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A color epiphany: It was the red coat that did it.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

My eyes are clear bluegreen with golden specks, my hair is dark blonde/light brown, my skin is clear beige, and tans easily. I've always thought this made me look my best in muted, warm colors. Kind of Autumn, you know.

But now I've realized that

I look my best in clear colors, not muted
I love red! Who would have thought that.
I love both white and off-white, and can't/will not choose
I love sand and taupe, but not near my face
I look better in turquoise, clear blue and emerald green than in greyed blue, forest green and olive
I love navy, grey and charcoal
I can wear black
The only brown I look good in is rich chocolate brown
I should wear more yellow
I can wear mint, but prefer coral in spring
I suppose peach/nude could work as a light neutral for me

ETA: Royal purple has always been my color, too!

What do you think? Am I right?

General

17 replies

Latest reply was from Ingunn

Molly L-R

Looking at your potential job interview outfits you looked stunning in the red dress with grey jacket and the grey jacket with white shirt and black jacket, so I'd say you're definitely dressing in your best colours!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Totally makes sense, Ingunn :). Great insights!

I also wear both white and cream in equal amounts and will not choose. We don't need to!

Inge

(website)

I think you are spot on, Ingunn, and what a fun epiphany. I am so so glad you decided to get the red coat because it is stunning on you!
I bet you would look fab in royal purple too?

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

I can relate to your epiphany a lot, not so much with regards to all the colors, but with regards to leaving muted ones out. Although, we overlap in so many colors too, now that I think of it I have darker hair and green/brown eyes, which could be the reason for the differences.

With that in mind, I vote trying royal purple too, as per Inge's suggestion. That is my second favorite color and I feel equally energized in it as when I wear red.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, Molly!

You are right, Inge and Ornella! I have worn royal purple now and then over the years, and it is definitely my color. But I have shied away from the stronger clear colors like red, yellow. That's not going to happen anymore. Ornella, I think we share many of the same color preferences, but there will always be individual differences, even between people of very similar coloring. Our personality surely matters and influences our color choices too, don't you agree?

Angie, all this color theory I've read about being able to wear cold OR warm tones made me confused for so long. Sometimes reading isn't good for you! I've finally realized that I have both warm and cold tones in my natural coloring, making me able to wear both white and cream successfully. Better late than never:)

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I think this is a major breakthrough for me. Now I have a focus I've missed having. It feels great!

unfrumped

Veteran

I think that is great. Try more and more colors! I generally fall into cool, medium-dark tones but it is just not that simple. There are so many aspects of color besides the color, you know? Also not every color has to be the perfect/best color although it should be "good". That would be too limiting, I think.

K. Period.

Veteran

Perfect sense! And I know exactly what you mean. When I finally let go of the idea that I should own certain colors because they were neutrals and realized that some neutrals are my neutrals and others are not, it was hugely liberating! I gave up on taupe and realized that gray is really my taupe. It works so much better with my wardrobe and I feel so much better in it than a muted taupe. Not that taupe is entirely off my list, but I don't feel obligated to buy it anymore. Khaki pants, same thing. I just realized that I don't really like them for me. They look great on others, but they don't increase my personal happiness.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Unfrumped, I agree! The colors can't all be superstars, some must play the supporting act, too. As long as they don't are villains I'm good. I've identified a couple of those today, too.

K, this is so true! I've realized that I repeatedly bought clothes in muted colors, but they never made me look my best. I have to stop doing this. Pairing down options is very freeing, I think. I hope to incorporate more yellow in my wardrobe now, I think it will look good on me in the right shades.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yay for a colour epiphany! It really is liberating to limit the choices a bit and feel more confident about what genuinely works. And how much better if what works ALSO increases one's happiness quotient! For me that's cranberry red, fuchsia, and almost any blue.

crst

It sounds like you are a bright or clear spring like me from the colors you list. Since I was blonde with blue eyes, I assumed that I should do muted colors too. But I have found that since my skin is beige and have turquoise eyes, I definitely look better in the clear colors that you have mentioned. I think it is a very fun palette of colors!

Adelfa

Veteran

Color theory helped me a ton, but was really confusing with my daughters! One daughter had red hair with gray-blue eyes and cool milky white skin. She was both warm and cool! What worked for her, as with you, was trial and error and using our eyes and having her *feel* what worked. She definitely did not fit into a 4-season system. Have you seen the 12 season ones? They take into account coloring like yours.

But hooray for finding colors that feel really great! And look great!

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Yes, I've red about the four seasons, the 12-seasons system, and now some even work within a 16-season system. I think the latter proves that color seasons are nowhere near close to exact science, but should be taken with substantial grains of salt. That said, I think of this as a good starting point for finding out more about one's best colors. For me, it was very confusing because I could just as well be a Soft Autumn, which means soft, muted colors! I don't think all the colors in the Clear Spring palette are my best, and I will defenitely overthrow it if it fancies me to try a color which is not listed. As a general guideline, I think it can work.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ingunn, I had my colours "done" and it was an amusing experience because the assessor really had trouble typing me. When I walked in she thought I might be an autumn. Quickly ruled that out, as i am very obviously cool toned in skin. But I don't look good in many of the traditional soft summer colours, either. Eventually she worked me out as a "cool" summer -- who can wear other colours from the cool palette and had to toss quite a few from the summer palette. In general I need a stronger intensity than one might expect, given my general low-contrast colouring. It is more the intensity or the hue than it is the colour, per se, that is relevant. Although I don't do yellow or orange no matter what!

Here is a question. You mention that your hair is dark blonde-light brown. Yet in the photos it almost always comes across as reddish. The same is true of Astrid, I have noticed. I wonder if the curls somehow catch the light differently and create different reflections. It's a bit of a pity because I always wonder then if our advice about what looks good is truly accurate, you know? I am seeing red, not blonde, so does that affect my judgements? On the whole I suspect the same colours would work as seem to work, but I've always wondered a bit about this.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Interesting question, Suz! My hair color is not my natural, first of all. I've dyed my hair for many years, but I believe the color I have now resembles the one I once had quite well. I think my hair stylist refers to the mix as something between ash and golden brown. There is no red in the mix, but I can see why you would think so. I don't see red hair when I look at myself, but maybe it is only a matter of definition. You mention Astrid as a redhead, but I would never have called her that. I agree that our hair coloring is very similar, and I don't know why you perceive it as red. My guess is that this might have to do with your computer screen settings, or it can of course be explained by linguistic differences between our definitions of red. After all, brown is a darkened red! I have both cold and warm tones, and medium valued coloring, so I'm not a real blonde, nor a real brunette - something in between, as very many Scandinavians are (we are not all blondes). Thus the terms "warm" and "cold" from color theory don't apply too well on me in regard of my hair color.

I feel that the advice people give in YLF in regards of color choices have been very valid and useful for me. As a borderline redhead, I find them more than satisfactory!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I wasn't being as clear as I might, Ingunn - I wouldn't call either you or Astrid "redheads" -- exactly -- I would just say that in both cases, your hair appears to have a reddish cast to it. On my monitor, at least!

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I agree to that, Suz! I see a reddish cast, too, but not enough to define my hair as red.