The Three Colors You Should Never Wear
Color and the ones we wear are on my mind more than ever these days for many reasons. I know it to be a tonic for our moods and have found my own wardrobe sadly lacking lately, just when I need it to cheer me up. I’ve been digging back into my color theory books and chatting with color consultants who all have varying ways to determine a woman’s best personal colors.
Let me start by saying there is no right or wrong way to type a person’s colors and the variety of ways seems endless. Part of my training to be an image consultant included color and how to determine a person’s most flattering colors. The system I learned was based on the teachings of Suzanne Caygill. Your personality and essence was an important feature in determining what colors and styles harmonized with you.
I am getting several color analyses done (virtually) and will keep you posted. I’m not sure color typing translates that well online because of lighting and variations in monitors but we shall see.
While I put more of my thoughts together about our colors, I thought I would share the 3 colors every woman should avoid. It doesn’t matter what season or color type you’ve been slotted into, these are universal and just a good idea.
Also – Personal Color Analysis: Is It For You?
Here are the three colors you should never wear:
A Color You Really Dislike
I suspect many of us have looked at the fabric or paper fan of colors we’ve been told are flattering for us, and see colors we don’t like. I certainly have. Don’t wear them. Wearing a color that you instinctively dislike is like taking bitter medicine. Research shows that the colors you wear affect your mood so if you dislike a color, wearing it won’t make you feel confident.
My color fan is too old to be of any benefit to me and contains many colors I would never wear. Those colors may have flattered my coloring, back in the day, but I disliked them so I never bought anything in them.
A Color That Drains You
The color that leaches life from your face and makes you look and feel older than you are. For many women, that’s black but it could also be a heavily saturated or bright color that’s too vibrant for your personal coloring. I like to say it enters the room before you do and so you feel overpowered by it. It could also be too pale for your complexion which makes you look and feel washed out.
Any Color With Bad Memories
Life is certainly too short for this. If you had to wear a certain colored uniform to school and it still gives you the heebie-jeebies, don’t wear it. If a certain color reminds you of a sad, traumatic, or tragic experience, I suggest you give it a pass. Our clothes should excite us and bring us joy.
- I love red but I never wear it because it feels overpowering.
- I never wear orange because it makes my skin look sallow.
I don’t have a color with bad memories, do you?
What color do you avoid at all costs?
Be well, be kind, and wear what makes you feel confident.
I had my colors done in the 80’s by “Color Me Beautiful”. I was cast as a vibrant summer. I really don”t like those colors…. I like Spring colors. So often I find myself going into the brighter colors . I think it has to do with my personality. I REALLY want to have my colors redone. Too bad we can’t see the colors of clothes and touch them at this point in time.
Bingo!! I believe the same thing. I think you’ll find the final two analyses I have done very interesting.
Im a natural redhead now blonde… look horrible on anything beige but White is great . Beige tones wash me out . I tend to stick to thr colors that don’t make me look older or washed out .black ,white , red coral burgundy , tones of blue , teal, aqua , green or dark brown.
Have no idea what color chart consultant would say but I’d love to know …
Bad memories – I graduated as a nurse years ago. People stayed in the hospital so long in those days, they would bring their own PJs. Young women having babies would bring all kinds of adorable nighties. But green!!! Pale green pajamas, hospital room colors, fluorescent lighting and post surgery paleness, all combined make people look so awful it made me feel ill and continues to this day. And mustard causes the same feeling of illness. Personally, I love coral and teal. But then, I have read these colors look good on nearly everyone.
My colors were done about 30 years ago and I was an Autumn. I still gravitate to those colors even though there is a lot of grey/white in my dark blonde hair and my complexion is lighter. They are the colors that just feel right to me.
I had my colors done with Color Me Beautiful years and years ago and they typed me as a summer. About 10 years ago I had my colors done by Kerry Jones of Indigo Tones. She was amazing. She draped me and took skin tones into account and found I was a Soft Autumn. She also factored in my style and helped me determine the type of dresser I am. As a result it helped clarify what really looks great on me. Shopping is SO much easier and all the things in my closet ‘go’ with each other….no more orphans.
I’m so excited Jennifer that you’re exploring your colors. I think the whole subject is fascinating!
Suzann Caygill did my colors many years ago. Although I am now gray they still seem to work. I do avoid the brown…have switched to taup. Do some black and white. I am one of her summers. Colors for the most part are grayed or muted. Still wear pinks, peachy pinks, pure to blue grays. Would love any update available.