Clear Spring? Light Spring? Or What...? - YouLookFab Forum

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Clear Spring? Light Spring? Or What...?

AnneL

Hi, I'm new to this forum - I decided this spring that I needed a bit of a makeover after getting into a serious rut lately! I work in science/IT so the dress code is very informal, but having recently been promoted I'm giving more presentations and holding job interviews, and am conscious of generally needing look a bit more "grown-up" (I'm 48!) and responsible

I had my colours done online and was classified as a Spring, which surprised me since I gravitate towards cool colours. Also my complexion, though warmish, tends towards pink-and-white rather than golden (I never freckle) - and my eyelashes and eyebrows are really dark brown, so I can easily get away with black mascara. My natural lip colour is also pink rather than coral, so I tend to buy lippy in soft pink or burgundy shades - red looks ghastly on me!

http://www.thechicfashionista......lysis.html

I know one shouldn't get too obsessive about it, but OTOH I'm trying to purge my wardrobe and buy some new stuff (too much black in there!), and I'm not sure which direction to go in...

Body Type

19 replies

Latest reply was from

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Hi Anne, welcome to the forum!

There are some amazing ladies on here who have a really great ability to assist you with determining what "season" you are and as a result, what colour palettes should suit you. (Sorry, that isn't me, I've barely managed to get a grasp of being classified a "deep summer" myself! )

Can I suggest that you be brave and post a nice, clear photo of yourself to make it easier for the ladies who DO know what they are doing? (I believe that in this instance, a face shot in particular would be great.) I know it can be scary to post a photo at first, but I really believe it would help the ladies out a lot! Come on now, don't be shy....

Hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Louise

Veteran

Hi and welcome.

I prefer not to get too bogged down with 'colours' most people can wear a shade of most colours or make it wearable by adding a scarf for instance, I have no clue what my colours are but i know black makes me look pale I still wear it but will add a scarf or necklace to lift the outfit

Also I'd be a bit wary of the online diagnosis, a camera flash or the persons monitor setting can totally alter the colour of your face which may account for why you were suprised by the outcome x

Itari

(website)

AnneL - check it out: http://www.prettyyourworld.com/

The site is pretty informative, with lots of visual examples. I liked it. On the other hand, I still can't determine whether I'm a Clear or a Cool Winter

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Another welcome from me, AnneL!

If you can manage a picture, that would really help us make accurate suggestions. Hope to see you soon.

AnneL

OK, here's a photo of me on my website:

http://www.annelyle.com/about/

However my hair is lighter and redder at the moment, and my complexion warmer. I think the issue may be that my colouring changes dramatically with exposure to the sun, because despite being pale I tan really easily. It's been lovely and sunny these past few weeks, and I've been taking a lunchtime walk every day, so I think I'm getting a slight facial tan from that. Maybe I need a different palette for my summer and winter wardrobes?

AnneL

Thanks for the great link, Itari - from that, I would say I'm a former Deep Winter (brown eyes, and black hair as a baby) who has become a Cool Winter with age and tends towards a Cool Summer/Deep Autumn when I tan. My colouring is nothing like any of those celebrity Springs!

Itari

(website)

AnneL - I'm no expert, but I think you look softer rather than clearer. Maybe you're an Autumn? Here is a good analysis of Autumn colours:
http://www.prettyyourworld.com/rashida-jones.html

btw, does anyone know how to tell if I'm a Cool or a Clear Winter (apart from having a professional analysis)? I've just read this: http://www.prettyyourworld.com/alexis-bledel.html and I'm still not sure.

Isabel

Veteran

Hi Anne !!

Just wanted to say welcome and congratulations for making it to "adulthood".

I am not really sure what you mean by which direction to go in....... I used to have TONS of black. So I took it really slowly by keeping all of my black and adding a scarf, then maybe a bright pin or a leather bracelet until I had an idea of what I liked. ( Red is suppose to be my color, but after spending most of high school in it because it was the school color and I was a majorette, I just can't bring myself to wear it except in small doses like a bag or shoe.)

Have you checked out academichic.com ? Not science, but very, very helpful.

Dawn

(website)

Personally I don't buy into the concept of classification by season as they are ridiculously limiting and often clash with people's personal taste in colour. For example, I can wear sets of colours from both what would be considered winter palettes and spring palettes, e.g. I can wear forest green and I can wear lime green or kelly green. I think knowing whether you have warm or cool skintones is quite important but you mightn't have completely strict warm or cool colouring- I wear both warm and cool shades of red and blue. The only colour rule I have is that I keep my colours saturated rather than washed out. I can't wear many pastel colours with the exception of baby blue.

What would be better to look at in terms of colour is what level of saturation you need, what your best neutral colour is and the types of contrast you need or like in your outfits. I would personally recommend going to two or three cheap clothes stores such as H&M, Forever 21 and Target and trying on lots of different colours to find three or four colours which make your skin look healthy, make your hair look glossy and your eyes glisten. It might be far more inconvenient than a colour analysis but it will be far more individualised.

Kate

Veteran

Anne, your season doesn't change no matter how tan or pale you are. I would also guess that you are an autumn - I agree that you look more soft/muted than clear, and warmer rather than cool, and if there is naturally some red in your hair you are definitely warm (even if the red only comes out sometimes). So given your hair, uthink you are either a spring or autumn, and I'm leaning towards autumn.

I would try draping yourself with (or just putting on) various warm colors and taking pictures in natural sunlight without makeup on, and you should be able to see whether the clear or muted shades are best. Also feel free to post more pictures here and we can try to confirm your season.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I would focus less on what specific season you are, and just start trying color. Take photos in the dressing room, and you will start to see what colors work for you.
I disagree that your season can't change with tanning, but I also don't hold a lot of store by the color seasons in general.

AnneL

Thanks for the replies! I don't have any close-up photos (I hate having my photo taken!) but I'll see what I can do

AnneL

OK, here goes - this one's under indoor lighting (couldn't find any outdoor ones):

http://www.annelyle.com/img/photo.jpg

P.S. Thanks for the link to academichic.com - I can see I'll spend some happy hours clicking around there!

Itari

(website)

Hmm, you wrote that you're a Deep Winter who became a Cool Winter, but I can't see a Winter on the picture. Your skin looks like a mix of cool and warm tones, but your hair and eyes look warm. You're definitely softer than clearer. The best way to show it would be a greyscale pic. I hope you don't mind, if you want to, I can remove the picture from the album.

This is you: http://s867.photobucket.com/al.....=photo.jpg

...and, for you to compare, this is me (I'm a Winter):
http://s867.photobucket.com/al.....inal-1.jpg

Can you see the different levels of contrast?

edit: the password is ylf2010

...and Anne, your eyes are very beautiful!

AnneL

Thanks, Itari! I'm often told that my eyes are my best feature - I should really have another go with contacts (I stopped using them because I spend so much time on the computer)!

I see what you mean about the contrast. I guess I'm still thinking of my colouring when younger - I used to dye my hair dark to match my brows. But yes, it's the mix of warm and cool tones in my skin colours that causes the problems. I think maybe the Soft Autumn might be a good direction - coolish muted colours without the yellowy tones that I hate!

http://www.thechicfashionista......autumn.png

On the plus side, I have a lot of blue-green, olive and purple in my wardrobe - but too much black *lol*

Leave the photo up for a few days in case anyone else finds them useful, then delete it, if you don't mind

Itari

(website)

Of course, I'll delete it. Glad to hear that it helped you

I think you're right. If you like Soft Autumn colours, just wear them. You're not a typical red-haired Warm Autumn and while you could be a Deep Autumn when younger, now you're definitely soft. I might be wrong, since I'm not a professional - but at least you found a colour palette you like

tarzy

Veteran

I agree with everyone that these categories are just a starting point - but it can be very helpful to have that starting point. One of my favorite sites for this kind of color stuff is Imogen's Inside Out Style. These have helped me:

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......rtone.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......-cool.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......trast.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......trast.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......nsity.html

AnneL

Thanks for those great links, Tarzy - I'm discovering some great blogs through this site! Academichic and Fashion for Nerds are going to be on my regular list

Anonymous

I have medium warm brown hair, extremely pale freckled skin (always burn, never tan) and light hazel eyes. My freckles are golden brown. (My mother's family are pale redheads and my father's family is dark brown) I should be a clear spring according to the "rules" k but look better in light spring colours. But light springs have blonde hair and I never was a blond, not even as a baby. In fact my hair was even darker as a child. People have commented on my unique colouring. It has only made finding my season harder.
I'm confused. Do light springs ever have medium or dark brown hair?