Like most people, there are a few colors that I like to wear and some that I don’t, but I’ve never thought about which color I like best.
Until I discovered a TikTok effect – @aida.creator’s “ARMOCROMIA” – that transported me to a magical, somewhat confusing world of seasons and colors.
The idea is that everyone has a color “season” that works best for them – winter, spring, summer, or fall – depending on eye color, hair color, and skin tone.
I’m confused by the TikTok effect – autumn color palettes make me look sick, while winter and spring color palettes make me look my best.
I’m also not sure how accurate the effect is. It appears to be created primarily by TikTok effect creators rather than professional color analysts.
I’ve been playing with the TikTok effect for hours and still can’t figure out what color I should wear.
Like most people, there are colors that you will never find in my closet because I think they look terrible on me.
I don’t think I look good in peach or salmon or ash pink. I also don’t think beige, gold or light orange are my colors.
One day I tried on a pair of ivory shoes and I felt very sad. I am quite sure that the cream is not for me. In fact, most types of white have probably been phased out.
On the other hand, I am usually attracted to colors like emerald green, cobalt blue, bright purple, bright yellow and black. They make me feel very confident.
But it’s hard for me to tell if these are my most flattering colors or the ones I’m used to wearing and usually buy.
The more I think about my season, the more I realize how difficult it is to really look at yourself objectively.
The concept of color analysis originated in Carol Jackson’s Color Me Pretty in the 1980s.
According to Jackson, seasonal color theory was inspired by the research of German colorist and artist Johannes Itten. Later, his studies were adapted for fashion purposes.
In Jackson’s book, she says that knowing your season and using the colors in it can help you look your best, shop easier, and feel more excited about your looks. She said that wearing a color appropriate for her season gave her a lot of confidence.
Notably, some parts of the book use outdated language regarding gender and race. Many examples also appear to be specifically aimed at white people.
To find my season, I turned to the test on Jackson’s website. But my results are inconclusive and I’m not sure about the method. I also don’t think it’s good for people of color to see only examples of white women.
The first question I was asked was “what color do you like best when you wear them.” But it’s tricky: how can I complement a color that I never wear? Obviously, if I usually wear black, I mostly get compliments for wearing black. So I settled on winter colors like emerald and black.
Taking a different approach, I tried Colorwise.me, which promised to color analyze “like a pro,” but after analyzing dozens of my photos for an hour, I was still at a loss.
My results have ranged from “cool winter” to “mild autumn” to “mild summer”. One result told me to avoid black, another said it was one of my best colors.
According to color experts, winter shines with black and rich, intense colors like jade and fuchsia, colors I love to wear. They don’t look good in soft, dusty pastels or earthy shades, which I don’t actually wear. They also have cool undertones, which I think I have, and silver looks better than gold.
Color analysts say celebs Zooey Deschanel, Janelle Monáe, Megan Fox, Alexis Bledel, Lucy Liu, Jada Pinkett Smith, Viola Davis and Angelina Jolie are typical examples of winter.
Some sources say army green doesn’t look good in winter, I think I look good in it. Some people say they look their best in coral and bubble gum in winter and I think that sucks for me.
After a few more online surveys that baffled me, I finally gave in and thought about having a professional analyze my colors.
While there are on-site color analysis options in my area, they are a bit out of my budget, with many starting at $450 per session.
I ended up doing a virtual color analysis with Dina Scherer, New York based wardrobe stylist at Modnitsa Styling. It costs $130 and comes with a virtual assessment, a 20-minute session, and a personalized color fan.
Before the meeting, Dina asked me for a list of photographs that she used for the assessment. They had to be shot in natural light without flash or makeup.
First, I need a close-up photo of my face, such as a head shot, and a profile photo of my face, focused on my neck and ears. (Trying to take a close-up picture of me in profile is humiliating.)
According to Dina, blue-green veins are a sign of a warm undertone, which means that you will look best in gold jewelry. She says that blue-violet veins are a sign of cool tones, which means that silver jewelry will suit you best.
Dina wanted me to wear red, green, blue, orange, and yellow to “ensure the most accurate analysis.”
I found some colorful school vests and a dark orange cardigan that I wrapped around me like a top.
After I took these photos, I started to wonder if this shade of yellow really looked as good as I thought.
First, Dina explained, there are two “warm” seasons (spring and autumn) and two “cool” seasons (winter and summer).
Spring and fall have more yellows mixed in with their perfect hues. Summer and winter mix more blues.
Warm colors are usually represented by gold, while cool colors are usually represented by silver or platinum. Rose gold is usually in the middle, although it wobbles, Dina said.
Based on the selfies I sent, Dina said I have a warm undertone. She said that she was best able to determine my undertones by seeing how I look in different colors.
Orange looks great on me, but the green shirt (left) doesn’t quite fit because it’s a cool color, she said. A warmer shade of green (on the right) would make me look better.
Dina told me that my eye color (brown with gold and green flecks) and hair (with natural red streaks) are also warm.
Around 90 percent of people with warm tones and lighter skin tones tend to tan easily in the sun, she says. I’m pretty sure this is where all the quizzes lead me astray. (In many of the quizzes I’ve taken, sunburn seems to be synonymous with cold tones, and I’m prone to burns.)
It’s worth noting that the terms associated with tanning and tanning aren’t universal – it can be difficult to define your undertones depending on whether you’re a tan or a tanner, because for many people, that’s not the case.
According to Dina, contrast is the second key component of color analysis, which looks at meaning—light and shadow between eyes, skin, and hair.
She explained that contrast is something that people can change with makeup, hair dye, or colored contact lenses.
My brown eyes match my dark brown hair perfectly, but I have fair skin. According to my color expert, these factors give me medium to high contrast.
If my eyes were ice blue, my contrast would probably be higher. If my skin was darker, I would lower the contrast.
According to Dina, the Softies value similarities more, such as brown hair and brown eyes. Clarity is more like a sharp, sharp contrast – like black hair and blue eyes.
To my surprise, my final judgment came down to the warmer seasons of spring and autumn, which I initially ignored.
Color experts consider both seasons to be warm, but autumn looks best in soft, sophisticated colors, while spring shines with bright, vibrant colors.
According to Jackson’s book, one of the biggest differences between autumn and spring is that many of the springs are easily washed away with water.
Remember when I said I don’t consider beige, gold, and orange my colors? Obviously, I was very, very wrong.
Dina says my best neutrals that pair well with other colors are browns, off-whites, and olive greens. She said that I should avoid pure white and black, which only shine in winter.
Post time: Aug-30-2022