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Friday, May 20, 2011

The "Color Analysis" Of My Journey To A New Me

Most of you will probably not remember a "fad" that I am going to speak about in my blog today but it was something that caught my attention in 1981 and something that I still think about today. I think you will find it very interesting as it applies to my journey to a new me!


Remember the days of Tupperware Parties and candle parties? Before you had Pampered Chef parties, and jewelry parties. During the early 1980's a new type of party was formed and it was lead by a "Color Analysis" Consultant. Someone who had no formal education about color or analysis, but a trained eye when it came to determining the best "colors" that a person should wear to bring out the best look in both appearance, complexion and style.  Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

  "Color analysis, also called skin tone color matching or color seasons, is the process of finding colors of clothing and makeup to match a person's complexion, eye color, and hair color. It is often used as an aid to wardrobe planning and style consulting."

  "Color analysis is the process of determining the colors that best suit an individual's natural coloring. There are several means of analysing personal coloring. The most well-known is "seasonal" color analysis, which places individual coloring into four general categories: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. "Winters" and "Summers" have cool coloring. Some clues that a person has cool coloring might include ash tones in the hair, grey-blue eyes and pinkish undertones to the skin. "Springs" and "Autumns" have warm coloring. Some signs of warm coloring are red or golden hair, golden brown eyes and golden undertones to the skin."

During the party our Color Analysis Consultant began by explaining that all the colors of the rainbow could be broken down Iinto four distinct seasons; Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. She instructed everyone to remove all of their jewelry and make-up. This in itself was a challenge for some who did not want to be without their face painted on.


She then called us up one at a time to sit in her "Color Analysis" chair to perform  our personal consultation. ( The chair was just an ordinary chair taken from my mom's kitchen table, but for this evening it had a place of special importance!)


When it was your turn to sit in the chair she would begin to talk to you about the "colors" that you currently like to wear and how you feel when you are wearing those colors. All the while she is draping solid color fabric across you chest in an attempt to cover up the clothing that you had worn to the party.


I remember very clearly this experience because the first color she placed on me was bright royal blue. I don't have blue eyes, but if I did it would have made them sparkle even "bluer".  This was a great color for me and when she asked me if I liked what I saw in the mirror I quickly responded "Yes"! She then pulled the pretty blue fabric from around me and flung the next color in her bag of tricks onto my chest like a Matador's cape. The new fabric was bright red. Not an orangey-red or a burgundy red but a cherry red or candied apple red. Wow! This was amazing! I felt great in this color too! How would I pick which one to wear?  But wait, there's more!!!  She announces that she wants to "confirm" her findings, and she proceeds to begin draping light pastels, muted colors, and other colors that I would never wear.  After this process she explains that I am a "strong Winter" and that this is the coloring that most women die for.  Mainly because the colors Black and White are part of the color palette.

So what does all this talk of color analysis have to do with My Journey To A New Me? Everything and nothing. Everything because when I began to reflect back over my last 30 years of my "adulthood" I realized that I had been unhappy about my outer appearance for a very long time and neglected to take a closer look to see what the real issues were. Does wearing certain color help me to become happy? Not necessarily but I do find that I feel better "about" myself when I wear particular colors. This color analysis deal has been going on for about thirty years and if you did a google search today you would find many websites dedicating to giving you just enough information to get you "hooked". But the catch is they want you to pay for the color swatch test. Well let me save you all a lot of time and money.

Well I say, "Wear what you like, wear the colors thar make you feel the best, and be the best you that you can be!". There is only one you and whether you know what color to wear or not does not make any difference in the long run. If you want to wear black and you arent a true "winter" I say go for it! Black makes Everyone feel thinner!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Red is my signature color...........(said in my best "Shelby" from Steel Magnolias voice!!) Love your blogs! ;o)