We Tried It and You Can Too

by Brie Thalmann for HONOLULU Magazine

Get a Color Analysis with Elizabeth Kosich

“Color can evoke feelings, emotions and moods,” Elizabeth Kosich says. “It’s energy that travels in frequencies and vibrations. It’s not frivolous.”

I’m seated near a window in her live-work loft space in Chinatown, fabric swatches draped across my chest. A fashion stylist-designer, Kosich [helps] people find their ideal palettes, boasting an image analysis degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and accreditations from the Association of Image Consultants International and the Image Resource Center of New York.

She leans in close then steps back and cocks her head to the side, studying every nook and cranny of my face as she switches out swatches. “Interesting,” she murmurs, flipping over my wrists to inspect my veins and tugging at my socks for a glance at my ankles. “I get all up in your personal space,” she had warned me earlier, while going over an extensive questionnaire that touched on everything from my ethic background and childhood hair color to my propensity for sunburns.

Kosich utilizes a 16-color method, with four core seasons and three sub-seasons, to analyze hair, skin and eyes for temperature, value (light versus dark), chroma (vibrancy) and contrast. The right colors create harmony between these elements. “Lips look pinker, eyes appear brighter, we look fresh and well-rested with a healthy glow,” she says. The wrong ones can emphasize dark circles, make skin appear dull or splotchy, and cast unflattering hues.

Kosich decides that I am a [soft] winter and I receive both a cardboard swatch with my palette and a color fan, detailing my best hues for wardrobe, jewelry and makeup. She also gives me an assignment — to go home and reevaluate my closet with new eyes. “Wardrobe is really visual messanging,” Kosich says. “It’s a tool to leverage. And color is the first stop.”

See published article on HONOLULUMagazine.com here.

Photo credit: Aaron K. Yoshino