When I worked for BeautyControl Cosmetics as an image consultant, one of the first processes you were taught was to do a color analysis. This is something few if any men would ever give a second thought but is important to the feminine differential. We are not speaking about the tradition where baby boys are wrapped in blue and baby girls in pink nor is it about your color preferences. It is about what colors make you look your best. Here is a personal experience: A few months ago, I ordered a beautiful yellow boat neck sweater from an online boutique. The color was soft and pretty, I like yellow and it looked absolutely amazing on the model. After a week of waiting (not-so-patiently) for my purchase, it arrived on my doorstep. I eagerly took it out of the package, tried it on, looked in the mirror, and was filled with an overwhelming sense of... disappointment. I looked washed out and tired; it was hard to believe that the same thing that had highlighted all of the model's features made all of mine look dull. I package it up and returned it that day.
Why do certain colors look beautiful on some people and boring on others? As we all know, shopping through an overwhelming array of products in innumerable colors and trying to decide which one to buy is not an easy task.
Choosing colors that will flatter your complexion can make you feel like you're playing a game of roulette; sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and there's no way of knowing why. Luckily, picking out a flattering color doesn't have to be based on luck. You can rig the game so you win every time.
So if you have not had a professional color analysis you will be amazed to what it can do for overall presentation. Many department store makeup counter will be happy to help or hiring a professional image consultant will be money well spent.
Point of truth: I am not going to point out what from your color palette what you should wear or not wear. it is both scientific and personal. The Fashion blog "A Well Styled Life" offers a much broader perspective. Some great advice:
BY: Jennifer Connolly
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| Jennifer Connolly |
Here are the three colors you should never wear:
A COLOR YOU REALLY DISLIKE
I suspect many of us have looked at the fabric or paper fan of colors we’ve been told are flattering for us, and see colors we don’t like. I certainly have. Don’t wear them. Wearing a color that you instinctively dislike is like taking bitter medicine. Research shows that the colors you wear affect your mood so if you dislike a color, wearing it won’t make you feel confident.
My color fan is too old to be of any benefit to me and contains many colors I would never wear. Those colors may have flattered my coloring, back in the day, but I disliked them so I never bought anything in them.
A COLOR THAT DRAINS YOU
The color that leaches life from your face and makes you look and feel older than you are. For many women, that’s black but it could also be a heavily saturated or bright color that’s too vibrant for your personal coloring. I like to say it enters the room before you do and so you feel overpowered by it. It could also be too pale for your complexion which makes you look and feel washed out.
ANY COLOR WITH BAD MEMORIES
Life is certainly too short for this. If you had to wear a certain colored uniform to school and it still gives you the heebie-jeebies, don’t wear it. If a certain color reminds you of a sad, traumatic, or tragic experience, I suggest you give it a pass. Our clothes should excite us and bring us joy.
The classic 'go to' guide for proper color selection are the books "Color Me Beautiful" (for women) and "Color For Men", both are expanded examples of your color wheel. I find them for sale on 'used books' sites for mere minor dollars.
ReplyDeleteAlong with color selection, proper selection of lighting source is most important. Florescent lighting is a fatal move for clothing and makeup color selection. Go with G.E Reveal (brand) incandescents.
Have you ever wondered why the meat at the grocery looks so good? The lighting in the meat dept has a large 'red' spectrum component(warm red), as opposed to the 'cool white' florescent bulbs, used in the rest of the store.
COLOR WITH BAD MEMORIES DEPT:
There exists a late model of Lexus Sedan with a curious 'off' yellow color. Whenever I get a glimpse of one of those yellow cars, my stomach does a 'flip' and I recall the memory of a bad taste in my mouth. The reason is that, at about age 6, I had to take a horrid tasting liquid medicine for some unremembered malady, that had a similar yellow color. Even now, 60+ years later, that color sets my stomach off.
Velma