Colour Analysis

Colour analysis is the starting point for deciding on which colours best suit you and become the basis for the colour choices which you will make in future. The shades that you choose for the clothes in your wardrobe must be those that best enhance your personal looks. If you dont know which tones best suit you, then you are missing out on an aspect of fashion that has a tremendous effect on your appearance and the impression you make on others and how you feel about yourself. Colour is the probably the first thing people will notice about you, your clothes and your overall look, so it is obviously much more practical to buy clothes that do something for you in the first place. When we talk about knowing your colours, we are referring to identifying your skin tone with one of the four categories named after the four seasons and the colours within each of these palettes are the ones that compliment your skin tone. All human beings are natural works of art – their skin, hair and eyes all have the same basic tone, and work harmoniously together, but we ourselves are often inclined to disturb this perfect balance. The single most important thing to consider in selecting the majority of your colours is your skin tone. Skin is what you have the most of. It is much more important than your eyes or hair. Your skin tone is going to tell you what your seasonal palette should be; and your skin will provide the canvas upon which you, the artist, will apply the shades of your special palette. Colour analysis can enhance your natural looks as you are more aware of appropriate colours to suit your skin tone. As a colour consultant, my job is to help you look and feel amazing every time you open your wardrobe door. The feeling of having a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear will be gone!! When you look great, you feel great. When you feel great, you allow others to respond to you and this can open doors for new relationships, friendships, career progression and more. "The best colour in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you! Coco Chanel

Wardrobe co-ordination also becomes a lot easier once you know your colour season. It helps you become a better manager of your wardrobe, hanging spaces, shelves and drawers. You will be able to tie together colours that blend and contrast with those basic blacks, blues, and browns. Co-ordinating your wardrobe spares you the time pondering what to wear for each occasion and allows you the freedom to mix and match your clothes. It also saves you money because you wont duplicate. Shopping is easier when you know your own palette of colours for your clothing choices – and I can provide you with a palette which can be portable with you. Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman. Coco Chanel

COLOUR ANALYSIS REPORT: Janet Beattie To begin the colour analysis, I sat down with my client and asked her to select a column of colours which appealed to her most or which she felt complimented her complexion the most, with one of the titles-Winter, Summer, Autumn or Spring. WinterSummerAutumnSpring NavySoft BluesDark BrownGolden Brown BlackRose-BrownCamel WhiteNavyBeigePeachy Pink RedRose PinkOrangePeach Shocking PinkLavenderGoldBright Blues GreyPlumMoss GreenGolden Yellow My client, choose the Winter Column. I then conducted the short survey to verify the seasonal colours best suited to my clinets complexion. Natural skin, hair and eye colour were included. My client, who is Irish, has fair (white) skin with a blue undertone, hazel/green eyes and dark brown hair. On analysing both her personal season choice and answers to the questions, we were able to determine the Winter palette of cool undertones is my clinets homebase category. Through further research, my client appears to be a Clear Winter which is a blend of both Winter and Spring (Winter flowing into Spring)

The Clear Winter Palette From Left: Medium grey, charcoal, black, dark taupe, icy grey, taupe, icy blue, icy lavendar, lavendar, icy pink, clear red, raspberry, raspberry pink, aubergine, icy yellow, bright golden yellow, hot turquoise, emerald turquoise, purple, dark purple, royal blue, navy. Typical Characteristics of a Clear Colouring These are your dominant characteristics and what set you apart from the rest in the seasonal colour analysis: Eye colour is crisp, clear and often described as electrifying - colour ranges from clear blue, icy sparkly blue, turquoise blue or green, clear green, emerald to amber/topaz. Hair colour is often black to medium brown. However you can also have golden blonde hair, but it has a deep golden, bright quality to it. Skin tone ranges from milky white to black, but it most likely has a translucent look to it, giving you a Peaches n' Cream look.

SEASON: CLEAR WINTER The Winter Woman is sophisticated and dramatic and excels in clear, sharp hues. Her colours are crisp, vivid and intense with a hint of an icy hue. Muted colours should be avoided and the deeper/darker colours from the Winter palette should be worn with confidence. The Clear Winter looks best in clear, contrasting colors such as when she mixes bright white with dark navy. Black will always look good on you but to maximize your colouring, pair it with a bright contrasting colour. Your colouring can be striking and your palette contains all of the beautiful jewel tones like Ruby Red, Emerald Green and Sapphire Blue. Just make sure they are clear and bold. As a Clear Winter, you will find some of the most intense Spring colours in this palette like bright coral and icy yellow. Some Great Colours include: Black, Pure White, Icy Blue, Icy Pink, Hot Turquoise, True Red, Hot Pink, Royal Blue Colours to Avoid: dusty muted colors, pastels (opt for Icy versions of colours Instead), Orange, golden browns, camel, off-white, and any yellow based colours. The Colour Palette:

How to Shop for Your Winter Colours Choose rich vibrant tones. Think in terms of cool or blue-based, clear or pure colours as well as dark, bright and icy with contrast. Look for colours that are sharp, stark and clear such as white, black, navy blue, red or shocking pink. Solids or simple patterns with a few colours are better than complex busy patterns with many colours. Fabrics should have refined finishes rather than textured surfaces. Two examples of good fabrics would be wool or polished cotton. Select similar colours for a harmonious look or colours most distant from each other in the winter palette for a more dramatic look. Vibrant colours are great for a more youthful look. Start with the basic colours (Black, navy, true-greys, chalk white, grey or burgundy) to coordinate with your basic wardrobe selections. They are the colours that are practical and versatile, chosen for clothes that require heavy investment such as coats, suits, jackets, trousers, skirts and accessories (shoes & bags) Complimentary colours are the colours that add life to the basic wardrobe. They are the clothes that require less investment such as dresses, blouses, sweaters, scarves and general casual wear also come into this category.

Colours that compliment winters Winter icy contrast colours Winter with Summer Influence Winter with Spring Influence Winter with Autumn Influence Winter Homebase Colours Winter Jewellery Metals: Silver, chrome, white gold or sometimes a mixture of silver and gold. Stones: Colours from your palette such as bright emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, dark amethyst, blue lapis, black onyx or malachite. Basic Winter Hosiery Colours Taupe, gray tones, navy and black. Hosiery colour should blend shoe with hemline. Winter Hair Colour Your natural hair color is often best. If colouring your hair is desired or preferred then choose one shade that most closely matches your natural shade. Frosting or highlighting is never recommended for the winter person.