Yes, I have had it done. It was a combination of style and colour advice and it was my start on the road to looking so much better. It makes it easier to shop. I don't always follow the rules, but it gives me a good general idea of which colours are better. It also makes my wardrobe more versatile as more clothes combine nice with each other because they don't clash as much as many of my clothes did before.

Absolutely, but it depends on the skills and methodology of the person doing the analysis. When I had mine done, the consultant didn't use the popular draping method. Instead, she used paints to mix a color that exactly matched my skin tone, then used those component colors to do my chart. She used the 4 basic "seasons" but expanded and refined them. Some autumns can wear black, some can't. I look at what she did as advice rather than "rules" but find that I look better when I stick with what's my chart. It has made shopping much easier, and explained why even though I might like a color it makes my face look like death.

I did last year and found it very helpful to see myself draped in different colors by an experienced person.

I use the information as guidelines i.e.: "look for warm, clear, and bright colors with a yellow undertone", rather than a strict palette of colors. I have been weeding out less-flattering-color items and adding better choices, especially tops that bring out my eye color. As with Lynne it helps my resolve to avoid colors I like that don't like me back, and my wardrobe is slowly evolving to become more cohesive.

I had them done years ago and, yes it was helpful . I would not today because I am confident of my own eye. I think it depends on who has it done. If you are a visual person
and have an eye for color and style, the process will not be harmful but just more information that you can take or leave. If you are very susceptible to opinion, it may inhibit your developing eye,. I think it is best to experience first hand what and why certain colors feel and look better on. So much needs to be taken into consideration- preference being a big factor. However, when a trained and sensitive eye can help you look your best without inhibiting your tastes and personality than why not?

So to answer your question- no I would not but I think it is valuable to certain people.

I would. I have a difficult time determining some colors and if they work with me or not. I would find guidelines very helpful. I have a difficult time telling colors that work for me when they are not blue or purple.

No. I've tried it, have known others who did, and people just don't fit into neat catagories. It doesn't work. Also, the minute you change your hair color or get or lose a tan, you can throw your color analysis out the window. Best to use your own judgement or that of a friend with a good eye.

When it's done well, it gives you some guidelines, your wardrobe is more effective as you can mix and match the colours more easily.

When it's done badly, then it's not helpful.

Nobody should stick exactly to their palette - the palette you're given is a guideline and a tool only, not the be all and end all - it's about finding colours that work together and flatter you, rather than a fixed lot of 50 colours that are all you can wear.

We all stray outside of our ideal colours, but it makes for a much more effective wardrobe when all the colours have similar colour properties, so they can mix and match.

Plus the colours that suit you make you look more vibrant and alive, healthier and younger - so why wouldn't you want that?

this is what people had to say to a similar question on a older thread:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....rk-for-you

I'm glad Imogen posted above. I really found her website helpful about choosing colors; there are several good posts there in the Colour Guide section (below are only a few).

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......lours.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......art-1.html
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......art-2.html

I do agree with Andie too, and I think that while guidelines help, I don't being limited to a distinct palette of x number of colors.
I have deep cool coloring and tend to favor those colors, but I find that the Winter colors usually recommended for me are too bold when I like more muted versions of those shades. Personality plays a big part in what colors suit you too, and I prefer muted tones and neutrals to bold brights. When I find the article I read on that I will post it below as an edit.

I had a similar thing to HeleenH, it just makes the maybes easier to push into a yes or no decision! I still wear colors I feel good in even if they aren't on my color chart, the chart just simplifies.

I wanted to add that I think about it as a way to potentially add colors to my wardrobe, too, that I wouldn't have thought would work on me but that really suit me. Since I don't naturally have a great eye for color, I tend to pick the same colors over and over that I know work instead of venturing into new colors. If I were to have my colors done, I wouldn't stick to the palette exactly, but I think it would help narrow down choices and avoid some items that I might like the style of but that come only in colors that don't flatter me.

I did once nearly 20 years ago in Hawaii and really enjoyed the experience. And I found it helpful too. It was with a woman who did "Illuminessence" which sounds kind of woo-woo...and maybe it is!...who's motto is "Style matters, but substance rules" . She is in Southern CA too, I think...found a youtube on her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related Good luck with your article!

No, I wouldn't get my colors done -- can figure that out on my own. I've noticed that most people decorate their homes in colors that are flattering to them.

I'm with CocoLion on this and the other "no's," because someone else's opinion is so subjective, and it seems so personally limiting to me. As Suz said, I don't like the idea of rules, either, and am better served by my own guidelines and the guidance of a stylist, like Angie, who takes the whole person into account.

I had a colour/style done a number of years ago when I had been very ill for a long period of time. It was extreamely helpful in that since I looked like death warmed over already she gave me a nod to which of the colours that I hadn't worn now suited me better due to this as well as some finer/softer fabrics that would not be as severe against my ill looking appearance.

I tend to wear some beloved colours that are so not mine but in a style and fabric that suits me to a t and which I feel fabulous in. Funnily enough I always get compliments on these.

One such example is the colour purple. I had worn nothing in this shade and some tones are absolutely gorgeous on me and when worn with "bad colours" in the right combination look fabulous.

The lady who did this was more in tune with that one didn't have a bad colour one had bad shades of a certain colour...

Yes! In fact, I did get my colors "done" many years ago and I found that the feedback that I got was very helpful. It gave me a guide, rather than "rules" that had to be followed. I did not feel like I absolutely had to stick to the color pallette, but it gave me a starting point. Today, I would probably not get my colors "done" - although I certainly wouldn't be against it - however, I believe that I have a better understanding of color theory and know what I look best in and what colors I can use as "pops" of colors, rather than wear them next to my face.

Also - though I don't know enough about colors and how to determine what colors someone would look best in, I do know when I see someone wearing the wrong color - their outfit may be really beautiful, but the color is all wrong for them and just really puts a damper on the overall look. I don't think that it is possible for someone to look good in every single color - so I think it would be helpful for anyone to have their colors "done!"

I'm too cheap to pay to have my colors done, but I have done experiments with holding up different colors myself to see what I think.

Tara, would you? I mean, if you had your colors done, you might actually have to wear color!

I wouldn't, because by now I know enough to know what looks good. I'd rather ask our Jean than someone I don't trust! Seriously, have you ever seen anyone better at color than Jean? Plus, I change my hair color often, which changes my color palette, which instantly makes any old color analysis null and void.

I don't think I'd do it (unless it was free, of course. Ha!). I think my experience dressing myself has given me an eye for what colors look good on me. I can see the benefit, though.

I enjoy reading about color theory and have acquired most of my knowledge in that manner, rather than from a colorist. I'm a "warm autumn" and love the colors that go with that, so I tend to stay mostly within my recommended color range. However, I'm not a rigid rule follower so, for example, I prefer the contrast of silver-tone jewelry against my warm-tone skin and colors, even though gold jewelry is recommended, and I love to wear turquoise, whether or not I "qualify" as a deep autumn. To summarize: color theory is interesting and useful, but I'm flexible about it.

When the color analysis is done well, its done with your skin's natural undertones which don't change when you change your hair color or get a tan. A good stylist can also show you the difference between a blue based red and a yellow red. It's the tones that matter, not the name of the color.

What lynne just said - that was my experience when I had my colors done - nothing about tan/no tan, hair color, etc. will affect your skin's undertones! And there is such a huge difference in blue-based or yellow-based colors (think of a green for example!) that I just think its wise to get all the help that you can get when it comes to deciding what colors you want to put around your face and what colors would be best as small "pops!" For example, I cannot find a single color of orange that looks good next to my face, but I am absolutely craving that color in my wardrobe right now - so, I bought a skinny orange belt and a couple of orange bracelets - my orange craving is satisfied and I'm still looking my "best" in colors that are more complimentary around my face! Its a Win-Win!

I haven't had my colors done but did buy the original Color me Beautiful book and figured it out. I have read through all of the responses and many of us that have more experience have figured it out on our own but I think back to when I was younger and hadn't realized that a blue-red would look great but a yellow-red would wash me out and know I could have used the guidance then. I also can't wear any oranges or gold colors near my face but can wear a pinky coral. Knowing that cool colors work best helps me to distinguish between the shades of green and red that work and that don't work and make it easier to take risks.

I've been thinking about this question a lot these days, and to expand on what I've already said, I think getting colors done is just a tool - and as with every tool, you use it if you need it to get something done. Some people are, but I am not naturally gifted to see which colors work, I even don't understand to this day the color wheel. Very true. Luckily, I've seen a thread Una started these days about color theory which I definitely have to read, because reading about them and understanding how to watch colors helps me make sense of it all. "Reading" colors is just like any other skill, you either have it or not, and if you don't - you go and find some workaround.

Figuring my colors out was crucial for the beginning of my style journey. It made perfect sense - for me. I've recently cleared some old bookmarks and realized that searching for my colors had eventually led me to YLF through some old thread that discussed this issue. As someone had said, knowing the colors that definitely work for me had helped reconnecting with my instincts - which must be the most valuable lesson of all. It's not written in stone I have to use specific set of colors, they are just guideline, but strong and reliable one for me. What I've also realized is that getting more confident in my basic color choices had made me more willing to experiment with those that would not be "my colors".

...just noticed the typo above but I can't edit anymore...

ANGIE not Andie (sorry Angie, fast and careless typing caused that one, not not knowing your name).

More about color and personality:
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......ality.html
I tend to favor the neutral, natural and creative palettes (pretty much in that order) though my style varies a little from these categories.

Thanks to everyone for your insightful and thoughtful replies. They were very helpful.

And many thanks to Angie for creating such a non-judgmental place where we can all share our personal opinions!

I'm glad that Imogen chimed in, because I think she does a wonderful job of illustrating on her website how certain colors can make us look brighter and healthier - but also acknowledging that we don't need to be limited to a rigid palette of colors that we HAVE to wear.

I have a pretty good sense of which colors I look best in (blue/green/purple jewel tones especially - which I fortunately love!) but I also bend the rules. While white and black aren't the *best* colors on me, I feel like I can still wear them next to my face when the outfit I'm wearing has some color, and also my red hair helps because it brings out some of the colorful undertones in my complexion. Wearing warm-toned lipstick can do the same.
There are some colors that make me look dead that I do not want next to my face at all - pastels and VERY muted earthy colors (soul-sucking beige and the like.) Bright Hallowen-y orange, neon green, citron, Barbie doll bubblegum pink, and a lot of the "cool, bright" colors don't look good on me either.
But generally I feel pretty lucky that the colors I like best are also among the colors that work best with my coloring.

I had my colors done a long time ago when I was young (middle school or high school) and had highlighted blonde hair. I think it was based on the Color Me Beautiful color theory and I want to say that I was pegged as a Spring, but I'm not sure. I didn't really find the whole process very useful at that point in my life.

As someone who has spent over a year of her life developing a colour system for colour analysis, having spent countless hours staring at hundreds, if not thousands of colours, and then having to choose just 50 to fit into a palette, what you need to be aware of is that there are:

around 1 000 000 discernible colours to the naked eye
around 50 000 or so of them will work on you really really well.

The palette you're given by a colour consultant, is just a tool to help you find those 50 000 colours, it's a matching tool to see if the colours you're looking at have similar properties to the colour on your swatch.

It's a guideline, a tool only.

Love this discussion.

I've had mine done twice - the first consultant was brilliant (I don't fit easily into any one category, apparently). The second one was less so - partly because she wanted me to only wear the colours in my swatch book, and partly because I also had a style consultation with her, and as I was at a bit of a low ebb emotionally at the time, I took some of the negative things she told me to heart But that's nothing to do with the colours!

I tend to try and only wear colours that suit me (because why would you not?!), and only use 'my' colours as a guide.

I had this done in the '80s and was told I'm a Spring. I absolutely hated the spring colors. I felt those pastels and periwinkle blues did not at all reflect the stronger, edgier person I felt myself to be, so just sort of abandoned the whole thing. However, I admit not being able to recognise the colors that are better or worse on me. I am not a very visually aware person in general. So a new updated approach that took personal style into consideration might be interesting.

I would love to have mine done. I am a little afraid of the process, like a buyer in a dept store, as I don't think they have the correct tools but I hunt around the net occassionlly to find someone local, (which I can't locate)

I have been reading books on it lately, but I don't want to spend more than $100. Not sure if it can be done for that

In a perfect world, I would have the funds for someone to come to my mess of a closet, map me some colours and outfits from what I have...unfortunately, braces, university and retirement savings are holding me back lol