colour consultation Archives

Nine tell-tale signs that you’re wearing the wrong colour

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Toni Carver

When you wear a colour which isn’t right for you, it shows. Sometimes, it may be subtle but other times, the effect is so dramatic that you immediately take it off!

This year, colour analysis has exploded on social media. But, if I’m honest, I’ve seen lots of examples where people have arrived at their own colour conclusion, which hasn’t been right for them.

Or, they’ve asked people online and in forums what ‘season’ they are or what colours suit them. The people telling them are no more qualified than the person asking the question. They’re sharing an opinion on what they think rather than what is accurate. Colour Analysis (with a professional) is based upon a science and basic colour theory. It’s not an opinion.

I’m a bit gutted for them to be honest. I know how exciting it is to find out your colours and learn how to create a wardrobe of coordinating items that do flatter you. Unfortunately, the ones who haven’t quite got it right end up spending more money on clothes that don’t suit them. And, they don’t understand why because someone online told them, or the filter they used made them look good.

So, I wanted to call out some really obvious tell-tale signs that the colour you’re wearing isn’t right for you:

You feel the need to add more blusher

Essentially, you’re looking ‘washed out’ and so you’re trying to add some colour to your face. A classic sign that the colour you’re wearing close to your face isn’t right for you.

You want to reach for a bright lipstick

Feeling the need to balance out what you’re wearing often means the colour isn’t right as it’s taking the limelight away from you and your features. It’s all about the colour that you’re wearing rather than you. Colour doesn’t always mean bright either whether that’s in clothes or lipsticks.

It’ll look great with a tan

What if you don’t tan? Now you’ve got to fake tan?? Essentially, the colour is either overwhelming you (too bright/too warm) or washing you out (too heavy/too pale). Needing to artificially and temporarily alter the look of your skin to make the garment suit you better isn’t the right consideration.

There’s a glow under your chin

Remember when you were a child and you held a buttercup under your chin to see if you liked butter?? (I sincerely hope this wasn’t just me or now I look like a plonker). Anyway, there’s a difference between a ‘glow’ and ‘glowing’. A glow usually means that the colour you’re wearing closest to your face is reflecting upwards to your features. Usually, under your chin which creates a reflection or a glow. Glowing occurs when the colour doesn’t reflect onto your skin, instead you look brighter and your skin looks clearer. You’re glowing because the colour is harmonising with you and not isolating itself from you.

You’ve got shadows/dark circles/look tired

If you’re already shattered, you don’t need colours to make you look worse! The colours you wear should make you look (and feel) healthier and brighter. Lines and shadows accentuated aren’t a good look.

You look ill

Ever had someone come up to you and ask if you’re feeling ok? Or that you look a bit ‘peaky’ and actually, you were feeling just fine? Colours which make you look poorly or cast a funny colour to your skin tone ar doing you no favours. Unless you wanted to be sent home of course.

Your jaw line has disappeared / you’ve got a 5 o’clock shadow

Often I see that the definition in your features disappears in the wrong colour tone. A defined jawline is what you want. For the guys, if you look like you need a shave (and you’ve had one already), it’s not right for you. Ditch it.

Your skin looks dirty

Assuming you’ve washed then the colour is clearly wrong for you!

Your skin looks red and agitated

Usually, this means that the colour is fighting against your skin tone and it’s bringing out blemishes and heightening redness in your cheeks and veins. The right shade of colour should balance out imperfections, not highlight them and make them look worse.

Why get a professional colour analysis?

This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list but things I hear and frequently see during my colour analysis consultations. I’ve been colour analysing clients for over 10 years and I’ve seen lots of ladies, and some men.

A colour analysis consultation with a professional is an investment. Do your research so that you can feel confident that you’re getting an analysis from a trained professional.

As a professional, I’ve trained in this field (with Colour me Beautiful) and what to look for using basic colour theory. I don’t offer a ‘seasonal’ colour analysis but a ‘tonal’ one which I feel is much more refined. Not everyone fits neatly into one of the four seasons and I assess your full colouring type based upon all your physical features. I don’t cover your hair and I don’t assess your skin tone based upon the colour of your veins.

I explain all this and what to look for to my clients during a colour analysis session so that when they go shopping, they know what to look for. They’ve got their swatches to use as a helpful guide too, not a bible or rule-book to follow. I can take you shopping of course, but I know realistically, it’s not always possible for me to be with you every second of the day. My clients get continued advice via email following their appointment to help support and guide them on their journey.

READY TO GET A PROFESSIONAL COLOUR ANALYSIS?

Get in touch to book your appointment: toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk

Finding your colours: the new Tik Tok trend explained

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Toni Carver

The latest craze on social media (mostly TikTok) is all about ‘finding your colours’.

Face after face surrounded by a shifting wheel of colour. A ‘filter’ applied to your face to determine the colours that suit your skin tone so you can make better choices when buying clothes.

Of course, this isn’t unfamiliar to me. After all, I trained as a colour and style consultant with Colour me Beautiful over 10 years ago. Colour analysis consultations are my most popular service.

In fact, it’s what brought Ysabelle and her mum to join me for a joint colour analysis consultation.

Ysabelle had seen the hype on Tik Tok and been fascinated by the different faces and how certain colours looked better than others. Having mentioned it to her mum, she told her that it was something she’d wished she had done herself! Her mum had a friend who had been for a colour analysis consultation in the 80s and subsequently raved about it. Flashing her colour wallet which she used to help her shop for her colours, and how fabulous she looked wearing them. Her mum regretted that she hadn’t taken the plunge and booked her own session.

Until now! Ysabelle booked for both of them to have a colour analysis consultation with me and they both learnt all about colour, what to look for and how to wear them. Admittedly, it was rather different to the spinning wheel of colour you see on Tik Tok!

So, let me explain what you need to know

Discovering the palette of colours that suits you best can put you at a major advantage to achieving a more coordinated wardrobe. Everyone can wear every colour, but not every shade of every colour will suit you the same.

When you know what’s right for you, you can make better choices and fewer mistakes shopping because you’ll know what to buy (and leave behind). It’s not quite as simple as using a ‘spinning wheel’ seen on Tik Tok! Get it wrong and you can still end up making mistakes when shopping.

Colour Analysis: Different Systems

Broadly speaking, there are two methods of colour analysis – seasons and tonal. The seasons is what you’ve been seeing on social media and the wheel relates to spring, summer, autumn and winter. A seasonal colour analysis focuses primarily on your skin tone believing that your undertone stays the same for the rest of your life and is irrespective of hair colour changes.

With a tonal colour analysis, the focus is on all of your physical features; your hair colour, eye colour and skin tone. Taking into account all three elements allows for much more flexibility so your colours are refined to suit you. I’ve seen many clients over the years where not just the hair colour, but their skin tone has changed. I’ve written about it previously here. The tonal system is what I use in my colour analysis consultations and I believe it’s more refined and bespoke to you.

Rather than being a season, you’ll have a dominant colouring type which is one of six core types. I’ll assess this during all my colour sessions and colour parties. When you choose a full colour analysis, I’ll ‘test’ you twice more to determine your sub-dominant colouring types. This expands your palette further given there are 24 possible options under the tonal analysis system!

The beauty with this is that if your look changes (by choice or nature), we can tweak your colours to reflect the changes. You can feel confident knowing that you’ll always look your very best because you’ve learnt how to wear colour. If you do start to notice that certain colours start to look a little ’off’ then it’s probably the right time to book yourself in for a colour review.

Self Diagnosis

Like anything, there’s always a way to do-it-yourself. Just like any DIY job, you may not have the tools or experience to correctly ‘diagnose’ and get the perfect result. But, you might be happy with the outcome you’ve arrived at and feel no need to fine-tune it further with a professional.

People can see colour in different ways. There are often differences in the way the brains and eyes work together to see, perceive and make meaning of colour. Your own experience of colour and exposure to varying colours will differ too. One may see ‘fawn’ whereas another person may just see ‘brown’. ‘Teal’ could seen as ‘aqua’, ‘turquoise’, ‘blue’ or ‘green’!

Testing

However you interpret colour, it’s undeniable how influential it can be. So, if you want to see the true impact of colour, try and use fabric. It’s a much more reliable and better reflection of colour.

Use whatever you have – clothes, cushions or pillow cases! Hold the fabric up underneath your chin without any makeup and in natural daylight. Check in a mirror if your complexion is enhanced and looks fresher, or if your skin appears dull or pale.

A common mistake people make is seeing a ‘glow’ underneath their chin. A glow doesn’t necessarily mean your skin is ‘glowing’ so wear with care.

You may have read that you can check the colour of your veins to determine if you have a warmer or cooler undertone. Unfortunately, this isn’t an accurate way to determine your undertone and has more to do with how light hits the skin. The blood in your veins is red after all!

It’s always worth noting that not everyone fits neatly into just one box. So, if you’ve used the ‘spinning wheel’ or other method of self-diagnosis and have found that you don’t quite fit or that colours from different seasons both seem to look ‘ok’, a seasonal analysis may not be right for you. Consider a tonal colour analysis instead. After all, if the outcome you’re seeking is to make fewer shopping mistakes buying clothes which don’t suit you, it can be just as costly to buy things in colours which still aren’t right for you.

The only way to be 100% accurate is to seek the advice of a professional colour consultant who has trained in this field. A professional colour analysis can last up to two hours and you’ll learn not just what colours suit you but how to wear them.

Professional Colour Analysis

For many people, understanding and wearing their most flattering shades of clothes and makeup can be life changing. It may sound dramatic, but it’s something my clients tell me all the time.

When you wear ‘your’ best shades of colour, you’ll look brighter, healthier and boost your confidence and how you feel.

Under the tonal system, there are three elements to your features which means there are three elements to your colouring type. By assessing different colours against your face using my cotton fabric drapes of material, I’m assessing the undertone, depth and clarity of your individual colouring.

We’ll also go through various colour combinations, ideas and makeup suggestions. You’ll also take away a fabric swatch to use as a guide for shopping (with my colour analysis consultations). It’s not about being restrictive, rigid and prescriptive because I’m not the police (or your mother) and I want you to enjoy your journey with colour!

It is an investment. But, the knowledge you gain will save you money in the long run.

Time to get your colours done professionally?

Get in touch to book your appointment: toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk

WIll you tell me to wear bright colours?

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Toni Carver

Firstly, it’s not for me to tell you what to wear! I’m not your mother and you’ve made a decision to come for advice. My aim is to arm you with the right information so that you can put it into practice when you leave your session with me.

What many people don’t realise is how many shades of colours there are. Just because it’s a colour, doesn’t mean it has to be bright.

The features of a colour

All colours have features to them and during a colour analysis consultation, I’ll explain more about colour theory and the Munsell System which I use in my colour consultations.

Colours which compliment your features and characteristics will naturally brighten your overall look. You’ll look healthier and your eyes will brighten. Dark shadows, discolouration or those that wash you out aren’t complimenting your features and don’t bring out the best of you. In simple terms, this is the impact of a colour against your features and it can be good, or not quite so good.

The combinations of colours together can also change the impact and appearance of the colour.

Take this example.

A light and a dark colour together such as black and white, will create a high level of contrast between the two shades.

Whereas if you ‘dull’ the shades down slightly making them off-white and grey, the contrast will be less severe and less harsh. There will be less contrast between the light and dark shade.

Some people are better suited to having more contrast, others not quite so much.

Your fabric choice can also affect the colour too. Choose something shiny like satin and it will brighten the appearance of the colour because it reflects the light.

Fifty shades of grey

For someone who feels afraid of colour, or that they’ll stand out too much, a colour analysis may feel daunting. It’s worth noting that there isn’t just one shade of neutral either. Fifty shades of grey there may be, but have you ever tried to get the same shade of navy, camel or white??

Within everyone’s palette is a range of neutral and a range of colours. By understanding the fundamentals of how colour is made up and how this refers and impacts on your own characteristics, you can use this understanding to make better buying decisions.

The consultation and swatches

A basic colour analysis assess your core, or dominant colouring type and you’ll take away 30 shades of colour most suited to you based upon your core features.

However, this is refined even further during the Complete Colour Analysis consultation. Your sub-dominant colouring types are analysed (your secondary and tertiary types) which takes you to 48 shades in your swatches. The range of colours included will have different elements and features which harmonise with you and who you are.

Yes, there may be brighter shades than others but ultimately, it’s all about how you wear them. That’s what you’ll learn during your colour analysis consultation.

My services are an investment in yourself after all.

Book your colour analysis consultation today!

toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk

Will I need to get rid of all my clothes after a colour or style consultation?

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Toni Carver

One concern with having a colour or a style consultation is that you’ll need to empty your wardrobe, get rid of all your clothes and start again!

This is wasteful, exhausting and expensive and not something I recommend at TLC HQ!

Gain the right knowledge

It’s not for me to tell you what to wear. Or tell you to get rid of things. I’m not your mother and you’ve chosen to come to me for help and advice. But, I do try my best to explain why things do and don’t suit you so that you’re armed with the right information when you leave your session.

You’ll get follow up emails from me too as you’re unlikely to remember everything we go through. I do pride myself on doing this, as I want to make sure you’re supported on your journey and you feel you get value.

My services are an investment in yourself after all.

How to wear colour

When you have a colour consultation, you’ll understand about colour, how to wear and combine your colours and how to wear what you already have. But, there’s bound to be items you’re itching to get rid of and if that’s the case then you’ve got my permission!

Experiment with your colours and making things work for you if they’re not quite right. Alter them to make them perfect for you too. You can dye them so easily at home these days (more on that here) and, if you’re a dab hand with a sewing machine then change them. Even without this talent, you can still swap buttons or cinch them in like I’ve covered here.

Style, shape and fit

Even with a more colour coordinated wardrobe, you may still find some things don’t work. This is where a style and image consultation will really help. Perhaps you’re not wearing things because they don’t ‘go’ or they don’t feel right when you wear them. If you’ve nailed the colour (and why wouldn’t you after your colour consultation!) it’s often the style, shape or fit that’s not working.

During a style and image consultation, we’ll focus on identifying your style personality, how to express it in what you wear and what you choose, before moving onto your shape and proportions. Even if you’re confident about what body shape you have, your proportions (such as where your waist is) or your scale can skew this meaning things don’t fit quite right. Learn what works for YOU. A pear with long legs and a short body who’s classic will need to style, shop and dress differently than an hourglass shape with a long body and short legs who’s a romantic style personality. Then there’s fabric, cuts and patterns to take into account during the session too!

Enjoy the journey

A consultation on colour or style may feel a little indulgent, but it WILL save you money in the long run because you’ll learn what suits you.

Just because you’ve had a session, doesn’t mean your journey is over – it’s simply the beginning. You’ve got lots to learn and apply and whilst it may take time, do enjoy it!

My help and support doesn’t end with your session. My follow up notes continue to come, plus my newsletter with blogs like this, videos and tips to try! Ongoing support is available with help on what to buy each season and how to style it to make it work for you. Every April and October I update the material and you can join my online workshops. Plus, I’m happy to come out to help you shop for any specific items you need or go through your wardrobe with you if you’re struggling.

Remember, it’s about understanding what suits you. That shouldn’t mean getting rid of everything and starting again but understanding how you can make them work better for you.

READY TO START YOUR JOURNEY?

Get in touch now! toni.carver@tlcstyleandcolour.co.uk

DOES MY COLOURING TYPE CHANGE WHEN I GET OLDER?

Posted on August 8, 2022 by Toni Carver

In one word – yes!

In a lot of words….It depends upon the type of colour analysis consultation you had, how long ago it was and if any of your features have changed. I often find people get in touch years later feel different in what they wear. Sometimes, this could be because of changes in your physical appearance (eg. your hair colour), a change in career or retirement or simply big changes in your life. Feel free to get in touch for a chat if this sounds like you. Read on for a recent client scenario.

Let me share this recent example

Debbie came to see me as she was feeling that things had changed. She’d had her colours analysed around 15 years ago and now approaching her 50th birthday, wanted to check if her colours really had changed as she suspected.

At the time, she was analysed as a soft, warm and light colouring type with the Colour me beautiful system. (I’ve talked about previous colour analysis types here and the differing colouring types here if you want to read more.)

After reviewing her features and different shade of colour during a colour review session, Debbie’s colouring had in fact changed.

This time, she was a warm, soft and deep colouring type.

What changed?

Mainly, it was Debbie’s hair colour.

She’d been blonder and lighter during her initial colour analysis. Now, her hair was more golden with auburn tones which impacted her overall features that her dominant colouring type had shifted. Now, the golden, warmer, yellow based tones were much more lifting against her hair rather than the dusty and muted tones of her original dominant palette.

I asked Debbie if she’d found herself not feeling or looking ‘right’ in any of the colours in her swatches. Debbie agreed that some of the cooler, bluer tones of the soft palette didn’t look as flattering as her warmer, yellow tones. They often felt too ‘cool’ for her and she didn’t feel that they were in balance when she saw her reflection.

This is always a tell-tale sign. Whilst you may not be able to identify exactly why, the human eye is always looking for harmony and balance. So, if you’re finding something looks off, you’re probably right! A colour analysis will always help you to identify why and how to wear your best shades of colour.

This dominant colouring type change also impacted the sub-dominant types for Debbie too. She now has a total new set of fabric colour swatches and a much more complimentary palette of colours.

Here’s a comparison of Debbie’s previous swatches versus her new ones:

swatches

Debbie sent me this message when she got home.

Thank you so much for today.

It was lovely to meet you and to gain your experience and knowledge on everything about colour, body shape and style personality.

Amy loved observing and we talked about it all, on the drive back to Bury.

Thank you for updating my colour swatches, as part of the colour review. It was really interesting to see the change after all these years since having ‘my colours done’ previously.

As soon as I got back home, I lifted clothes out of my wardrobe that no longer fit the new dominant warm and have put these to one side to pass on to someone else, who will suit them better or will fit with their style personality.

The information about body shape and style personality is great and I am sure once I’ve read the book, I’ll have tons more questions about this too.

Knowing your colours really is life-changing!

To find out, book a colour analysis consultation.

Click here

The real problem with having the cult Zara dress

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Toni Carver

A few weeks ago, I read an article calling out a new Zara dress which would suit everyone!

I’ll admit, I was sceptical, but I was also intrigued.

You see, I’ve been analysing people’s colouring, style and shape for years now and I’ve yet to find a garment that works and suits every single person.

So, off I went to Zara to investigate.

Introducing the ‘cult zara zig zag dress’

I took to social media to showcase this piece and everyone was in agreement that it really didn’t do anything for me!

So, in my professional opinion, I don’t believe it does suit everyone but importantly, here’s why.

Colour

It’s a dark green and cream colour combination. The green is rather dark and rich which is too deep for many people (especially me). The pattern is too bold and too contrasting for my features. It would suit someone with a richer, bolder colouring (a deep or deep and warm undertone)

Style

As a natural/classic, it really doesn’t tick enough boxes for me but would likely appeal to someone who has a more dramatic style personality.

Shape

Not flattering at all for a neat hourglass figure like me. It’s far too voluminous in the fabric and the tiers just extend it further. It overpowers a narrow or petite frame and would be far better for someone much taller (I’m 5 ft 5) with a larger frame which would suit the scale and size of the pattern (which is also too big for my frame). The dress has no waist definition which doesn’t flatter my figure at all.

Fit

If you’ve got a bust like me, be aware that it does gape a little. The seam across should run underneath the bust but it doesn’t -it would be more flattering if it did!

The top half is narrower but it billows out too much making me look much wider than I am and substantially heavier than I am too. It also sat quite tight around the neck when the buttons were fastened.

Zara is notorious for inconsistencies in their fit. I’ve explored this a little here in this blog: The Zara sizing code you need to know

Conclusion

Something rarely suits everyone because we are all different – colouring, shape, style and your proportions. How can one garment truly work for everyone?

Purchasing items just because they’re in fashion, because an article tells you to do so, or because everyone does so won’t always pay off.

Do you really want to turn up to an event and see someone else wearing the same thing as you?

Knowing and understanding what suits you makes these shopping mistakes a thing of the past.

Investing in a colour and style consultation will arm you with the knowledge to make the right choices. I go through what suits you and why so that you understand what makes you look, as well as feel good.

It’s been a great exercise to be able to demonstrate the importance of knowing and understanding how important this information can be and how it can inform the right decisions on what to wear (as well as what not!) Because, after all, everyone really is different.

Head on over to social media to watch the video and see the posts and comments:

Instagram

Facebook

You’ll also find another dress which I found which I thought would suit more people! I discuss dresses in a new blog which you can read here.

Want to learn how I can help?

Details on Colour analysis, style and image and the transformation packages available.

Different colouring types

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Toni Carver

A few months ago, I explained about the science behind my colour analysis consultations.

People are often surprised when I say that you can wear every colour. But, the key thing to remember is that not every shade of a colour will suit you.

How do you know which are the right shades?

Think about the colour red as an example.

There are many shades of red aren’t there? Think about how you’d describe it. Red can be orangey, a vibrant scarlet, a muted geranium, a pale or pinky red, or a bluey-red like raspberry. Your challenge is to find the shade that works with your own physical colouring so that you look vibrant, younger and healthier.

That’s where a colour analysis consultation comes in!

In its simplest form, the tonal analysis system I use is made up of six core colouring types I refer to as ‘dominants’.

From this starting point, you’ll have a secondary and tertiary colouring type which will refine your palette further. This means you’ll have more colours in your swatches to choose from, expanding your colour options.

Here’s some examples of differing colouring types. Take note of the difference in the shades too.

When it comes to an analysis, it’s the combination of their overall features I’ll be assessing as a starting point. But, that’s not all. Their individual styles will each differ and their preferences. Don’t worry, as we go through this during a consultation.

You’ll learn your very best shades of every colour and more importantly; how to wear them too.

I also go through how to ‘rescue’ shades which aren’t quite so good on you. Because it’s not about emptying the wardrobes and getting rid of all your clothes. It’s about gaining the knowledge about what suits you, why that is and how to make your wardrobe work for you with your new palette.

If you’ve opted for a session which includes a swatch wallet, you’ll receive fabric swatches to take away from your consultation. (see options here)

Remember, these are yours to wear however you wish but I will give you some guidance during your session and in my follow up emails.

And, don’t be afraid to experiment – they’re your colours after all!

Want to chat before you book?

No problem!

Click here to arrange a call

The science behind colour analysis

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Toni Carver

Did you know there’s a ‘science’ behind colour analysis?

It may not be brain surgery, but there’s more to it than telling someone they look ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in certain colours – don’t forget why!

In this blog, I’ll explain about the system and process I use in my colour consultations.

I have referred to the Alfred Munsell colour system before in my frequently asked questions, so let’s start here.

What’s the Alfred Munsell Colour System?

Albert Munsell was an artist who invented the Munsell System which defines colour into three dimensions:

Value (depth)
Hue (warm/cool)
Clarity (chroma or purity)

In simple terms – it’s a way of describing colours based on human perception. The system is used across a range of industries from hairdressing to soil research and includes colour analysis.

Colour Analysis Consultations

Not all colour-trained consultants use this method. I found it to be the most logical and sensible way of understanding and interpreting colour.

Applying these categories of colour to your physical features means that when you wear similar shades of colours, they will harmonise with your features creating a positive visual effect and impact.

Munsell colour theory

Each person has a ‘dominant’ colouring type made up from the combination of their hair colour, eye colour and skin tone. From this, you’ll have a secondary and tertiary sub-type made up from a possible 24 categories. This refined combination is your personalised colour palette of up to 48 shades of colour and endless combinations! This full colour categorisation is available through my Complete Colour Analysis Consultation although a basic dominant assessment is also available.

The benefits

Remarkably, everyone really is different. We each see colours in different ways and choose to express ourselves differently too.

It’s not about being told what you ‘can’ or ‘can’t’ wear, but understanding how colour is interpreted and worn for best effect. Knowing certain colours and combinations make you look tired, pale or unwell whilst others make you look vibrant, healthy and younger. It’s often tweaking to a different shade of colour to suit you better.

When you have ‘your colours done’, you’ll gain a greater understanding about colours and how to wear them. By gaining this knowledge, it will help you to build a colourful, coordinated wardrobe which can be mixed and matched easily.

It really is life-changing and I never tire of seeing it!