As a professional colour analyst my work is all about showing people which colours flatter or drain them, support or upstage them.

And what I tend to observe is that – with some exceptions – people are instinctively drawn to the colours that work for rather than against them.

So, the first thing I notice when a new client walks into my studio is how good – or not – they look in what they are wearing.

And one of the first things I ask is: ‘What colours do you like to wear?’

Just the other day I performed a pro bono home season analysis on a friend I have known for more than 50 years.

My friend looked fabulous in her autumn-toned dress

She looked fabulous in the dress she was wearing – a mix of gorgeous greens and deep reds. That, together with her blended colouring, told me she was probably an autumn, most suited to warm, deep, and soft colours, as, indeed, the drapes subsequently confirmed.

Tellingly, after the session was over, she told me that the dress drew compliments every time she wore it – a definite pointer to her colour temperature and season.

So, can you work out for yourself which colours enhance and which diminish you?

Well, without wanting to put myself out of business, the answer is yes!

My suggestion is that you drape the top third of your body in a series of contrasting block colours, take photos of yourself against the same background, in natural light, and look critically at the impact of those colours on your face.

An experiment I tried on myself

For illustration I tried this experiment on myself, although I have the advantage of already knowing that I am a deep autumn.

Just look at the three pictures on the slide above, taken moments apart against an identical background with no change in make-up or facial expression.

On the left I am draped in black, a colour I never wear next to my face because, as I hope you can see, it has a harsh, draining effect.

In the middle I am swathed in pastel pink – a colour I don’t think I have ever knowingly worn since I was a very small girl.

Observe the jarring disconnect between the drape and my natural colouring, leading to a complete absence of harmony and balance.

Then look at the infinitely more pleasing composition on the right. Here I am sporting a beautiful teal shade – a core ingredient of my deep autumn palette.

Notice the cohesion between the drape and my complexion

Notice the delightful cohesion between the warmth and depth of the colour and the warmth and depth of my complexion.

In the first two pictures the colours are definitely wearing me rather than vice versa – in fact, they are marching into the room way ahead of me.

In the final shot I am clearly centre stage, supported by a colour that blends effortlessly with my natural colouring and appears to light me up from within.

Why not give it a go yourself? Better still, book a session with me!