Knowing
Your
Colors

I knew I'd made a big mistake the moment I got in my car. At this point in my life I was still a little nervous about going out and when I saw how tired I looked in the rear view my paranoia just shot up. I get read when I'm tired. But I wasn't tired. I knew I didn't look good because I was wearing the wrong thing.

I went to Macy's, headed straight for a markdown rack and grabbed for the first decent-looking soft white blouse I saw. I changed and looked in the mirror. I had the same hair, same makeup, same dark navy skirt but I looked like a different person. I looked like me at my best.

I used to make a lot of shopping "mistakes" like that salmon blouse. Now I almost never do. Once I learned what my colors were, most of my wardrobe problems went away.

You may not have flawless skin or be particularly young. You may be overweight or too tall. But I guarantee you that if you wear the wrong colors, particularly close to your face, every flaw you have will be magnified. Some new ones may even appear.

What you read and learn here should be considered only as your starting point. For the full story get the "bible": Carole Jackson's classic "Color Me Beautiful."

This is the book that popularized the concept of grouping colors into "seasons": winter, summer, autumn and spring. No matter what your race or ethnic background knowing your colors will help you look better and will make it a lot easier, and cheaper, to build a wardrobe that all works together.

Here is a sampling of the major colors Jackson believes each season wears best. Don't be thrown by the small number of colors here. With variations in hue and intensity your color palette is MUCH greater than what you see below:

As you try to determine, or refine, you colors try to keep in mind that the basic division between the seasons is that Winter and Summer are "cool" colors (this is not a class in logic, just play along) that look great on people with blue-red undertones in their skin while Autumn and Spring are "warm" colors that are best on those with yellow undertones.

Winter colors are "icy" and pure primary colors, think of Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross. These are for women who knock them dead in basic black or true red. Summer colors are softer versions of the basic blue-reds of winter, these are the cool pastels. Almost any blue or pink (so long as it doesn't have a lot of yellow in it) will work for you. Candace Bergen and Farrah Fawcett are classic summers.

Autumns, are people who are flattered by the strong greens, golds and oranges of the Fall. Think redheads like Lucy Ball, though people with auburn or even black hair can sometimes be in this group. Springs also look great in "warm" colors, but their palette tends to be more delicate than Autumns. Marilyn Monroe was a spring, a natural strawberry blonde.

People of Asian descent tend to be Winters, but those of African or Latino descent maybe any of the four seasons, though they are usually not Springs.

It is the underlying colors, the undertones, in your skin that will ultimate determine which season you are, but no matter which that turns out to be you will find that you have an enormous amount of shades and intensities that are right for you.

A few colors are missing entirely from some seasons and others are unique to just one. For example, Winter is the only season to have black and pure white. But Winters don't wear brown or orange. Autumn alone has very dark brown, but no navy, pink, or gray. Summer has no orange, and Spring has a little bit of every color except black and pure white.

Figuring out your season is not always an easy task. I found myself torn between whether I was a Summer or a Spring, (remember the salmon blouse?) because I have a touch of red in my hair and I look good in teals.

But remember: just because you can share a few colors from another palette, that doesn't mean you can wear the whole season and if you get sidetracked you can end up spending a lot of money on clothes you don't wear much.

Everyone can wear Summer's soft white, Spring's corals and light warm aqua, Autumn's deep periwinkle blue, and Summer's watermelon. But once you figure out your season try to stick with it's colors as much as you can.

How to Figure Out What Your Season Is

Take a look again at the palettes above. Don't base your pick on what is in your closet now. Pick the group containing the most colors that have brought you compliments all your life. Some colors in each column may have look pretty good, but do they all look equally good on you? If you monitor doesn't show at least 256 colors try and judge from the color names.

Jackson recommends that if you are deciding between two seasons, ask yourself the following questions:

If the choice is between Winter and Autumn, ask:

"Am I better in navy, pure white, and clear colors (Winter) or brown, pumpkin, and muted gold (Autumn)? Be careful. Some brown-eyed Winters think they're Autumns. Brown is boring on a Winter, exciting on an Autumn."

Winter and Summer, ask:

"Do I look good in pastels, like powder pink or blue (Summer), or do I need darker or brighter colors because pastels make me look washed out (Winter)?"

Winter and Spring, ask:

"Am I really terrific in ivory, camel, and golden browns (Spring) or am I better in navy pure white, and dark colors (Winter)?"

Summer and Autumn, ask:

"Am I great in pastel blues and pinks but not good in pumpkin or mustard colors (Summer) or is it the other way around (Autumn)?"

Summer and Spring, ask:

"Which do I wear better, buff, yellow-green, peachy pinks, golden browns (Spring) or blue- greens, blue-pinks, burgundy. or rose-tone browns (Summer)?"

Spring and Autumn, ask:

"Can I wear muted colors like mustard and moss green or very dark brown (Autumn) or am I better in clear colors like buff, light clear gold, peach, and lighter golden browns (Spring)? If neither seems quite right, try Summer. Many brown-eyed or green-eyed Summers mistakenly think they are warm seasons because they like camel, brown, and some greens. Summer has rose-brown, rose-beige, and many shades of blue-green."

Next Month: Seasons continue. Skin color, hair and eyes.