True Colors

By Mari Wallace

I love the color navy blue. I think it’s so classy. And sophisticated. But why did I look drained whenever I wore my snazzy navy blue blazer? Or my luxurious navy blue cashmere sweater?

Fashion designer Coco Chanel famously said, “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” Her words resonated with me…So, okay, if it wasn’t navy blue, then what was it?

That’s when I decided to have my colors analyzed by a bona fide “color analyst.”

My good friend, Jenny, also wanted to learn about colors, so we went together to be educated. 

We booked a double slot with Rebecca, a charming woman trained as a color analyst who worked for a company that specializes in helping individuals identify the colors that suit them best.

We were instructed to arrive for our appointment completely make-up-free – which was scary as I don’t think I’ve ever left the house without the minimum of foundation, mascara, and lipstick since I was in my early 20s. When Jenny picked me up, I ran out to her car, a large scarf wrapped around my head, hiding most of my face, as if I were braving an Arctic snowstorm. I purposely did not look left or right as I didn’t want to connect with any neighbors. I charged down the path and jumped into the passenger seat. Jenny’s immediate response was laughter as she beheld my “bare” face, which mirrored the stark state of her own.

Our reasons for signing up for this were different. Jenny was recovering from a divorce and needed a boost to her confidence. As for me – I’d been married to Alan for so long that it felt as if he no longer really looked at me but rather through me!

Jenny agreed to be the first “guinea pig” while I would watch and absorb. Rebecca began by covering Jenny’s hair. “But isn’t hair color important in the analysis?” I asked. To which Rebecca replied, with a twinkle in her eye, “Is this your natural hair color?” I answered sheepishly, “Uh – no.” Rebecca then asked, “And how many times have you changed your hair color in the last few years?” I had to admit that once strands of grey started to creep in, I went a bit mad, letting my hairdresser experiment – running the gamut from highlights to lowlights to foils and even painting.

Rebecca then explained, “Each one of us has a color pigment. It’s a combination of depth, hue, and tone.” We listened intently as she went on. “There are four groupings named after the seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.  If you’re shown as Spring or Autumn, you look best wearing warm-based colors. Summer and Winter people need cooler ones.” I watched intently as Rebecca started placing swatches of different colored fabrics on Jenny’s shoulders, both women looking searchingly into the big mirror on the wall in front of them. I was curious to find out what season Jenny would be as her coloring – fair-skinned, blue-eyed, quite Scandinavian – is so different from mine. After about 20 minutes, Rebecca announced that Jenny was Summer. This meant that her best colors were blues and pinks, light greens, and lilacs. It was a revelation to see Jenny’s big baby-blue eyes looking even bigger and bluer when a cornflower blue pashmina was draped over her shoulders. The radiant look on her face as she gazed into the mirror said it all. Rebecca had found Jenny’s true colors!

Then, it was my turn to sit in the “transformation chair,” as I jokingly called it. With no hair to frame my face and my short bob covered with a sort of shower cap, I avoided the harsh reality of the mirror. Then Rebecca began the process again, with me as the new “guinea pig.”  She noted that my complexion had warmer tones than Jenny’s – more golden. And with my hazel-green eyes, she determined quickly that I was Autumn, my palette consisting of all shades of brown, rich reds, blue-greens, rusts, gold – every color associated with Fall. Navy blue is great for some women – whose season is shown to be Winter – but definitely not for little ole me. She also advised me to wear gold, not silver, jewelry. Hmmm, I thought to myself, are my next few birthday presents sorted?

Rebecca reassured us that we could wear the other colors of the rainbow as long as we used them in moderation, basically only to accessorize. I was relieved that I didn’t have to throw out my entire wardrobe and felt encouraged that the next time I went shopping for new things, I’d save time by heading straightaway for “my” colors.

As knowledge is said to be power, Jenny and I left feeling like superwomen after we put on some restorative blusher and lipstick.

We both agreed that we’d gained a lot from that day. Jenny’s confidence got the boost it needed, and before long, she met Scott, and her life since then has become a storybook “happily-ever-after.” And as for Alan…when I wear an outfit in one of “my” colors, he’ll ask, “Is that new?” – even if it’s been in my wardrobe for years. So, some progress has been made.

Now, thanks to the Internet, you can access color analysis sites, which use filters to “digitally drape” you to find your color grouping.  Of course, that’s a far more modern take on what Jenny and I did, and no doubt convenient for today’s working women. But there’s something special about going on this voyage of color discovery with a good friend. 

And who knows?  Unlike me, maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ladies for whom navy blue is the perfect color.