Color Analysis 101

The essence of image styling is reaching our highest potential by enhancing attributes and minimizing weaknesses. Color is fundamental and at the core of this process, making a personalized color palette essential as the foundation of any flattering wardrobe. Wearing our best colors aligns us from the inside out, and the effects can be monumental — boosted confidence, heightened sense of calm and increased power of persuasion. After all, up to 90% of first impressions are based on what people see, not hear. When we’re only given an instant to win someone over — or not — every second counts.

Determining seasonal color palettes is a nuanced process, making it part-art and part-science. There are indicators more than rules, plus exceptions and hybrids. For these reasons, it’s best to hire a credentialed, experienced color professional to ensure accuracy. The best ones will require in-person sessions to benefit from natural light and for the sake of precision (computer screens come with a high margin of error). To that point, buyer beware of online color analysis deals and steals!

Once you’ve researched, vetted and hired the right color analysis professional, the process will likely evaluate these 5 key elements:

1. Undertone
   Everyone’s pigmentation is warm, cool or neutral. Evaluating undertone temperature is the first step in determining a cool or warm palette — or both. Blue-purple veins often (but not always) lean cool, while green-olive veins often (but not always) skew warm. Blue-green or green-purple veins typically (but not always) indicate a neutral undertone, meaning both cool and warm hues are (usually) compatible. Be careful of overtones — the top surface skin color — which present first and are more obvious and domineering than the much more subtle, nuanced undertone below it.

2. Chroma
   Chroma measures intensity and determines whether someone is muted or clear. Muted features appear blended, blurred and soft, while clear ones have more delineation, brightness and intensity. Phrases like “clear blue eyes” and "a bright complexion” pay homage to those with clear chroma.

3. Value
   Value is a range from light to dark and plays a part in determining contrast. It also relates to hair color, which is another top trait considered after undertone and eye color. For example, hair can be deep and dark (warm), dark and flat (cool), or light and bright (clear). All these elements are considered and weighed to determine seasonal color palette.

4. Contrast
   Determining contrast informs what color pairings are most flattering. For someone who is high contrast (think striking and dramatic Hilary Rhoda with her light skin, dark hair and clear blue eyes), high contrast colors like black and white work best. Medium and low contrast people are better in more medium-to-low contrast color pairings respectively (think medium-contrast JLo in a medium-contrast leopard print).

5. Season
   Bringing all these elements together determines a seasonal color palette. Winter and summer seasons are cool, while spring and autumn are warm. Summer and autumn are muted, while winter and spring are clear. Spring and summer are light, while winter and autumn are dark. Seasonal flows are common too, like a “Soft Winter” — a slightly less vibrant color palette than True Winter’s high intensity jewel tones, which is better suited to a cool-undertoned person with muted, medium value and medium contrast features. A fine example of how color analysis is part-art and part-science!

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