embrace certain Autumn colours - I already loved royal purple and kingfisher blue (I am a dark blue Autumn) - I started small with other colours, like I bought a cheap mustard scarf. I got loads of compliments on it! I definitely get more compliments in Autumn colours. I feel more confident too. I think it was worth the money to get it done.

I had mine done over 30 years ago and was told I was winter. I had them done at the end of 2019 and am now a jewel winter.

After the colour analyst had finished I showed her my original booklet from 30 years previously. Most of the colours matched, but the most surprising new colour for me was emerald green. I never thought it would suit me, but it does.

I've noticed a specificity creep, over the years. Used to be warm vs cool, high vs low contrast. I was a just plain obvious winter, then. Now. I have elements of deep winter and soft winter (because I'm going grey) and it turns out that the colour that does wondrous things on me is supposed to be a summer colour.

And at that point, it becomes clear that, if it was all straightforward, no one could make money off it.

And 30 years ago, emerald green looked great on me. Now it looks like a boiler suit because my dark brown hair is Salt and pepper and my skin is tired and sun damaged.

That makes sense, thank you crisping.

I've had my colours done twice. The first time I was told I was a cool spring but that didn't feel right and it's not a colour palette I'm drawn to at all. The second time I got muted summer, which is definitely me.

I always wonder about people paying £250 for this

There are colours that suit you, and colours that don’t, and you can just see that in the mirror, non?

I always look best I olive/khaki/sludge colours and gold jewellery. I look horrible in any blue/navy (but turquoise ok)

It’s just obvious when you try things on?

Still intrigued by it all

ExMiL paid for exSiL and I to get ours done once about 15 years ago. The lady clocked SiL as a Jewell winter straight away but couldn’t get mine for shit, then right at the end said I was a ‘vibrant autumn’. I think I still have the orangey red lipstick I bought!

To be honest I completely forgot about it until seeing this thread just now! Can’t remember what a vibrant autumn means, but I do like sage/mustard/rust type colours. I’ve always thought I can wear any colours but that’s probably untrue really.

@ChubbyLittleManInACampervan

I always wonder about people paying £250 for this

There are colours that suit you, and colours that don’t, and you can just see that in the mirror, non?

I always look best I olive/khaki/sludge colours and gold jewellery. I look horrible in any blue/navy (but turquoise ok)

It’s just obvious when you try things on?

Still intrigued by it all

I always wonder about people paying £250 as well. It costs half of that for a HOC consultation where I live.

And no, a lot of people can't "see" what colours suit them best. For a start they don't own swathes of scarves in all the colour palettes to see which exact shade of blue suits them.

I think you need a good "eye" for colour, which is something a lot of people just don't have.

This is really interesting. I’d be fascinated to have this done, and I wonder if I’d have the same result OP did.

I have always thought I’m a Winter (I have pale skin, dark hair, dark brown eyes and wear a lot of navy and jewel colours) - but the sticking point for me is that my hair has lots of reddish tones. I think this is only meant to be possible if you’re an Autumn? But I don’t like any of the Autumn colours on me.

OP it must be really disturbing to feel challenged in who you are (especially if it’s bound up with a disturbing childhood experience like discovering a new half-sibling!). I think I’d feel very similar in your situation.

@Whydidimarryhim you can get your colours done on their training days for free! You have to go to the HQ on days they specify and sometimes they will also do the style consultation which is great. Just email them and ask to be put on their list. I keep getting emails to go even now. It will be checked by a qualified consultant.

Having said that I went twice, once to colour me beautiful and once to HOC. CMB had me down as an autumn which I had always thought I was. HOC diagnosed jewel winter and despite what people say about knowing your best colours, the penny dropped and I realised my favourite mustard and browns were making me look ill. I just liked the colours but they didn’t work on me. I still love mustard I just use it in my home deco now.

Whenever I’ve had compliments it’s always when wearing winter colours so sometimes you don’t know what suits you best, you’re just used to certain colours. Def recommend getting colours done, middle age or any age!

Catabogus you can’t really tell from your description. It’s more about your skin tone. Some people find when they go grey they need to go back for a “re-rate”, because they find the colours that really suited them (“wow” colours for House of colour) don’t look the same but people don’t tend to change season.

OP where did you go ?
I assume I am Autumn, but other than that I have no idea.
Perimeno is a weird time anyway, everything is shifting, I think loss of confidence is a huge feature not much talked about. In many ways it feels like the teenage years but without that underlying thrum of excitement about your future opening up, and instead this feeling of grief at things closing down.

@SirVixofVixHall that comment is worthy of its own thread really

Am really starting to dread menopause, as everyone says it’s so awful

Am almost 50 and still riding high on confidence and everything really.

.., will have to start mentally preparing for the crash to come

Am really starting to dread menopause, as everyone says it’s so awful

It isn't for everyone. You only hear about the women who have been negatively affected by it. The rest of us (myself included) don't suffer all the horrible symptoms you hear about.

Please don't assume the worst. I had a few "power surges" and had some hormonal migraines, but no other issues. I am 62 and fitter than I was 10 years ago and my brain is sharper. The only negative for me is thinning hair.

I had my colours done about 10 years ago. I'm s deep summer (convinced I was a winter beforehand). The analysis is spot on, it's definitely correct.
Surprised to hear how expensive it is now. I paid £99, which included lunch. You got some style and makeup advice and a set of fabric swatches in your colours to take away as well. £250 is a bit steep though.
It was a really nice day and I got as much out of seeing other people being analysed (you really see the transformation) as I did from being analysed myself.

I've tried doing the quizzes online but can never answer the questions accurately! I have no idea if my veins are blue or green, or if my hair is mid brown or dark brown. It's too confusing! I'd love to know my season though.

I think some of the charges are higher at the moment ast the stylists are doing 1:1 sessions due to Covid.

My session was a 1:1 in December 2019 and cost just over £100, but I doubt that anyone would get any bookings at £250 here in South Yorkshire.

I should add that not all women experience a crisis of confidence in peri-meno. It does seem common though. I think it is mainly a social issue around middle aged and older women being less valued, combined with hormonal upheaval. For many of us we are also losing our parents then, or juggling our children and our elderly parents.

Catabogus thanks for your empathy My hair is also dark but with some warmth. Apparently I'm the coolest autumn type, often thought to be winters. I didn't like any autumn colours on me and actively avoided them, I needed to see them all in one place to see how they changed my look. Do you prefer silver or gold?

SirVix yes there are all kinds of variables, perimeno not a one-size-fits-all experience. What you say about it being like the teenage years is so true, I feel perpetually misunderstood (which is tedious). Covid has changed everything, things I used to do to support and refresh my outlook haven't been available. Socialising in groups online is just the worst of all worlds for me, it may be the cause of some of my fish-out-of-water feeling.

ChubbyLittleMan I wouldn't worry, it's not like your confidence just drains away, in some ways it's bolstered by a new ability to give no fucks. I would not have predicted that I'd lack confidence in this particular way though, it has blindsided me a bit.