A little while ago I was sitting next to a friend’s daughter as she was scoping out potential prom dresses on the internet. We start talking about color. I asked her what season she was. She looked at me like she thought I was high. “What are you talking about?” she asked. I nearly fell out of my chair.
Back in the day, EVERYONE knew what ‘season’ they were. In fact, we held home parties so consultants could come and analyze everyone. Yes, it was that important. In fact, it still is. So what am I taking about?
What colors look best on you.
Whether you want to master the world of fashion or just want to look your best, this is vital information. You've got to know your 'season.'
SIDE NOTE: If you’re a guy (and, no, you’re not the only guy who frequents my blog) don’t think you should stop reading because this is a ‘girl’ thing. You want to look good? This will help and I promise I won’t tell anyone you were here.
There are four different color seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Sound familiar? What season you belong to depends on your skin tone and hair color.
Your skin: Are you Cool or Warm?
Skin has one of two undertones: cool/blue or warm/yellow. Sometimes you can just tell which type of skin you have. When you blush, do you get rosy or peachy cheeks? That’s one indicator. The best way is to figure out which color looks best on you is to do the orange/pink test. Put a bright orange piece of fabric (or paper) next to your face. Then do the same with something hot pink. One should definitely look better on you than the other. In fact, one might make you look kinda sickly.
If you look best in the bright orange, you have warm undertones. When you blush, you probably look more peachy than rosy. That means you’re either an Autumn or a Spring. (Helpful hint: most redheads fall into this category.) If you look best in the hot pink, you have cool undertones. When you blush, you look more rosy than peachy. That means you’re either a Winter or Summer.
As I said before, you can also take a cue from your hair color. Is your hair warm (honey blonde, strawberry blonde, auburn, golden chestnut brown) or cool (black, dark brown, ash brown, ash blonde, platinum blonde)? Once you figure this out, read on.
Autumns vs. Springs
Autumns can most easily be classified as darker versions of Springs. They typically have darker hair and eyebrows, whereas Springs have fairer complexions and lighter hair. Go back to the color test. Both seaons look best in warm colors, but the Autumn color palette is a little darker than the Spring one. Do you look better in dark chocolate brown and pumpkin (Autumn) or apricot or pastel yellow-green (Spring)?
Winters vs. Summers
Like the Autumn/Spring comparison, Winters are usually darker versions of Summers. Many have dark skin and/or olive skin, though many with fair complexions and dark hair are winters, too. Think Snow White. She's a definite Winter. As for Summers? They usually have fair complexions and lighter hair.
For a complete list of the colors that look best on you, I think the best one is in Carole Jackson’s book, ‘Color Me Beautiful.’ It came out in 1980, thus starting the ‘getting your colors done’ craze. For an incomplete but get-you-on-the-right-track’ list of colors, click the links below. I even dish on which celebrities share your season. Check 'em out:
Autumn color palette
Spring color palette
Winter color palette
Summer color palette
Anyway, I hope this helps, but before you go one final thought: These color palettes are guidelines and not a full list. Don’t shun a particular hue just because it’s not there. If you know it looks good on you, go with it. Also, if there’s a color you really love to wear but it doesn’t look good on you, just don’t wear it right up against your face. Experiment. I'm sure you can make it work.
Like all things in life, don’t follow this blindly…make that color-blindly.
Have fun! And feel free to share what season you are and any tips you may have with a comment. Despite what it says, there's no 'login' or 'sign up.' It's just there to scare away spammers. ;)
Back in the day, EVERYONE knew what ‘season’ they were. In fact, we held home parties so consultants could come and analyze everyone. Yes, it was that important. In fact, it still is. So what am I taking about?
What colors look best on you.
Whether you want to master the world of fashion or just want to look your best, this is vital information. You've got to know your 'season.'
SIDE NOTE: If you’re a guy (and, no, you’re not the only guy who frequents my blog) don’t think you should stop reading because this is a ‘girl’ thing. You want to look good? This will help and I promise I won’t tell anyone you were here.
There are four different color seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Sound familiar? What season you belong to depends on your skin tone and hair color.
Your skin: Are you Cool or Warm?
Skin has one of two undertones: cool/blue or warm/yellow. Sometimes you can just tell which type of skin you have. When you blush, do you get rosy or peachy cheeks? That’s one indicator. The best way is to figure out which color looks best on you is to do the orange/pink test. Put a bright orange piece of fabric (or paper) next to your face. Then do the same with something hot pink. One should definitely look better on you than the other. In fact, one might make you look kinda sickly.
If you look best in the bright orange, you have warm undertones. When you blush, you probably look more peachy than rosy. That means you’re either an Autumn or a Spring. (Helpful hint: most redheads fall into this category.) If you look best in the hot pink, you have cool undertones. When you blush, you look more rosy than peachy. That means you’re either a Winter or Summer.
As I said before, you can also take a cue from your hair color. Is your hair warm (honey blonde, strawberry blonde, auburn, golden chestnut brown) or cool (black, dark brown, ash brown, ash blonde, platinum blonde)? Once you figure this out, read on.
Autumns vs. Springs
Autumns can most easily be classified as darker versions of Springs. They typically have darker hair and eyebrows, whereas Springs have fairer complexions and lighter hair. Go back to the color test. Both seaons look best in warm colors, but the Autumn color palette is a little darker than the Spring one. Do you look better in dark chocolate brown and pumpkin (Autumn) or apricot or pastel yellow-green (Spring)?
Winters vs. Summers
Like the Autumn/Spring comparison, Winters are usually darker versions of Summers. Many have dark skin and/or olive skin, though many with fair complexions and dark hair are winters, too. Think Snow White. She's a definite Winter. As for Summers? They usually have fair complexions and lighter hair.
For a complete list of the colors that look best on you, I think the best one is in Carole Jackson’s book, ‘Color Me Beautiful.’ It came out in 1980, thus starting the ‘getting your colors done’ craze. For an incomplete but get-you-on-the-right-track’ list of colors, click the links below. I even dish on which celebrities share your season. Check 'em out:
Autumn color palette
Spring color palette
Winter color palette
Summer color palette
Anyway, I hope this helps, but before you go one final thought: These color palettes are guidelines and not a full list. Don’t shun a particular hue just because it’s not there. If you know it looks good on you, go with it. Also, if there’s a color you really love to wear but it doesn’t look good on you, just don’t wear it right up against your face. Experiment. I'm sure you can make it work.
Like all things in life, don’t follow this blindly…make that color-blindly.
Have fun! And feel free to share what season you are and any tips you may have with a comment. Despite what it says, there's no 'login' or 'sign up.' It's just there to scare away spammers. ;)
Photo from anneohirsch's flickr photo stream.
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