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Color analysis

anchie

Veteran

I was never good at color analysis, I could never tell which season I am or which colors look good on me. I took numerous test but was never sure if I answered correctly and got the right results. So I just ignored color theory and wore colors I like. But recently I stumbled upon some web site where you upload your selfie and after some time you get your color recommendations (for free). I just got my results and I am little surprised. No yellow at all? Have they got it right? Should I throw away all my clothes and start from scratch (just kidding)?

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22 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Hmm! Those look like my colors, but I don’t think of us as having similar coloring. My eyes are green/blue and my skin is fair with some red undertone. That’s why yellow (and yellowish colors like cotton) tend to look awful on me.

I feel like a selfie could be misleading — I wonder how do they compensate for variations in lighting conditions where people take their photos?

I say wear the colors you love and that make you feel good!

anchie

Veteran

Janet - yes, I was thinking of taking another selfie and resubmitting until I get colors that I like more But I think they could be right about low contrast?

Anonymous

I think of you as bright spring like Angie, or true spring- not these! The colors you wear suit you!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It's likely a selfie taken in poor light could lead to all kinds of crazy conclusions. I say wear what makes you happy.

This looks (essentially) like a "summer" palette of some description. (Soft or cool summer -- not sure which.)

As for contrast, yeah, they are going on the levels of contrast between your skin and hair and for a truly harmonious look perhaps you would not want a high contrast level. But you usually wear a medium contrast level anyway -- you'll wear a light neutral with a bright (rather than black and white, say). Sometimes you do whear navy and white, sure. But as far as I am concerned, it works on you. Anyway, your specs add contrast to your look, as well.

I think a colour analysis on its own without taking account of a person's overall energy, line, etc. is never going to give you the whole story. Nobody can look good in colours she dislikes.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I think that uploading a selfie could distort the answer you get.When l had my colours done years ago they made you sit makeup free in full natural daylight.l don’t know how you would replicate this on line.Any way l always regarded as a bit of fun and a guide line not a rigid set of rules so wear the yellow!

SW Ann

Veteran

I had my colors done over 30 years ago, in person (before selfies existed!) It was fun, but I subscribe to the "wear what makes you feel good" color theory! If you feel good about your clothes, it shows--whatever the colors are!

Indigoprint

Veteran

I am not a color expert but for me I have agreed with it's basic concept of cool/ warm tones. I got my colors"done" in the 80's .
My understanding is that one could wear every color it was the tone that made it flattering or maybe not as flattering.

jussie

Veteran

Having experimented quite a bit with seasonal colour palettes, I believe the best way, is to pull out everything in your wardrobe, and drape each piece under your chin. Those that make your face stand out, look even, and energetic and healthy, well, they are your best colours. Also some colours will harmonize nicely with your hair and eyes. Then gather all those items together, and try to work out which palette they mostly fit into.
Sadly I don’t think the online analysis tools are very good. Lighting makes SO much difference.
If all that is too hard to figure out, which it might be if you are fairly neutral, then just work out your very WORST colours, and go about avoiding those near your face.
Also some of the palettes contain stronger contrast than others… so you can experiment with whether you are better in very low contrast (ie an outfit in entirely light grey for example) or whether it drains you? You could try on a few different outfits to experiment with this. Again, you may be fairly “medium”, needing medium contrast levels.
Sorry if I have written too much, it’s a topic of interest for me.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Yes, I would be a bit skeptical of such a complete analysis done from a selfie, by a bot one would imagine. But take from it what sounds right about the contrast or any colors that interest you.

anchie

Veteran

So I taken many selfies this morning in natural light and uploaded them and always got the same result. Even created completely new account and started from scratch - same result.
If anyone wants to experiment it is
woowclub.com I am starting to wonder if this is the only color recommendation they have

anchie

Veteran

So just to experiment I made account for my DD. She got my favorite clear and bright colors, even some neons. But she has very different coloring then me. She has porcelain skin, green eyes and dark hair.

Anonymous

It can't hurt to try on some of those colors when you're in shops, but I'd trust an IRL color analyst much more. Even then, people get different results...

anchie

Veteran

Good idea, I may be surprised. Not colors that I usually gravitate to but no hurt in trying.
This tool would be good thing to use if accurate. It also has style quiz and it put me as classic. Then it scours the web for clothes and makeup in my colors and styles. Even provided some inspiration that is not that bad.

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Dee

Veteran

Oh that's interesting that you keep getting the same results and now your daughter has a different set of results.

I think the suggestion of using medium contrasts seems correct for you , and your colours look similar to a summer/ spring, so I guess it's up to you to decide if you'd like to use this as a guide for yourself going forward.

I too had my colours done many years ago and for the most part it was rather helpful in honing in on a cohesive colour palette. And when a certain colour wasn't so great for me but I liked it anyways, I just wouldn't wear it so close to my face.

RobinF

Veteran

Sounds like a fun website. I love the colors they gave you but they do seem different than what you post here. I like the idea of trying a few just to see, but definitely keep wearing what makes you feel good!

Tanya

Veteran

Thank you for the app recommendation, will try it later.

I think you look great in your usual colors. It is worth trying the ones recommended, at least some could work. However, I am not sure how accurate the app is. You always struck me as some version of Spring, and the colors your wear are, too; while the app recommendation is a version of Summer (which I am as well). Most summers do not look good in our bright lime/citron colors, while you look stunning in them, hence my doubts.

anchie

Veteran

I think app switched seasons for me and my dd. I think she is summer, with her cool toned very pale skin and her green eyes. She is also high contrast with her dark hair, so maybe even winter? While my skin is little darker and more warm with yellow undertones, so it seems more like fall or spring.

Helena

Veteran

Anchie, you know I think you are a colour master of the universe, so I would trust your personal inclinations more than any tool! That said, why not play with some of these colours, if any appeal to you? They seem great for spring/summer, and not out of line with several of the colours you were considering for your palette, perhaps just a tad more muted.

Sometimes I think there is no "right" colour analysis, but different palettes can bring out different aspects of our natural appearance, so it's fun to experiment and see what you might notice and appreciate about yourself that you didn't see before xx

Helena

Veteran

And now I've gone down the rabbit hole ... I got "soft" (softer and slightly deeper palette) and "casual with a touch of classic" for style ... that seems pretty accurate to me lol

Fun tool to play with, thanks Anchie for sharing

SarahD8

Veteran

My guess is that the tool puts everyone with gray hair in that soft/summer color palette -- kind of outdated conventional wisdom if you ask me (remember in the 80s when everyone who wasn't white was considered a winter?).

To test that hypothesis you could try photoshopping your daughter's hair gray or yours to your previous color and see what it spits out.

But mostly, I think you should keep doing what you are doing! You have posted dozens of selfies wearing your signature bright colors on this site where the culture is one of kind but honest feedback. If those colors didn't suit you...I think you'd know! Not to toot our own horn but I would trust the appraisal of fabbers over that of an algorithm. :-p

That said, if you are looking to do something new or shift your color palette, by all means, explore these colors the site is suggesting! But I don't think you should let it make you doubt an approach that you're happy with.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

I'm skeptical. These look like summer colours, while you look like some species of spring or winter to me. I say trust your intuition. If you're comfortable in brights, keep wearing them. Pro tip: if you know which shade of yellow suits you and you can find its parent palette, that's your wheelhouse.

Colours are terribly difficult to get right. I've been around the houses on this one, and I'm still learning. In case it helps, review my previous experiments....

https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....ur-texture

https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....80%9cwrong

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I agree 100% with what approprio said in her first paragraph.

Although colour theory and analysis can providesa good starting point, personally, I wouldn't take it too seriously. The theory is fundamentally floored, in my opinion. You CANNOT see colours in isolation - and that is what the theory assumes. Colours affect one another in a big way!