Photo: Nadia Kuik
Did you know that you can find out exactly what colours suit you best?
Seasonal colour theory, also known as season colour analysis, originated in the early 1900's with the work of Swiss artist Johannes Itten who created four different colour palettes that corresponded with the four seasons - spring, summer, autumn, winter.
Itten's book "The Art of Colour" was finally published in 1961 pioneering the idea that individuals could be categorized into different colour seasons by looking at their three main natural features: skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour.
Images: Olga Tsareva
Later expanded upon by various image consultants, psychologists and colour experts, like Carole Jackson, who wrote the book, "Colour me Beautiful," seasonal colour theory became really popular in the 1980's as a way of helping people shop for appropriately coloured clothes, accessories, and makeup by first determining if they were warm or cool skin toned, or a light or dark type.
Fast forward forty years and seasonal colour theory is in vogue again. Splashing across tiktok and social media platforms, season colour theory is a trend that is here to stay, thanks to the resurgence of interest in fashion and beauty guides that draw on the seasons to enhance natural features and create a harmonious look.
For those increasingly "in the know," the benefits of understanding your colour season are numerous: save money by avoiding wrongly coloured purchases that sit unused in the cupboard for years because they don't really suit and instead enhance your natural beauty with colour choices that you can wear like a boss daily. A win for the environment, slow fashion, your pocket and your confidence!
While discovering colours that complement your appearance is a wonderful feeling, it is crucial when you are shopping for hats or scarves; the closer a colour is to your face, the greater the impact.
When it comes to clothing, the closer to your face, the more important it is to find colours tailored uniquely for you.
Consider this: almost anyone can wear brown shoes and look fine, but the same cannot be said for a brown scarf. This disparity is due to the scarf being in closer proximity to your face.
Finding Your Colours: Where to start
Navigating the vast array of products in countless shades and attempting to make a decision can be quite challenging. Fortunately, you don't need to guess, you can use season colour theory to determine if your features have warm or cool undertones then find the best palette for your seasonality.
Step One: Determine your Undertones
The features to look at are: your eyes, hair, and skin. If you have already lost your hair, don't worry; simply use your natural hair colour or your preferred wig color.
Eyes:
Are your Eyes Cool: Grey, Green, Blue or Violet?
Or Warm: Hazel, Brown, Amber?
Hair:
Is your Hair Cool: Black, Grey, Ash Brown, White, Ash Blonde?
Or Warm Hair: Rich Brown, Hazelnut, Caramel, Red or Orange, Blonde or Strawberry Blonde?
Next: Conduct the Vein Test
Look at your wrist veins. If your veins look greenish, then you may have warm undertones. People with blue or purplish-looking veins usually have cooler undertones.
Step Two: Tally your Undertones
Determine the total count of warm and cool features you possess. If you find that all your features are entirely warm or cool, then you have completed this step and can consult the colour palette below for a simplistic
guide on colours that suit. However, if you're like most of us and encounter difficulty making a solid decision on your own, or wish to refine further, you can use the flowchart from Teal Inspiration and proceed to the following step.
Flowchart Credit: tealinspiration.com
Step Three: High Contrast or Low Contrast
Do you have a high or low contrast between your hair and skin colour? i.e dark hair, fair skin is a high contrast, dark hair, dark skin is a low contrast, light hair and light skin is a low contrast. High contrast usually adds towards being considered cool toned, low contrast usually adds towards being considered warmer toned.
Still not sure?
There are many more discovery techniques, more refined colour palettes, as well as colour families, and technologies too, now all available to help (and confuse). It is easy to get a bit overwhelmed and throw the baby out with the bath water, which is why we are going to be offering colour consultations at Mandorle soon.
Getting a second opinion on a palette you created based on a home analysis can make a huge difference!
We love to help customers pick perfect colours and feel their best.
Psst! Coming Soon:
Mandorle's Founder Manuela Taverna is finalising the details of her personalised colour consultations, designed to help you feel colour confident and styled for the season of colours that perfectly complement your unique features.
Image Credit: iSidhe
So, hang On - Which colour is right for me???
Stay tuned to find out how you can access an exclusive one hour one-on-one colour consultation and order a palette handmade just for you.
Manuela's expert touch will save you tonnes of money and have you looking glam in no time.
Subscribe to Mandorle's Website to receive an update about colour consultations and 10% off your first order. Enter your email on the bottom of our home page for access to exclusive sales, and more.
Looking forward to welcoming you to Mandorle's world of colour!