“All you round-eyes look the same…” 
This was an old joke (sort of…) in response to us clueless white folk who thought all Asian people looked alike. When you’re raised in an ethnically homogeneous culture you become so familiar with the coloring and face shapes of your own clan, that you have no trouble distinguishing one person from another, because every one of us is unique. But move outside our own ethnicity and we resort to stereotypes that prevent us from seeing these nuances. Back in the early 1990’s Crayola finally acknowledged the variety of our “flesh” tones with a new color set.
I was reminded that we are not just “alike as peas in a pod” this last week when a woman contacted me about updating her color palette from decades ago. “The consultant did my three sisters and me together, and told us we looked alike enough that she would just give us one palette for the four of us to share.”
As far as I know they weren’t identical quadruplets, so she was right to be dubious. Even though my sisters and I share what at first glance seems to be similar coloring, one of us is a Winter, one a Spring, and I’m a Summer. And as for Asian people all looking alike, I have to laugh. At one of my early color trainings we did three women from Japan, and while they all had nearly black hair and dark brown eyes, that was the end of the similarities. It was a priceless lesson in seeing.
On the left an elegant Classic Winter, in the middle a gentle Dusk Summer and on the right a sprightly Vital Spring. An individual’s color palette and Seasonal designation is also influenced by their personality, face shapes and the intuition of the consultant, which is why an analysis takes nearly three hours and some deep conversation.
At another training we did several “black” people, although of course none of them had black skin. By coincidence, both of them are Winters, but the gal on the left has the vibrant warm hues of a Tropical Winter, while the gentleman on the right has the cool tones of a Patrician Winter.
Puzzling out a complex color palette is always a thrill for me. It’s one of the three main reasons this work is so rewarding. Reason #2 is that I love getting to know my clients on such an intimate level; we sit about two feet apart during the process–me intent on their face, and they peering into the mirror as they watch their own beauty emerge. Reason #3 is the joy of knowing that the palette we co-create will become their long-lived guide to finding clothes that flatter (and away from those costly mistakes that are now clogging thrift stores all over the country, thanks to Marie Kondo‘s new Netflix series, “Tidying Up.”).
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Recent client comments:
“My palette is harmonious, so the few pieces I do own mix and match wonderfully! I really love this benefit because I travel a lot and it allows me to pack light, yet be able to create a different outfit for many days.” – Kalyn
Want to know more? If you’re considering a color analysis for yourself or as a great valentine gift for someone you love, let me know. I’d be happy to add you to my weekly newsletter that is more wide-ranging than personal style, but always personal (sometimes quirky) and never salesy.
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