The Case Against “Getting Colors Done”
It’s been occurring more and more, getting an inquiry on my website from potential clients looking to get their “colors done”. It’s always a challenge trying to concisely explain why this is not something I advise - so I’m taking the opportunity to explain, in depth, my thoughts on color analysis.
You have probably seen this trending on Tik Tok or other social channels, and thought “that looks fun! I want to do that”! There is something really cool and novel about learning new things about yourself and so I understand the appeal that color analysis has on the masses. That said, I am nervous about a whole new generation of people (mostly women) being fixated on another trend telling them what they “should” and “should not” do to enhance their appearance.
What is Color Theory?
Color Theory is the study of how colors interact with each other and can be combined to create visually appealing looks. Founded on the basis of the color wheel, anyone in a creative job like interior design, graphic design, or clothing design constantly uses color theory to create outputs that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. As a Certified Fashion Stylist, color theory is an important part of training and I’m constantly utilizing it when building outfits for clients - always considering whether I want a look to use analogous colors (next to each other on the color wheel), complementary colors (colors exactly opposite each other on the color wheel) or whether I want a look to be tonal (different shades of the same color) or monochromatic (wearing same shade of a color, from head-to-toe). Or perhaps, I just want a pop of color!
What is Color Analysis?
Color Analysis is the process that analyzes your natural hair, skin, and eye colors to determine which colors will best compliment your features. Often conducted by a color analyst, color consultant, color specialist, personal stylist or image consultant, the expert will go through a process in which they hold color swatches against you to test what colors compliment you. The typical outcome is that you will be assigned a set of colors - typically named by season - that you should stick to when purchasing items for yourself. For example, if it is determined that “cool summer” works best, you’ll be assigned colors like navy, purple and turquoise.
Trending but Antiquated
Last year, Vogue published How This Retro Beauty Theory Became the Latest TikTok Craze where the author correctly noted that people are always looking for a deeper understanding of themselves. This science was first launched in the 1980's (you may have even heard an aunt or relative mention their colors - I know I have) after a best selling book “Color Me Beautiful”. While there have been color analysts practicing since, there has been a huge surge of content on social media - driving a whole new generation of people to crave a color session. Admittedly, the content is fascinating! People have emotional feelings about color and so watching someone get color matched to a rainbow is at the very least, compelling content.
It’s no surprise that in a day and age with constant bombardment of beautiful people, filters, beauty products and more, that a new image-focused craze is trending. I know through the number of prospective clients inquiring about my services, that so many people are searching for help to feel and look their best. And color analysis definitely feels like a silver bullet to help achieve that!
All of the Nuances
Color analysis actually requires quite a lot of training and deep understanding. It takes into consideration undertones of skin, eye color, and hair color. But as we know, people often change their hair color - so what happens then? Additionally, people’s skin may change depending on the season (I tend to get many shades darker in summer). These factors add to the complexity of this “science” and while a great color analyst may explain how your colors will or will not change - you also may be left feeling confused about what to do with your wardrobe.
While many color analysts are very well-studied and well-practiced professionals, color is an element of design and therefore, subjective. You will hear many stories of people actually getting assigned different colors depending on who is doing the analysis. And then adding to the confusion, is the creation of online tools that can purport to do this for you!
You add another layer of complexity when you’re trying to incorporate new trends! For example, many color analysts will prescribe that you wear silver or gold based on your “cool” or “warm” undertones. But metallics are always cycling in and out of style! So in a couple of years when silver/platinum is the new “in” metallic, are you expected to forego the trend completely because you were assigned gold?
These are the kinds of questions that really overwhelm clients who are already struggling to feel their best. While gold might look better on me personally, I am not going to forego wearing silver! I love how silver pairs better with my leather jacket or black and white looks - so I see it as essential to have diversified jewelry in my wardrobe.
Finally, there are an infinite number of colors that exist!! So even when we say “navy” its not possible for that word to be assigned to one color that is universal. Every fabric, every brand, every dye, can have an impact on how a color appears and so assigning “navy” to you is too general given a navy can appear more purple or more black. When you’re at the store looking at navy pants, will you trust that this is the “right” shade of navy for you?
My Approach to Color
My job as a Stylist is to help offload the stress of shopping for my clients. They often come to me feeling overwhelmed trying to understand how clothing should fit, how items should pair together, and simply not knowing how to buy the right pieces for their lifestyle. As I mentioned above, color analysis is actually incredibly detailed and leaving a client to navigate it alone wouldn’t help them feel relieved. Additionally, I don’t want clients to feel put in a box. SO MANY already have preconceived notions about what they “can” and can’t” wear based on bad cosmo articles or what their mother told them once. As I try to break down these rigid beliefs, it would be unfair to then impose new ones (you can now only wear “autumn colors”)! So when new clients come to me asking if I can do their color analysis, I am very honest about why I don’t subscribe to this process.
But just because I don’t put swatches against you and provide you with a defined palette you can wear, it doesn’t mean that I won’t use color to make you look and feel your best. For example, if you’re presenting a big keynote, I want you to command the stage and feel powerful! In that case, I would choose a “strong” color like Red or Magenta - taking your skin tone into consideration so we get the right tone. Rest assured that in working together, color will be taken into consideration as it is with fit, budget and lifestyle. But I will do it in a way that doesn’t bog you down or overwhelm you with “rules”. In a society with insane beauty standards and cookie cutter influencer outfits, the last thing we need is limiting creativity by putting people in a color box.
So if you’re really interested in doing color analysis, consider the “why”. Are you doing it just for fun? Or because you really think it will be helpful in getting dressed everyday? If the latter, think hard about how realistic it is to execute this on yourself! If you’re struggling to create a wardrobe that is elevated, helps you feel confident and makes sense for your life, color analysis may be a block to that - as it can potentially weigh you down and limit your options. Again, there are wonderful professionals doing this out there but as a Personal Stylist aiming to offload the stress, I can’t see myself expanding services to include this…at least not for now.