Examples of the seasonal color palettes (for clothing)?

March 13, 2004 2:05 PM

Seasonal color palettes: I googled, but came up with lots of image consultants that don't really tell you much. A friend of mine wants to go get clothes in colors that make her look good, and I know she's a Winter, but I'd like to show her a palette of colors.
posted by notsnot to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (6 answers total)

This site is what I used in the past and found to be extremely helpful. It's a lot more in depth than the usual "what color are your veins?" or "do you look better in silver or gold jewelry?" questions that most sites use.
posted by gatorae at 6:06 PM on March 13, 2004

Keep her out of brown and you've done a lot.
posted by konolia at 6:06 PM on March 13, 2004

Well, I once got my colors done at a birthday party, and was told that I'm a winter. The lady told me to wear white and black, deep jewel tones like red and purple, and to avoid beige, olive, and mustard tones. I didn't think that much of it, since it basically reinforced what I already wear and avoid.
Anyway, I think categorizing people as "seasons" is a little out of style, so to speak. It might help more to find out what colors your friend loves, what she feels flatters her, etc. If she's clueless, just go to the mall and try on different colors. Most people look distinctly better in either white or cream, for instance. Good luck.
posted by bonheur at 6:21 PM on March 13, 2004

Response by poster: She (ex-g/f, actually; I guess I'm whipped) looks great in navy blue, light blue, and pure white. Unfortunately, she *likes* various shades of orange, and that color that's often referred to as "mushroom". I'm an autumn, and she always looked awful in my shirts. Thanks, guys/gals!
posted by notsnot at 6:48 PM on March 13, 2004

If you're confident of your ability to identify Winter shades and tones, you might make your own palette from samples torn from magazines. If not, your local library will have a season colour theory book.
posted by orange swan at 6:51 PM on March 13, 2004

Back in high school, I had a friend who was obsessive about her colors. She had them done by a Color Me Beautiful Consultant and ended up with a thick book of swatches that represented her colors. They draped scarves around her and decided which ones looked best (or something like that). She was forever saying she was an icy-tones winter. You can probably find a "color consultant" in your area on the site (I think it must be like an avon sort of system). That said, my personal opinion is that color matching is not all that productive. If someone loves particular shades, and hates others, even if the hated shades are the ones that will look best, the person will probably feel better in colors that they enjoy (just my opinion).
posted by necessitas at 7:22 PM on March 13, 2004