Need help with this season’s vibrant colour combinations and clashes? Read on …
Tickled pink. Red with rage. Got the blues. Green with envy … Colour permeates our life but when it comes to our wardrobes we’re often hesitant and unsure what works or suits us.
If you haven’t (yet) had your colours done and notice that you need to wear fake tan or full make-up in order to pull off a particular colour then it is probably not the right one for you. This is where “having your colours done” with an expert can help. The right colours should make you look fresh and rejuvenated, even if you aren’t feeling great, or are bare faced. The main benefit of a colour analysis session is accuracy and detail. Typically during a consultation a person’s skin, eye and hair colour is analysed in a studio environment with access to colour drapes or scarves. Some colours will cast shadows, others will make a person glow, from which a predominant colour palette is established. Often consultants assign these palettes to seasons, and offer colour wallets with the most flattering shades, as well as advice on creating a capsule wardrobe, introducing and pairing colours into your wardrobe, as well as giving help with make-up and accessories.
It’s worth noting that even if you have had a colour consultation in the past, our complexion changes as we age, dye our hair or go through menopause. The following Irish colour and image experts all take a holistic approach to their consultations, working with a client’s personality, and taking into account their professional needs and lifestyle.
Aoife Dunican
“Colour plays a big role in our moods, how we communicate and how we are perceived. Wearing colour is a great untapped form of communication and self expression,” believes Dublin-based image consultant Aoife Dunican, who trained in London with Jules Standish, a lecturer at the London College of Style and the author of How Not To Wear Black.
Aoife incorporates colour analysis into her image consultations and talks in terms of the psychology of colour for our personal and professional lives. “For my corporate clients I often advise them to wear energising red, orange or hot pink when holding motivating team meetings on a Monday morning – wearing all black drains the energy from a room. If you face an awkward conversation with a client or colleague, wearing blue helps as it is the colour of trust, and if networking, adding sociable orange to an outfit reaps rewards.”
Aoife works with a client’s personality. “If they are more of an extrovert they won’t mind wearing colour but I’d never put an introvert into lots of colour as they would feel uncomfortable.” Her rule: “Start small: you don’t need to go over the top if you are not used to wearing colour.” Aoife’s sessions also take in body analysis and demonstrate how you choose to wear colour can be extremely flattering on the body. “People think wearing black is slimming, which it is up to a point, but wearing all one colour also has a lengthening and slimming effect.”
An initial consultation with Aoife incorporates style, personality, colour and body shape analysis and costs from €245. www.thestylebob.com @thestylebob
Terri Cooper
Terri Cooper of The Style Coop is known for her vibrant personal style. “Integral to mastering the language of colour, and how to combine them, is to know the colour wheel,” she believes. “Colours opposite each other on the wheel work really well together, such as red and green, yellow and blue, as do those adjacent to each other.” As a colour analyst, she encourages her clients to experiment with their own wardrobe, especially with accessories. “Try introducing colour combos with necklaces, earrings, scarves, bags or even detachable collars. A pink necklace and red earrings can look stunning with a grey outfit. Pantone’s colour of the year, Peach Fuzz, can look fabulous with burgundy and khaki. Orange with pink is always a winner but try adding one of this season’s most popular colours: pale blue. Experiment and don’t hold back. When combining colours, look to art and nature for inspiration but wear the most flattering colour next to your face.”
An initial colour analysis session with Terri takes two hours, and costs €150, which identifies the client’s predominant colour palette and “wow” colours, how to incorporate colours into their wardrobe and make-up as well as having their own seasonal colour wallet to take home. @thestylecoop www.thestylecoop.ie
Ruth Murphy
“It may sound overly dramatic but I would have to say that colour has had a profound impact on my life,” says Ruth Murphy, who has been a colour consultant for 25 years. “I had my colours done back in the 1980s and it was life-changing. It gave me an appreciation of myself and my individuality. I stopped following what others were wearing and instead focused on clothes and make-up that truly suited me. The energy and confidence I gained impacted on other areas of my life. I have also saved so much time, energy and money when buying clothes. Working within my colour palette means new purchases fit in with old favourites from my wardrobe.”
In the course of her career she says the most common mistake she has seen women making is being too cautious or restrictive about what they can and cannot wear, particularly in work situations. “Wearing too much black – especially if it isn’t their best neutral and combining it with predictable colours such as white, cream and beige can make for a very dull and uninspiring look. During a colour consultation I show women who may be a bit colour cautious how to introduce colour into their wardrobe in a way that won’t overwhelm them.” Ruth’s colour analysis session incorporates clothes, make-up, glasses and accessories, and costs €210. www.positiveimage.ie
Isabel Gleeson
Isabel Gleeson worked in fashion for over ten years before setting up her styling business. She offers image consultations and personal shopping services and has noted her Colour Consultancy sessions are her most popular service. “I think the growth and resurgence of colour consultancy has come from people wanting to shop smarter. Knowing which colours suit you best makes shopping easier, more time efficient and can reduce over-consumption. It is also worth knowing the most complementary neutrals – even if it is a white T-shirt, it is great to know whether a stark white or ecru suits you better. These are the pieces which you should invest in!”
The cost for a virtual colour consultation with Isabel is €65. For an in-person, one hour colour session, it is €110. www.styledbyisabel.net
