Thinking Beyond Color Analysis
During my career as a personal stylist, I've had the privilege of helping many professional women discover their best looks. My approach to helping someone find, develop, or expand their personal style is tailored to what makes each individual feel and look their best, without hewing too closely to predetermined rules or systems. Contrary to what you may have heard, choosing colors for yourself isn’t an exact science.
One of these systems that people frequently ask about is color analysis, which categorizes individuals into seasonal palettes—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—based on their natural coloring.
While color analysis can be a helpful starting point, it's important to recognize its limitations. No two people are alike; body shape, coloring, preferences, budget, the whims of a particular day all come together to make each of us different. Putting too much stock into any one set of rules will ultimately lead to frustration, or even more unfortunately, a belief that you are doing something wrong. As a stylist, I of course consider what colors make you feel and look your best when choosing your wardrobe, but firmly believe a more nuanced approach can better serve your wardrobe and personal style.
To begin, color analysis can sometimes be too rigid. While it’s absolutely true that certain colors can compliment your skin tone, hair color, and eye color, the idea that you should strictly adhere to a specific palette can be limiting and sometimes feel discouraging when trying to find your personal style. Personal style is an expression of individuality, and only working within a seasonal palette can stifle creativity. For instance, someone categorized as a "Winter" might feel limited to bold, cool colors and miss out on the joy of experimenting with warmer shades that might still look stunning on them. Regardless of “your season”, if you love colors outside of those determined shades, there are workarounds. You can try incorporating colors that you love but aren’t the most flattering up against your face by utilizing them in your footwear, pants, or skirts.
Another limitation of color analysis is that it doesn’t account for the psychological impact of color. How you feel in a particular color can significantly influence how you carry yourself and, by extension, how you are perceived. Color analysis may indicate you look best in cool tones, but if you feel powerful and confident in a bright red (a warm color), that confidence can often be more impactful than the “correctness” of your color palette. Personal style is as much about how clothes make you feel as how they make you look.
Personal coloring can also change over time. Factors such as aging, changes in hair color, and variations in skin tone throughout the year, and how much skin in showing in a garment can all influence which colors look best on us.
Relying too heavily on a static color palette doesn’t account for these changes. A dynamic approach that adjusts with these natural changes is more practical and reflective of our evolving selves.
A more practical conflict that can arise when leaning too heavily on color analysis is when your seasonal palette is not in sync with the cyclical nature of fashion trends. Colors go in and out of style, and this fluctuation impacts the availability of certain shades in your favorite brands. A season's trending palette may not align with your designated color palette, making it challenging to find clothes that you believe both suit you and feel current. For instance, if earthy tones are in vogue but your analysis suggests cool, vibrant colors, you might struggle to find garments that fit both your palette and the latest trends. Being flexible and willing to explore colors outside of your designated palette ensures you can always find stylish, up-to-date clothing options that still elevate your overall look and resonate with your authentic self.
Seasonal colors also do not consider your lifestyle, profession, or workplace appropriateness. For instance an attorney will often want to stick with the traditional blues, grays, and whites with maybe a subtle color in the weave of fabric or pocket square. Many women I have worked with are in male-dominated fields and they want their work to be the focus and not their clothes. For this reason, they often stick with a neutral palette and speak through well constructed garments and textures, rather than color.
The concept of color analysis overlooks the importance of quality fabric, drape, and fit. The same color can look vastly different depending on the material and construction of the garment. A blouse in a flattering color might not do you any favors if the fabric doesn’t drape well, if the silhouette isn’t right, or if the styling is not modern.
Conversely, a less-than-ideal color can be mitigated by choosing a fabric and cut that compliments your figure and personal style.
Color analysis should be seen as a tool, not a set of unbending rules. It can be a helpful guide that can provide a foundation for building a wardrobe, but it shouldn’t dictate every fashion decision. My clients often need a versatile wardrobe that can transition throughout seasons and audiences.
Dressing in a way that feels comfortable and authentic should play a key role in curating a wardrobe that not only looks good but also aligns with your personal brand, preferences, and lifestyle.
Ultimately, while color analysis can offer valuable insights, it's essential to approach it with flexibility. Embrace the colors that make you feel confident and powerful, experiment with different fabrics and silhouettes, and allow your style to evolve over time. True personal style is about expressing your unique self and feeling great in what you wear.
Be Flexible: Strict adherence to a seasonal color palette limits creativity and personal expression.
Feel Great in Your Clothes: The confidence and power you feel in a color can outweigh the technical correctness of your color analysis.
Fabric and Fit: The material and cut of a garment can significantly influence how a color looks on you, and how it makes you feel.
Evolving Color Needs: Personal coloring can change over time due to aging, hair color changes, and seasonal variations, requiring a dynamic approach to color selection.
Fashion Trends: Colors go in and out of style, affecting their availability in stores, requiring flexibility in color choices to stay fashionable.
One Signpost Among Many: Color analysis should be a guide, not a strict rule, allowing for a versatile wardrobe that aligns with personal preferences, lifestyle, and professional needs.