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winter, spring, summer, fall personal colors

Anonymous

I went to a class I thought would be interesting today. It was a class where a lady "did my colors". I think it used to be called 'Color Me Beautiful' in the 80's. I was told that I am a summer and should wear greyed down colors and I should stay away from green and yellow. I know this was a big deal back then and I am wondering if it is still relevant today.

General

37 replies

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April

Veteran

I have been wondering the same thing, San. A group I used to follow made a huge deal about "their colors" and I never was able to figure out what season I was. Also, my hair is colored (naturally a very dark brown with now a fair amount of gray mixed in, artificially a warmer auburn) so does that change things?

And what if you spend your days under fluorescent lighting? That seems to make every color look horrible.

Did you learn anything useful to you?

Inge

(website)

Then we're seasonal twins San;-)

Summers are supposed to look good in 'cool' colours and 'muted' and 'murky' shades, but there are also a few vivid colours in their colour palette, like raspberry red and a certain fuchsia.

While I do agree that I often look best in those colours, I've learned from Angie and my own experience, that you shouldn't adhere too strictly to these rules.
E.g. I can't wear bright reds close to my face, but I've often worn a bright red cami underneath an old V-neck Summer dress, which is black with a tiny white and red floral pattern.

Black and white are supposedly a no-no for Summers too. Black can indeed be harsh right up against my face, but I've noticed that it depends on the texture of the garment too (and scarves and necklaces can make a big difference as well). And I think I don't look half bad in white;-)

Another thing: if there are colours that you absolutely love although they really don't look that good on you, then just use them in 'smaller amounts': as a splash of colour in a scarf, for shoes, bags, jewelry, as one of the colours in a patterned top etc. They can work for you then.

By the way: I get the impression that your 'colour person' was a bit too enthusiastic in ruling out some colours completely. Every colour has warm and cool shades, and if I remember correctly every season can at least wear some shades of each colour.
E.g. there are many cool shades of green that look great on me, so please don't rule out that colour yet San. Yellow is more difficult, but there are some soft yellows (buttercup etc.) that look lovely too.

Just keep on experimenting and trust your own opinion (or ours, if you're in doubt;-)

P.S. That red Burberry coat was definitely not a 'greyed down' colour and you looked killer in it. I rest my case;-)

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Interesting, San!

Here's something I've always wondered: What's the difference between a spring and a summer? Is it warm vs. cool tones?

Nicole

Veteran

I never got the whole "season" thing either. I don't like "rules" that place a lot of restrictions--especially when it comes to something like color. I find that even day to day different colors might look good or bad on me. And like April said, hair color changes (not just chemically, but naturally as well), and skin color changes--even though I wear sunscreen daily, I defnitely darken up in the summer. I think my menstrual cycle even plays into it. I'm more washed out when I'm menstruating, and more vibrant when I'm ovulating. Eh, Color Charts Be Damned!!!

shiny

Veteran

I'm supposed to be a summer. Laura, if I recall correctly, they look at the skin on your wrist and if you have blue undertones you wear cool tones (summer or winter). My DD's and I all have blue undertones - in fact, you can even see blue veins just under our eyes.

So yes, cool vs warm. Ana is the perfect example of a spring. And -in general- if you gravitate towards Jcrew colors, you are probably a spring. That's my theory at any rate, because many of their colors tend to be best suited for springs. Michele Obama is a spring.

Inge's got it exactly right: summers can indeed wear green. It's one of my favorite colors. Try teal - which has blue mixed into the green. Yellow is very difficult though. As for red, I look for reds with a blue base - so a cranberry works better than a tomato.

I don't know if it's so much that the color needs to be "greyed down"... rather, it needs a hint of blue to it.

Nicole, I have a hunch your coloring is similar to mine. If I didn't dye my hair, it would be a reddish dark blonde. I have red undertones (the irish in me) to my hair, hazel eyes, and blue-based skin tone. When I have my hair highlighted, it looks horrible if the highlights are golden and just as horrible if they are ashy; I need neutral highlights.

I can sometimes get away with Fall colors - especially when my highlights are growing out and my hair is darker. Yet, not in the way my sister and Greenglove do. They are both Falls with auburn hair and orange/golden undertones to the skin. So Falls I can wear, and look good in, but they aren't my "best" colors.

Meanwhile my mother is a winter - her hair was auburn as a child, like my sister's, but her skin tone is not golden like my sister's - it is more blue-based like mine - but her skin is much more fair than mine is - her skin is practically milky white. She looks great in optical white. Otherwise, she would find the colors at BR right now right down her alley.... that "dried rose" would look gorgeous on her. It washes me out completely. Even if it is "greyed down"!

I can wear white but it is true every time I try on white raincoats something just doesn't seem right. I feel like I'm wearing a lab coat and the white is washing me out. My mango coat, I guess, is more of a cream or winter white, and texture may play a role here.

At any rate, the best way to find your colors is to just develop an eye. If you wear a color and it makes you feel good and look good - then that is your color. If instead people tell you that you look washed out or tired, then that is not your color! (or you're menstruating, LOL... I think there may indeed be some truth to that!!!)

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

Back when this was in (I think Penneys offered this for awhile?) I was tested as a winter. The next time I was tested, I was an Autumn.
After years of struggling to fit into either color identity, I just gave up and started wearing colors that brightened my face (without makeup) and hid the shadows and circles. Most of these shades are actually found in the Autumn line up, but a brighter version. Burnt orange is not my friend, but bright tangerine orange is. Navy and dark purple are my absolute favorites.
My only qualm is that I can wear white and cream, and gold and silver. I think silver actually looks better, but gold looks good too. So I'm confused as far as the technical season, but for the most part I've figured out what shades to avoid and what shades to gravitate towards.
And as I've said before, in my experience colors can be manipulated using makeup, hair colors/highlighting, etc.

ChristineB

I had my colors done as a young teen (my mom thought it would be good for me to know what colors were best for me while I was young). I was classified as a 'Striking Spring' because of my darker hair. I definitely have warm undertones to my skin. When I had my colors done, my consultant went on to show my my personal best colors, which include coral, turquoise & tomato red. And it's true - I get more compliments when I wear those colors than any other.

Now that I'm older I try to keep these guidelines in mind while I shop, and I definitely stay away from light pink - it looks awful on me, but I don't strictly follow these rules. However, I find that in general, I am drawn to colors I look better in. Also, I know that black isn't a great color for me, but I still wear it occasionally.

There are so many things to remember & consider when choosing clothes! Style, fit, color, season...

There was an interesting discussion on a sewing message board I sometimes visit. I've posted this here before, but it applies to this discussion.

http://artisanssquare.com/sg/i.....060.0.html

According to this I am Clear & Warm, which to me, translates to my 'Striking Spring' as I was told many years ago.

Anonymous

Yes the teacher did say as a summer I could wear cool greens but even then it wouldn't be my best color. If I were to have a yellow in a pattern it should be a lemon yellow and no golden yellows. My red is the color of watermelon when you slice it open. An off white or ivory would be better than bright white. No black near the face. Coral was just terrible on me. Dusty rose (ughh) is good on me. She draped fabrics over my shoulders in the window light, which was a frieghtening experience at my age! I have never noticed all the shadows on anyones face that were pointed out to me on mine with the wrong colors on.
The examples she had of the 4 types were the summer had golden blonde hair like Anne's, and tans easily a nice golden brown. The winter has high contrast and flawless skin. The autumn is the auburn hair brown eyed person. Summer is the one who's hair probably turned dishwater blonde and has the blue undertones in the skin. I may not have understood all of this perfectly so if I have it wrong feel free to correct me.
The teacher also mentioned that certain types age to to certain kinds of grey hair and that all types lighten up and change. This is why there are those women like Emmy Lou Harris who look striking and wonderful with her natural grey hair. I would just look washed out and old. Also if I wear certain colors like green I would need more makeup that day.
It all did explain why I feel so uncomfortable in bright white shirts and even a winter white coat drives me crazy because it wears me. She did also tell me I should have my hairdresser tone down the yellow in my hair, as I mentioned here on the forum was a problem for me. I told her I have been mentioning that for years to several hairdressers and they just can't seem to change it. It goes back to fading to yellowish.
Anyway knowing this is supposed to make shopping easier and help narrow down choices. I felt sad to be restricted but good to have some guidelines.

Anonymous

We went to Macy's as the end to the class to see what is in the store that I could wear. Almost everything was geared towards winter coloring with the more dramatic sharp edgey patterns in the tops, in red, white, and black. She said I should look for patterns that have a watercolor blurred look to them instead of sharp prints. The summer things we found leaned toward granny prints. The teacher told me that when you are a summer you have to be careful of the granny look, like dusty rose, to me is a granny color. Luckilly the med grey that I like is OK for me. She said nothing too dark, but the icy pink and blue do work. She is going to mail me color swatches (paint chips) of colors on the summer color wheel. Today I am going back and she is discussing transitions in life/wardrobes.

shiny

Veteran

San, I think we have similar coloring... I also turned dishwater blonde.

For the highlights, it may be your water that turns them yellow. Actually, it's highly likely that it's your water, if this keeps happening. Get yourself some purple shampoo, which is designed to tone down the brassiness. Go to a beauty supply place and ask for "purple shampoo to tone down brassiness" - there are lots of different brands. Right now I'm using Aveda Blue Malva, which is technically for gray hair, but it works on the same principle. In the past, I've used other brands that were even stronger - to correct brassiness in a dye job. The stronger brands you just want to use occasionally because they can be drying. The Aveda Blue Malva can be used daily.

Dusty rose is also "granny" to me!!... as are pastels, which summers can wear. So I know exactly what you are thinking. But you CAN wear red! And you should!!! The shade of my new clutch purse and suede pumps is the ideal for us.

I bet if you could fix the brassiness issue with your hair, it'll make color selection easier. I know when my hair is brassy, nothing looks right. I tend to gravitate more towards Autumn colors, which work with the hair color but not my skin tone.

As for what color gray we will turn into, did the woman say? I ran into this woman a few weeks ago who had the most stunning white hair - absolutely breathtaking! I asked her if it was natural, or did she have to do anything to get that shade? She said no, it just grew in that way. Then I asked what color her hair was when she was my age, and she said, "Same as yours." So I'm crossing my fingers!!!!

It does seem that the few grays that are growing in are a stark white. But really coarse and thicker than the rest of my hair, and totally unmangeable.

tarzy

Veteran

The whole color thing is interesting and confusing. I think I'm basically a winter (although I don't have flawless skin - I think that's a silly statement anyway and it makes me feel bad about my skin!)

I have learned not to buy colors I don't look good in because I end up not wearing them and it's a waste of money. I don't like a lot of the J. Crew colors, but I also don't like muted, murky colors that Banana Republic has at the moment. They are very pretty colors to look at, but when I hold them up to my face it's just "blah." I like strong, clear colors, but not too bright or loud. No wonder I wear black half the time!

I have been thinking about letting my hair grow out to natural grey, but I'm so afraid. I don't want to look old! How do you know if you're going to end up with "striking" white hair, or dingy grey? Part of me really wants to do it because I like the idea of being "authentic" (and also not having to dye roots every two weeks) but it's just such a big unknown! Right now I use dark brown, and I like the contrast of very dark hair with my fair skin - but I know it's not really "natural" for my age. I guess I'm just not ready yet to be "natural."

Joy

Veteran

The Color Me Beautiful guide has never worked for me. Younger I had dark auburn hair, dark brown eyes and blue veins show in my yellow toned skin. The best was just to hold up swatches of color and go with what looks best.
Now that my hair is taupe (dishwater?), my best colors have changed some.
Like Sarah, both gold and silver seem to look good, so I wear both. It's still a mystery except that I've absolutely ruled out some colors like teal and any pastel and identified some great ones like aqua, coral and tomato red.

hanna

(website)

i've always wanted to figure out what 'season' i am! this wasn't a particularly big thing back home, so i don't think i'll ever know for sure. it seems from reading up on it that i'd be a winter? oh well. i do know what colors i love and what seem to work best on me, so i suppose that's good enough!

shiny

Veteran

Tarzy, I totally agree with you about the BR colors. It seems to me that their colors are designed for Asians - did you notice all the models are Asian? And that's fine.... that part of the market deserves to be addressed too. But I have a hunch I will be sitting out this spring when it comes to adding tops to my wardrobe.

As for the grey hair issue, I think that it depends on your skin. There is a point where gray hair (even if it's not a striking gray) is simply more flattering against more mature skin. It softens up one's face ... okay, one's wrinkles.

My mom went gray at a young age and dyed it for years and years. When I was a teen, she was in her 40s. She went through an early menopause. One day (I was probably 17), I said to her that I thought she should go gray and that gray hair was nature's way of softening up the wrinkles. Well, my mom was furious and told me that was an insensitive comment and hurt her feelings!!! I really thought I was being kind. LOL.

Of course now I'm in my 40s and I know better.

But I still suspect I'm on to something.... my DH has deep wrinkles and he looks immensely better gray rather than continuing to dye it. So I will go happily gray .... when I have enough wrinkles. And that age is anybody's guess, because we all age differently. DH is only 45 but he never ever wears sunscreen and he's so active outdoors all the time, not to mention he's very lean (which this week they had a twin study that showed that the leaner you are, the more wrinkly you look... so eat your chocolate ice cream!!). My mom wrinkled early because she went through early menopause. My dad, on the other hand, kept his baby face until he was 60; he is same age as my mom, but for years looked a lot younger than her... then, practically overnight, he suddenly looked his age, and also his hair went stark white. I take after my dad (we have the exact same coloring) but I have the menopause factor, and who knows how that will play out.

tarzy

Veteran

Shiny - I don't have any wrinkles! None! I'm 51, but my skin has always been oily, so I think that's why. I have never gone into the sun either - I'm extremely fair and burn immediately. I've always looked younger than my age. However, I am 51. I may not have wrinkles, but I certainly don't look 25 anymore. Which is fine. Kind of.

I've been searching for a graphic t-shirt this week for that look Angie was talking about, and it just isn't working for me. I think I've crossed the "graphic-T" line, LOL! I don't want to be too old to wear a graphic t-shirt! On the other hand I can't tell you how many 40 year-olds run around LA with bleached blond hair and boobs pushed up to there and skin pulled tight from too many face-lifts, with their tight jeans and Ed Hardy t-shirts - they are desperately trying to look "young" - and it just doesn't look right.

I know it's possible to find some age-appropriate interpretation of just about any look - and I keep thinking the same must be true with hair!

Sorry San - I didn't mean to hijack your thread. I hope you've found at least a few colors that you love and that will work for you! I don't think we need to wear every color out there - just a few that are perfect!

marianne

Very interesting. I never quite bought into the season theory, even though I am a fairly obvious winter, but even winters come in so many variations, and some guidelines don't apply. For example, I can wear some pastels, but black makes me look a bit sallow. "Flawless skin" also doesn't make me feel that great
Does your classification actually change after you turn gray? Tarzy, I think you look great with your hair color because your face looks young. But I understand what you mean about being authentic. I've been getting a lot of gray in my hair lately, and I am torn about what to do with it long term.

Chris

A boyfriend's mom was doing that season color type class back in the 80's and now I can't remember what I was supposed to be!

My hope is that people who go through those classes learn to look at clothes and what works for them critically and feel better about their choices.

My fear is that they will end up so focused on what is "wrong" for them that they will never experiment and take a chance.

Side note - my aunt (now 75) took a class in late 1950's on building a wardrobe. The teacher told her to build around navy blue. To this day she has worn nothing but blue. Sad but true. It is a total comfort zone for the dear sweet lady.

It sounds like you are exploring and this may help you discover new ways of looking at what clothes are right for you.

tarzy

Veteran

Marianne - a while ago I found this interesting article about dressing when you've got grey hair. It seems she's not thinking about skin color (warm, cool) at all - just the grey hair. This whole website it devoted to going grey and it's very inspiring. Although I'm still not ready to do it!

http://goinggraylookinggreat.c.....r_beauties

shiny

Veteran

Yep, Tarzy, you're the perfect example of what I'm saying: I don't think you're ready for gray yet - and probably not for another decade! It's about the condition of the skin, more than it is about whether your hair is already going gray, or your chronological age.

Although I have heard (on a show about hair and aging) that as women age, esp post-menopause, the color of our skin washes out. But the recommendation was that women should lighten up their hair (just a pinch) and/or warm up the tone (like add in red undertones) - not necessarily go gray.

As for the graphic tees, I'm with you on that one too. I like the idea in theory, but I have two teenage daughters who live in graphic tees, so it's hard for me to adopt the look myself. (I feel the same way about converses, since they live in them; but I still wear them when they make practical sense).

I also think any graphic tee would have to have some sort of meaningful association for me... it can't just be ANY tee. Since I like modern and contemporary art, I wouldn't mind an Andy Warhol tee - perhaps the soup can (since I'm in marketing). Or perhaps a Shepard Fairey image (we just saw an exhibit of his work last night - amazing!). I think Greenglove should print her artwork on tee shirts for herself!

Okay back to San's thread....

Laura

(website)

Veteran

The link that Christine posted makes a lot of sense. I am a light and cool (aka summer), and as I've gotten older and my hair has gone darker (or turned to dishwater blonde, as San and Shiny put it!), I can wear more of the dark and cool colors (aka winter).

Based on Angie's signature colors of turquoise and tomato red (and there's one more I forgot), I'd say she's a winter, even though her hair is light.

Ariadne

Veteran

Colours confuse me so much. My natural hair colour is a very neutral, almost non-colour colour of blonde. My skin is fair but not super pale, tans easily to a nice golden colour, and seems to have both golden-ish yellow and pink tones to it. BUT I also have very visible blue veins at my wrist, dark bluish circles under my eyes (that I think are due to genetics and thin undereye skin, not lack of sleep or anything else) and cool grey-green eyes. I seem to be able to wear silver AND gold as well as cool AND warm colours (although it's possible I may not be noticing subtleties in which colours work best or worst for me). So what the heck am I?

Laura

(website)

Veteran

My guess is that despite the blue you see under your eyes, because your skin tans easily to golden, you are likely a spring. What do you think? What colors do you think you look best in, cool or warm?

Maya

Veteran

I'm with NIcole. I don't understand the whole color-by-season thing at all. I just go to the store, try on a bunch of colors, and decide which ones look good and which ones don't.

Patience

Veteran

I am very curious about the whole color season thing too but I'm sure it should be taken with a grain of salt. I would guess I'm winter but I don't really know all of the definitions. In the end I would continue to do as I do now-- try a color and see if it works-- even if I understood completely what season I was and what colors to go for.

I really like the idea that gray hair softens wrinkles. Another ylf tidbit to make me smarter.

Actually, I usually go backwards on these things. So I have no idea if I'm a winter but based on the colors that flatter winter, I *think* they work best for me.

tarzy

Veteran

Maya - you're a graphic artist, right? It's possible you have a much better eye for these things than some of us.

I am HORRIBLE with colors. If someone says "that is greyed down" or "look for a yellow green" I'm lost. That's why I like to know this stuff - it gives me some general guidelines and It saves me time and confusion. I won't bother trying something on if it's the wrong color for me. (I won't even go into Banana Republic right now, because the current colors just don't work for me. Saves me time and aggravation.)

I suspect you just have a natural talent for things like this, and that's why you don't understand why those of us who don't cling to our rules and samples!

Maya

Veteran

That is true Tara. Good to know my year of color theory paid off in some way :p

But I also just don't understand it because when I looked it up myself, I didn't really fit into any of the "rules" and most of them were completely subjective anyway. There was one site that said "if you look good in these colors, you're a winter, but if you look good in these, you're a spring" etc. I looked good in some of the colors from each season and none of them really won out by a landslide. Besides, if you already know what colors you look good in, why would you be there in the first place?

Another website did it by hair color and skin undertone. Honestly, I don't understand the concept of undertones to begin with. But they didn't even cover every combination of skin and hair so I can't imagine it was even worth exploring further.

Finally, you can probably find 13 women who claim to be autumns or winters or whatever, and they will all look COMPLETELY different.

It just confuses me.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

What an interesting thread. I actually think that the seasons thing does make sense although there are many more variations than the 4 seasons. The warm cool thing definitely plays a part in what colors will be flattering to you. I also think that how dull or bright a color is is really crucial to either washing you out or creating great drama and interest. However all things can be balanced with accessories, makeup and hair color. I was defined as a soft autumn before I colored my hair red, (no it is not natural);
I used to have highlighted golden blond hair that didn't have as much intensity. I could not wear some of the colors that I do now. I have been trying different colors lately but I still stay away from anything too cool near my face. A blueish grey is awful, but taupe is fine. I love color theory and much of what they are talking about has been taught in color theory forever. The problem is that there are many variables at work which makes it hard to categorize completely. I think that we all have color personalities and gravitate towards colors that also flatter. I do not think the seasons thing is all nonsense, especially for women or men who are color challenged. It is a place to start much like body type.

Becky

Veteran

I think the "seasons" approach is good as a general guideline, or a starting point if you have no idea where to begin. As several of you have already mentioned, there are far more variations than just the four seasonal categories; furthermore, people's natural coloring is on a continuum, not segregated into categories. I would be classified as a "summer," but I have determined that true pastels are not for me! They make me look pale and sick. I gravitate toward the brighter colors within the summer palette. San, I have long avoided green, simply because many greens contain too much yellow for my coloring, but I recently purchased a green sweater that is much more blue than yellow, and I've found that it brings out my grayish-green eyes, so I'll be looking for more of this color.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Choosing the right colors to wear can be challenging. Shiny is right--I'm a textbook Spring! My skin is so warm and yellow the veins on my arms look green! Hence, I look horrible in almost all pastels, cool tones, and silver. Oh well. Luckily, I like the colors I look best in--warm, bright and cheerful. The difficulty comes when you look best in colors that just don't inspire you (dusty rose). Angie made a blog post along these lines once:

http://youlookfab.com/2008/05/.....k-for-you/

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