Have you ever wondered which colors look best on you? Or do you always stick to neutral colors because vibrant colors seem too risky?
Discovering your unique color palette will help you find the confidence to wear those daring hues.
Looking to the media is a helpful way to explore new ideas for trends and fresh outfits; however, knowing your color type and curating a wardrobe tailored to your individual style will give you the freedom and creativity to master your style.
The Color Consultation Process
The seasonal color analysis theory helps stylists determine which color palette will complement them the best. By examining their clients’ skin tone, eyes, hair and lip color, a color consultant can match them to one of 16 possible color types.
Color types are based on the temperature, saturation and brightness of a person’s features. For instance, skin color could be considered warmer or cooler based on the undertones.
Amy Latta, a stylist for House of Color, owns her business in Saratoga, New York. She decided to start her business because she was looking for a career change and something more family-friendly. Moreover, she had a color analysis done for herself and ever since she’s wanted others to have the same life-changing experience she did.
“Ever since my color analysis I’ve been obsessed with color, all things color,” she said.
Latta’s appointments are about three to four hours long and are broken down into four parts. First she likes to educate her clients on color theory, including the history, how it works and why it’ll work. Then she moves into the part of the appointment we’ve all seen on social media: the draping process.
“What we really need to look at is how your complexion reacts to different colors. We use precision dyed drapes, and I will drape you in a series of comparisons,” Latta said.
“We’re watching how your complexion changes and we do it very quickly.”
She’ll do a few rounds of this and then proceed into the third part of the appointment which includes all things makeup.
“We will talk about the best makeup colors for you… Those are the colors that we actually put on our face, so we really want to make sure we get those correct, ” Latta said.
Finally, the last part of the session consists of working together with Latta to build a wardrobe around your best colors. There are “wow” colors that you may want to save for special occasions, where you want to look your absolute best, she said. You’ll also find more neutral colors within your palette for everyday tops and bottoms, along with colors that work best for accessories.
What Professionals Suggest
Brooke Ann, personal stylist and color analyst, is the founder of Enchanted Styles, established in June 2021. Ann was born and raised in Japan by her Japanese mother and African American father.
“The people didn’t look like I did, I had darker skin, and I always had this feeling that I wanted to belong,” Ann said.
She was inspired by the fashion industry and red carpet looks, starting with the iconic Hannah Montana closet. By her second year of college, Ann realized she wanted to become a personal stylist and in 2022, began color analysis training.
“I think there’s a disconnect from your inner light, your magic and who you are, to your physical form and how you dress,” Ann said.
To connect and understand color analysis, Ann suggests finding undertones by using the most accurate lighting around noon. The undertone can be compared with color samples.
Latta suggests going to the professionals if you want to truly learn your color palette. She originally thought she had a winter palette, but after seeing a professional realized she was wearing colors that weren’t flattering on her for over 20 years. “I diagnosed myself and I was completely wrong,” she said.
“When I finally had my color analysis in person, it completely blew my mind, and I realized that all my makeup was wrong, my hair color was wrong and my clothes were wrong.”
Once Latta made the changes in her life she said the compliments started rolling in on her appearance, and there was a noticeable change in her aura when she entered a room.
However, if you can’t make it in to see a professional, she suggests being conscious of how you feel in certain colors and how your facial features are accentuated by those colors. Yet, she notes it may be difficult to be objective about ourselves, as we all have our own biases and preferences.
But what happens when you get a color analysis done and the colors they suggest for your palette don’t fit into the color schemes you like?
Well, Latta said, “There’s no color police.” “I am never going to tell anybody that they can’t wear certain colors. I’m just going to provide you with the information and what you do with that information is up to you.”
“I don’t take colors away from people, I just show them the best shades of those colors within their palette,” she said.
Even after Latta’s color consultation, she wasn’t a fan of her color palette right away. “I didn’t love my colors in the beginning. I was not happy to discover I’m a spring,” she said.
Yet, she gave it a try for two weeks, because that is what she was told, and that’s all it took. So now she does the same with her clients, helping them to feel more vibrant and lively like she did.
The Benefits of Getting an Analysis Done
“Color analysis is a lifelong tool,” Ann said. “Your closet pieces will create harmony, making it easy to mix and match.”
However, there’s a fairly hefty price tag that comes with such a wonderful experience. Latta charges $275 for an individual, and if you bring a friend the price drops to $250 per person. Her pricing is actually on the lower end of the spectrum. A color analysis, depending on where you live, can get upwards of $400 or more.
“It’s a three to four hour appointment, so you’re getting a lot of information for your money. It includes a booklet with information about your best colors and we also give you fabric swatches of your best colors,” Latta said.
The price may seem like a lot, but Latta noted this is truly a once in a lifetime appointment, and you end up saving money later on.
“When we think of all of the things we’ve bought over time that you never wear or that you only wear once or twice… you’re going to save so much money in the long term,” she said.
The goal is to build a capsule wardrobe, so that every item compliments each other, allowing you to declutter and not make the mistake of buying something in a color that doesn’t flatter you.
She encourages clients to do a closet purge after the appointment and sell all the clothes on apps like Poshmark or threadUp. “The appointment kind of pays for itself once you do the clean out,” she said.
Also, once you know your best colors, you’ll never look “tired or dull or washed out,” Latta said. “When you’re wearing the right colors, the colors are actually doing most of the work.”
Discovering your best colors might be the next step in elevating your style. Professionals, such as Brooke Ann and Amy Latta, will help you establish a lifetime of unrivaled looks to enhance your complexion with your perfect color palette. If you’d like to learn more, one of our favorite content creators just posted a video about this. Check out Safiya Nygaard’s video here.