dressing by colour seasons

[MariCooyong]

Most of us have ‘colour seasons’: ‘Autumns’ look good in warm colours that complement their warm colouring, ‘Summers’ look good in pastels that complement their pale colouring, etc. But is it possible for someone to look good in every colour?

Also, how much attention do you pay to your colour season, and do you ever break the rules, so to speak?

I had more be done at hoc about 10 years ago. Still have the little wallet.

The consultant spent quite a long time working out if I was warm or cool toned as it's not at all obvious but I am warm and came out as a paintbox spring which seems to be a category to put people in if they are tricky.

I found it quite difficult as my best neutrals were French navy (or with a bit of warmth in it) or chocolate brown in years where there was no brown at all around. My best colours were turquoise, apple green and bright red.

I don't have a natural flair for dressing well
and find it very easy to dress like a CBeebies presenter if I follow my rules. I have switched to a lot of tan for bags and shoes and gold jewellery both of which are better on me. For work I kind of try tonal dressing so navy or dark green trousers with a more intense spring like blue or green top. That can work ok. Two colours and a splash as my consultant said.

I have found my best colours do seem to have changed since I've aged however. I bought a chocolate brown t shirt with joy the other day and it's fine whereas it used to be really good. I got cheapy bright pink hoodie from primark for round the house and it's quite cool toned but it really works well. Red now looks too overpowering (although it's hard to find a true red I think).

I also have gone back to black at least for bottoms. For things like joggers I can make them look ok if they are black but if I try a colour I'm back to CBeebies

How do you know what you are without paying for one of these consultants?

Self diagnosed Spring here! This is one season that should not wear black! I think Winter is the only one that can wear black. Another colour I look shit in is that dark flat burgundy colour, Rust as well. Though warm sounding , in make up anyway often has blue in it. I used to have high colouring and burgundy or rust lipsticks weirdly made my face look paler but made any redness (broken veins, spots) look more obvious..

I really suit coral¹, blues and greens though I stay away from very dark green I think dark colours age me .

But like another poster I have to be careful not to look too Cbb.i am so overjoyed about wearing bright clear colours but I really should be careful and use the brighter shades for accessories otherwise I tend to be a crop between Hyacinth Bucket and a CBB presenter!!!!

I am a self-diagnosed autumn and know I look much better in browns, greens and oranges.

I do deviate from the fixed colour palette sometimes but know I can't wear pastels without looking completely washed out. Pale yellows and pinks are dreadful. I think the colour chart shows I should be able to wear salmons and mint greens but again they don't suit me. In summer I tend to stick with a mix of warm blues as a change from the usual warm autumn colours (e.g. summer denim type shades which often work well with off-white or camel). I also find bright colours too garish and overpowering so avoid white, royal blue, red or emerald.

I wear a lot of black basics in winter which is wrong for my colouring but is so practical. I therefore try to wear black with the autumn colours so the overall impression is better. My go to outfits usually include camel or off-white/arran type knitwear closer to my face.

Ah strange as I'm pretty sure I'm a spring- really suit coral and azure blue - but I can get away with black.

I've never understood why you would need to wear trousers or skirts in your colour scheme as they aren't against your face. I think the head to toe dressing in colours is responsible for the CBBC look.

It's interesting so many people swear by them as when out, most people seem to be in grey and black. Not just coats but other clothes. I suppose predominantly men. Why dont they worry about their colours more?

The colours go together whereas one colour from your pallet with trousers in a different seasons pallet won’t look as good.

CBBC? I think that’s a childrens tv show? I can honestly say I’ve never looked like a presenter from CBBC.

I think you can get a general sense of what season you are just by trial and error. I never had my colours done professionally but I’ve always gravitated towards jewel tones because I think I look my best in them, so when I read up on colour seasons I realised I was a Winter.

One thing you can do is the ‘fuschia orange test’. People with a warm spring or autumn colouring will look better in orange (a warm colour) than fuschia (a cool colour), and people with a cool summer or winter colouring will look better in fuschia. So you can hold up an orange scarf or top to your face, and then a fuschia one, and see which looks better.

You can also consider if you look better in gold or silver jewellery. Gold = warm-toned, silver = cool-toned.

Getting your colours done was all the rage during the 80s. I was a teen then but lots of my friends mothers did Colour Me Beautiful.

I’ve had it done twice- because I used to colour my hair darker before- I was Winter but now Summer which I find easier to buy for on the whole.

Re the CBeebies for me it's having no style ability! I used to work with someone who I think was also a spring and her ability to mix colour and look stylish was amazing - I'll always remember a purple with yellow dress and cardigan work outfit - in theory no different from my own dress and jacket in terms of garment but so so better put together.

Lady Mary on Downton once wore a dove grey and French navy outfit - both 'my' spring colours and it was stunning. I tried a similar colour combo and looked like I was in uniform....