Is Colour Analysis Really Worth The Hype (And Price)?
Colour analysis isn’t new. It first became popular back in the ’70s and ’80s but, thanks to TikTok, it’s now having a resurgence. I’ve been curious about the idea for a while, and earlier this year, I tried the viral Chat GPT version to see if it was any good, but it sadly delivered unconvincing, not to mention inconsistent, results. So when House of Colour offered to do a professional colour analysis, I jumped at the opportunity. Here’s how it went.
What is colour analysis?
Colour analysis is the process of finding the colours that suit you most. The colour wheel is divided into four groups, or ‘seasons’: summer, winter, autumn, and spring. Throughout a colour analysis appointment, the consultant works through different colours and combinations alongside your natural features (including your hair, eye colour, complexion), to learn which type of colours look best on you.
The aim of the game? Find the colour palette, or ‘season’, that suits you most.
What happens in the appointment
My consultation was with stylist Sandy Lancaster, who started things off with a cup of coffee as we talked through the process. She explained the colour wheel and the difference between each of the seasons’ colour palettes. Sandy then asked which season I thought I was, to which I responded with ‘summer’ – as cool and pastel tones are what I tend to gravitate towards when shopping.
Before jumping into the hot seat to do some colour draping, Sandy outlined the different style archetypes that people tend to present as and identify with (as they’re not always the same). As we’d booked in for a shorter appointment, this was one of the elements included as part of the regular package that we didn’t have time to do in full.
Then Sandy brought out an extensive collection of colour drapes, which looked like mini bibs laid across your chest. First, we worked out whether I was warm (spring and autumn) or cool (summer and winter) toned. Because of the red undertones in my skin tone, it became clear that the warmer palettes looked more flattering. Next was discerning whether I was more spring or autumn…
In a regular appointment, you’d also go more granular than this and find your ‘Wow’ colours within the season (i.e. the colours that are your very best hues in that season), before going into the makeup part of the consultation. While I didn’t do this second part in my visit, Sandy made reference to how coral lipsticks would really suit me – something I found incredibly surprising as I tend to avoid coral at all costs. But, sure enough, she handed me a sample and, I have to admit, I didn’t mind the tone on me.
Results
Well, it turns out that my theory of being a ‘summer’ was wrong – no hard feelings, Chat GPT. To quote Gilmore Girls, “I am an autumn.” This means that warm, earthy, and rich tones work best with my overall features. And, to be honest, I’m actually pretty chuffed with the outcome. Why? Because these are colours I really like, but have always avoided because I don’t think I can pull them off.
To quote Gilmore Girls, ‘I am an Autumn.’
Going through the draping process helped see different versions of the same colour, and how some washed me out, whereas others made me look generally brighter. While there are some colours in the autumn palette that I still wouldn’t see myself wearing, like teal, I was pleasantly surprised by how insightful I found the experience. As for the pieces in my wardrobe that fall outside the autumn palette, I will still be holding on to them – black is my first love, after all – but it’s given me a new perspective on shopping and clothing, which I find exciting. I was also given a little booklet with swatches of all the main autumn colours that I can take with me whenever I go shopping.
Is it worth it?
As someone who actively avoids colour as much as possible, this appointment was quite an eye-opening experience, especially considering I thought I knew what the result was going to be. If you’re in a style rut, or are looking just to mix things up a bit with your personal style, I’d definitely recommend trying this. Better yet, if you have a friend who is also keen on booking in, it’s a really nice experience to do together so you can share the insights as you go.
As someone who actively avoids colour as much as possible, this appointment was quite an eye-opening experience.
Granted, it’s not a cheap exercise, with prices starting from around £200 (although prices vary by stylist). But if you think about this as around the same cost as a new coat, and you’ll find out which colours will suit you and inform your shopping for years to come, meaning each piece you buy really suits you, it starts sounding like a pretty reasonable investment.
For more information on colour analysis, along with pricing and booking information, visit www.houseofcolour.co.uk.
