Visible Monday: Color Me Beautiful
I knew traveling to Africa would change my life but I did not expect it to change the way I dressed.
In 2003 I led a Habitat for Humanity Global Village trip to Tanzania with MELISSA, my friend whose name deserves to be in all-caps because of this and this and a lot of other unprintable stuff that I will take to my grave honesttogod. On this trip we met Karen, a fellow volunteer and all around lovely young lady from the UK. Karen was Asian, had freckles and always looked fresh as a daisy while slinging mortar and stacking cinder blocks. Her secret? She had her colors done and it changed her life. Not only did her clothes and make-up always compliment her appearance, she told us how she saved both time and money every time she went shopping. Sold! A mere week after our return home, Melissa booked us both appointments with a local Color Me Beautiful consultant.
We sat in front of this woman’s living room window, bathed in natural light, as swatch after swatch was draped over our shoulders, each one being rated and ranked. At first Melissa was disappointed as the reds and blacks she regularly wore slid further and further down her list, but there was no ignoring the sudden glow daffodil and buttercream brought to her cheeks. Melissa was a Warm Spring. I got the reds and blacks as a Cool Winter and have given moss and ivory the stink-eye ever since.
Oh, just tell me what to wear Mighty Swatch Wallet.
GETTING MY COLORS DONE IS THE SINGLE GREATEST STEP I HAVE EVER TAKEN TO IMPROVE MY STYLE. Thank you Karen and Melissa. It may seem like a throw-back to the 80s but honestly it has made all the difference in the world. Just imagine how much of your life you get back when need a lipstick or a dress and you can eliminate 75% of the shades out there. Brilliant. Cannot recommend it enough. (Also cannot recommend Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village enough. Go and do good.)
I thought about CMB for this post because I am working nearly all my 9s and 10s in this ensemble:
35 Weeks. Peek-a-boo back there!
From the magenta undershirt to the red kimono top; my lipstick, my deep purple eyeliner and even the beanie are all representing the best of Cool Winter:
I am four days away from a haircut. Long live the beanie!
Color Me Beautiful. Color Me Visible. Thanks Patti at Not Dead Yet Style! Happy Monday!
Happy Monday back to you, Lisa, in your glorious Best Colors! You look fabulous in your cool shades. Thanks for sharing them with Visible Monday and have a great week ahead : >
Yay! Great post!. You will be happy to hear that I had my colors done around 2005 or 2006. After a couple decades of wearing warm colors (due to advice from others based on my fair skin and freckles), I found out i was a “Cool Summer”. Bye bye olive, khaki, peach, coral, etc. It made a HUGE difference. I was often told how tired I looked or asked if I was not feeling well in my 20s and early 30s—tres depressing. Once I started wearing my colors…compliments. I am going to reblog this!
Reblogged this on vintage french chic and commented:
I loved this post because I couldn’t agree more! Know thy colors and you shall be chic. : )
~~Heather~~
Thank you for the reblog! It was definitely one of those things I probably never would have done myself but now can’t imagine dressing without it. That’s what friends are for!
Great article!! Having color typed for many years with my clients I can report that you should have them updated occasionally. Our own coloring does morph and our personalities certainly change which can also be a large component of what and why certain colors look better on us than others. Colour Me Beautiful has come a long way since Carole Jackson wrote her first book. Many of my associates enlarged the theme to include the decorating colors in clients homes with terrific results. Carole is a lovely woman whom I’ve met several times at convention.
I have wanted to do this for so long! A British friend of mine here in SA has tried to teach me a bit about what colours suit me from those principles, but I need a proper consultation. Bought some new clothes yesterday and nearly broke out in a sweat in the changing room trying to figure out if the colours were alright on me or not. It’s amazing how you can LOVE some colours that just do not love you back.
You look stunning in red … color me beautiful has been around for 20 years I think – did it just as it was new on the market – I’m an autumn girl, but can wear red too.
You are looking completely wonderful. And definitely with all the appeal that a *lady in red* should have.