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In 1973, Carol Jackson, a professional color consultant, introduced “Color Me Beautiful,” a groundbreaking guide aimed at helping individuals discover the thirty shades that enhance their appearance. This book revolutionized personal style by offering insights into selecting the colors that “make you look stunning” – AMAZON. “Color Me Beautiful” refers to the concept that certain colors complement an individual’s natural features, such as skin tone, eye color, and hair color. Color analysis has been around for decades but over the last 2 years has experienced a resurgence driven by social media influencers, celebrities, and viral content, which inspired me to dive back in and explore my own “colors” with the help of tools – which I’ve linked at the bottom of this post – beyond the original, 1973 thirty color idea.
My Story
My initial encounter with “Color Me Beautiful” occurred in 1984 when my mother, a Mary Kay consultant, integrated color consulting into her beauty, skincare, and makeup services. During this time, I discovered I was categorized as a WINTER. For years, I firmly believed that colors such as cobalt blue, hot pink, white, emerald green, and purple were the essential palettes to accentuate my natural features and beauty. However, through extensive self-exploration (YouTube videos, blogs, and apps) later in life, I realized that I fall under the classification of DARK AUTUMN, with inclinations towards TRUE AUTUMN. This revelation led me to dig a bit deeper into the idea of color and how it relates to personal style.
Pro’s and Con’s of Color Analysis
The idea behind getting your colors done is to identify which colors suit you best, thereby enhancing your appearance and boosting your confidence. However, like any concept, it can have it’s pro’s and cons.
For Getting Your Colors Done
Enhanced Appearance: By wearing colors, makeup, and accessories that harmonize with your natural features, you can enhance your overall appearance. This can make you look healthier, more vibrant, and even younger.
Confidence Boost: Knowing which colors flatter you can boost your confidence. When you feel good about how you look, it can positively impact your self-esteem and how you present yourself to others.
A More Intentional Approach to Your Wardrobe: Understanding your color palette in conjunction with your three style words (more here), can help you create a wardrobe that works together and reflects your true style personality. You’ll know which colors to focus on when shopping, reducing the likelihood of purchasing items that don’t suit you, and saving you money in the long run.
Against Getting Your Colors Done
Subjectivity: The concept of “suitable” colors can be subjective and vary depending on individual preferences. What one person considers flattering, another may not.
Restriction of Choice: While knowing your ideal color palette can streamline your wardrobe, it may also limit your options. You might feel constrained by sticking to a specific range of colors, especially if you enjoy experimenting with different styles.
Changing Preferences: Our tastes and styles evolve. What suits us at one point in our lives may not necessarily suit us forever. Relying too heavily on a color analysis may hinder our ability to adapt and explore new looks or color combinations.
Cost: Depending on where you go for color analysis, it can be costly, but for many women, investing in a consultation, can save time and money in the long run. However, thanks to free (and more advanced paid) apps and online resources, analyzing your colors from the comfort of you home is easier than ever.
My Thoughts
Understanding what colors flatter me is helpful for outfit styling, makeup, and shopping (particularly when thrifting) for a new piece, but it’s important to remember it’s only part of the personal style puzzle. For example, black, a color only true to the WINTER color palette, is a key component in my wardrobe. Though I would never eliminate it from my closet, I do try to avoid wearing black up close to my face. Or, when I do, I add a little extra under-eye concealer or eye brightener. I believe we all have a natural sense of what colors suit us best and make us feel awesome. The real challenge comes when we start letting outside voices like social media, trends, or even well-intentioned sales folks or stylists steer us away from our instincts. So, while getting your colors done can be helpful, don’t forget to trust your gut instinct and always stay true to yourself.
Explore Online Resources
YouTubeFrom Jashan, The Lifestyle Cog, I found these 2 videos useful for understanding the basics of the can-be-confusing “Color Me Beautiful” process, in 2 steps.
WebsitesMy friend enjoyed and recommended this site, which includes (if interested) a low-cost option to receive your colors and recommended outfit pairings
Fun AppsRemember that apps utilize AI, and robots aren’t human, so if something appears strange, it likely is. While these tools are entertaining to experiment with, I wouldn’t rely on them as absolute truths.
StyleDNA. This app went viral on TikTok about a year ago. After testing it out multiple times, I learned it’s important to use the correct lighting and no makeup when taking the photo for the app. If your results sound off, try again, in different lighting – it’s the key to accurate results. I had fun playing around with the analysis part of the app. I also tried the outfit creator and realized that a style bot cannot know my true style preferences.
Good ReadsFull of Aha Moments, Allison Bornstein’s newly released guide “Wear it Well”, is the best personal style discovery book I’ve read.
Share Your Thoughts
What are your thoughts on color analysis?
We’ve come a long way since 1973. What modern-day tools have you tried or enjoyed using along your journey to discovering your true style personality?
What a fabulous post..So much to think about and learn..Thanks!!
Lynn
thank you Lynn, I am thrilled to learn you found this post useful! Thanks for checking it out! XX