Following on from my post the other day on figuring out whether you have warm or cool colouring, this comment was left by YSJ:
I tried this, and although I can see the change in skin tone when I hold up different colors, I really can’t tell which ones look better on me! Is it possible to be “neutral” and look good in warm and cool colors?
So can you be neutral?
It must be possible as when I think about it this is how I see it in my mind.
Warm colours <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Neutral>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cool colours
So it could be possible to sit right in the middle, but the colours you wear would never be very warm or cool, just a tiny bit warm or cool.
And as far as my experience goes practically from having draped thousands of people, I’ve also never seen anyone who is truely neutral. I’ve had a couple that sit close to the neutral line, but they may be close to the divide, but always fall one way or the other of the neutral line.
So just because you are warm, doesn’t mean that all warm colours suit, just a subsection of warm depending on the amount of warmth in your skin, plus the other colour qualities that suit you, your intensity and your value (lightness to darkness- stay tuned for a post on that tomorrow).
If you are interested in having a personal colour analysis this is part of my 7 Steps to Style program – check it out now!
I think your teaching is starting to enter my brain and eyes. It funnily takes the path of the very first post I read from you: on complementary colour.What happened sundenly is that as a little enlightment that I'll have to confirm …I suddenly dentified a complementary contrast that may be closer to me: Yellow/purple. They both suit me greatly, the blue that belongs to the purple side is better for me than the other one. ( I was sticking on turquoise, cause I tough the perwinkle wich I love was only great on brunnettes). Turquoise also suits me, but it is more dificult to combine with my other colors. Instead, a colder blue suits me in the dark version as well as the light and middle version. My neutrals would suddenly be in the field of the browns on the purple side, ( makes sense, I had noticed it but didn't know how to combine it. It is amazing with cold blues!), and beiges instead of greys( makes sense too!), my red'd be cold too and my greens with yellow in it.. I y hair are cooper and my eyes greenish ( with yelleow in it!)Two colours are condemned is this sistem.But every harmony I can think about using this contrast is rich and lightfull and full of flavour!It confirmes three bad or not so good colors: Dark turquoise, greys and orange red. Seems sundenly so dirty!I can work without them. In fact everything seems to make sense as if I had found a missing piece…I can remember all my favorite pieces or outfits in the past, and I see this contrast again! Is this it Imogen?
I really have been enjoying your series on color. I never thought about the undertone of my skin (or realized I had one!) until the light bulb when on the other day after reading your post. Although my overtone is warm, and in general I look good in most warm colors, my undertone (on my face) is cool or pinkish, so my foundation looks best if it is not *too* golden. I have not been tanning anymore, but when I used to, I loved how I would turn a pinkish brown "tawny" color. Now by experimenting with some foundations I already had, I discovered a way to replicate this in a much lighter non-tanned tone (using a lighter pinky-beige foundation) and it lights up my whole face rather than making me look somewhat sick and too yellow, like the other lighter more golden foundations did. Thanks for the informative posts!
Robin – so glad you're seeing the difference – it's a whole new way of looking at colour.
I like most of my cool summer colors, not all of them. The cool winter colors don´t appeal to me at all. However, there is an equestrian, olive shade green, belonging to the autumn color palette, which I have been using ( mainly cause much equestrian wear carries that shade). I do, however, mix it with my `own´colors and try not to wear it near my complexion. Of the blues ( which in general don´t like ), midnight blue, denim-in the right wash (not turquoise ), and a baby blue are wearable. Am I missing something ?
Hi Imogen,
I hooked onto what you said about having a warm skintone but cooler undertone, which made me realise this is what is maybe confusing consultants (and myself). Even though I deal with colour and teach art, I can’t work out if I am warm or cool – was “done” as dark autumn two years ago, but another consultant has just said she thinks I am dark winter! My people say the first thing that strikes them is the contrast between pale delicate skin and dark hair and eyes. I have very pale ivory skin, definately no pink in it. When I get cold or warm, I flush mauvish tones, as are the tones of my veins, very thin, transparent skin, very fine, almost translucent it looks initially cool, not warm and certainly not golden as often seen autumns described. I have dark brown hair, with what people describe as a slight mahogany tone to it – not purple cool or chestnut warm, fairly neutral – it is difficult to get this tone in hair dye for the roots, but everyone tells me it looks odd if anything else. My eyes are very dark green, kharki more than olive, but with a few golden brown spots, so mostly cool but some warmth – they read as dark brown from a distance. If I wear bright reds or almost any brown, golds or very warm greens of the dark autumn I turn yellow in the face, if I wear bright fuchia or white I turn white than white goulish, washed out. The best colours are dark warm aubergines, dark ruby reds, dark teals and turqoises. Black is always the best neutral for me, although I need to wear it with one of the the former colours nowadsya, people say I look “overheated” in even very dark brown, and gloulish in any grey. What does this cool undertone but warmth of the ivory make me warm or cool do you think? Totally confused and could do with your help, would come to see if not in the UK. I promise to buy your ebooks though, especially if I get a reply! Lovely website, very inspirational, will pass on the details to all my students!
Trisha, without seeing you it’s very hard to give you any guidance. Sounds like you’re nearer the boarder of warm and cool, but still on the slightly warm side rather than cool. You can email me a photo if you like, but I make no guarantees with photos as screen colour can distort colouring somewhat. But the description of your eyes fits more with warm than cool, as does the aubergine.
Imogen, these old posts are throwing up all sorts of questions! Could you perhaps do a post/ did you already do one on which colours are v warm/cool, which are only slightly warm/cool?
Thanks!
NOt sure if I have, but will look into it Susie