Spring or Autumn?

Somehow, I feel like every time I write something about where I am on this journey to discover my natural colors, lines, and style personality, I soon figure out that I’m not what I thought it was at all. If you read my Banning Black post, you’ll know that I considered myself a Light Spring. I don’t think that anyone looking at me would think otherwise, except to perhaps suggest Light Summer. But as I also wrote about in that post, I have been having a hard time connecting to the Light Spring palette. So I decided to do some drapes using actual fabrics, not just photoshopping colors onto myself.

What I discovered is that my skin is EXTREMELY reactive to colors. In the span of five minutes, with photographs taken in the same spot, I went from looking on the sallow side to like I had a sunburn, all depending on what color I was wearing. (I have also learned that just because you have natural light golden blonde hair does NOT mean you can wear Barbie pink.)

So all of my previous drapings, opinions, etc. meant nothing. I can only understand how colors look on me when they were reacting to my face in real time. I also realized that the only way I can confirm this is to be analyzed professionally.

What I am pretty certain of is that I am probably not a Spring. What was suggested for me is True Autumn. True Autumn was a palette I never considered because I look nothing like the stereotypical True Autumn woman. Their colors tend to be deeper. They have brown or auburn hair. But your skin doesn’t lie (although the camera does, so like I said, I’m going to do an in-person color consultation eventually).

One thing I also realized is that I was only connecting to Light Spring’s neutrals. True Autumn’s neutrals are quite similar:

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The grays are warmer, there’s more yellow, but a lot of the colors I like–the warm grays, the corally peaches, the olives–are still there.

I’d also always thought of Autumn palettes as containing a lot of orange and brown. While there’s some of that, looking at True Autumn palettes, there were a ton of colors–actual colors!–I connected with, and can’t wait to try on:

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(Source)

I find myself loving those deep, rich colors.

I think it’s important, for both color analysis and Kibbe, to let go of preconceived notions of what a certain type should look like and how they should dress. Each Kibbe and each palette has a very wide spectrum of how it can be used and applied, and there is no one way for a person of this Type or Season to look. When it works, it works. Anything that tries to use a flowchart to determine something as variable as natural color, just click the “x” at the top of the screen. It can’t tell you how your skin will react.

I’m not sure if I’ve found my seasonal home yet. It may take a long time, and maybe even multiple professional analyses. But I do feel like I have learned a lot so far. I also think you have to listen to your inner voice. I spent all spring wandering around stores, looking at Light Spring colors and not wanting to try on any of it. Autumn clothes start trickling into stores, and I’m in a store for five minutes before I’m standing in line to pay for a dress. Fall has always been my favorite season to shop–perhaps this is why.

(Also I’m a Type 3, and True Autumn colors=Type 3 colors, so this is getting spooky.)

Are you settled in your season or are you still looking? Were you surprised by what you found out?

10 Comments on Spring or Autumn?

  1. Alexandra
    July 26, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    I had been misdraped as a TW and lived with those colors for quite a while. Sometimes I thought they didn’t quite express all of me, as if they had left out an important piece, but I figured the consultant knew what she was doing. And then I met Christine Scaman of 12Blueprints when I went to train with her. As it turns out, I am a Bright Winter. Those bright cheerful colors were the missing pieces.

    I am loving my BW colors and wearing them makes me happy. It does more than that though. It’s as if wearing those colors allowed me to express that part of me more and let the world see who I really am. There is a sense of peace and harmony. I can’t quite describe it. People respond differently to me now and there’s something else, maybe a sense of acceptance, both inside and coming from others.

    Reply
    • stylesyntax
      July 26, 2014 at 8:55 pm

      I would love to train with Christine Scaman one day! I really like her philosophies on color analysis and I think they very much align with the conclusions I’ve come to myself.

      I think what you’re describing is exactly the feeling I’m looking for, both with Kibbe/line analysis and with color analysis (and I don’t think you can have one without the other–if one’s off, nothing works). I definitely think it’s important to pay attention to how you feel after a professional draping; people are fallible and only you can know how your colors make you feel.

      Reply
      • ithinklikeme
        July 31, 2014 at 7:09 pm

        The past few weeks I have been seriously thinking about going to get trained in Color Analysis by Christine Scaman. I’m not sure how much I could make a go of analyzing people for a fee, but it’s just so fascinating to me, & I, too, think her approach to things really seems aligned with a lot of my personal conclusions. Even watching her youtube videos, I find her to be so soothing, Lol! I also would just really love to be draped by her, and figure if I’d be traveling that far, I may as well make it for the whole enchilada.

        Reply
        • stylesyntax
          July 31, 2014 at 8:17 pm

          I haven’t watched her youtube videos. I didn’t even know she had a channel. There goes my weekend, haha.

          Reply
          • ithinklikeme
            July 31, 2014 at 8:59 pm

            Hahaha, most of her videos are fairly brief from what I recall. You’ll see what I mean; her voice makes me so relaxed I could fall asleep, lol. Much more pleasing for me to listen to than the DYT videos, for sure (a lot of times I find myself just listening to videos while I do other things).

          • stylesyntax
            August 1, 2014 at 1:08 pm

            I searched for her on YouTube and only found two videos. Where are they?

  2. Monica
    July 29, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    Hi,
    Have you considered True Spring? I hoped for Soft Summer and lived as Light Spring which made me feel invisible. Christine S. draped me as True Spring. Light Spring and Autumn share warmth. Maybe pure warmth in the clear, bright and warm colors of True Spring will be the missing ingredient for you? I haven’t seen a picture of you so I’m just throwing it out there.

    Reply
      • ithinklikeme
        July 31, 2014 at 7:11 pm

        I didn’t think I could wear yellow greens until very recently. I wouldn’t rule it out entirely, since we have very similar undertones.

        Reply
        • stylesyntax
          July 31, 2014 at 8:16 pm

          Yeah, I should find a drape and try it on.

          Reply

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