Color Me, Beautiful!
Remember the fashion trends of the 80s?
Big hair! Big shoulder pads! Neon colors! Leg warmers!
Wikimedia image of Reebok ad from 1985
The divas were Princess Di, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Bonet, and Whitney Houston.
And the book Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson spent 3-4 years on the New York Times bestseller list. By 1983 it had sold two million copies.
I was a young college professor at Goshen College in those days. I was buying my professional wardrobe at thrift stores and on department store sales. But I also got a copy of this book and read enough of it to type myself a Winter in the four-season system of analyzing.
Bestselling book cover seen in many homes in the 1980s.
1986 faculty photo: did I already know I was a Winter with black and white in the palette?
At the time Color Me Beautiful was all the rage, I was mother to two children, a son age 10, and a daughter age 3. Both children had already chosen their favorite things. Our son loved computers, programming, and video games. Our daughter loved clothes and art.
At my 40th birthday party, Kate and I both wore colors in our palettes. Cobalt blue for me and aqua for Kate.
Kate’s color rainbow at age 4.5 is very close to her color palette.
The only thing I remembered from reading the book in the 80s was that I looked good in “jewel (bold blues and reds, especially) colors” and in black and white. Kate was too young to participate in the kind of color conversations that were taking place among the moms in our group, but she was drawn to color. In college, she majored in art.
Like many art majors, especially of the Millennial generation, Kate has used her skills and talents in many ways. She is an AirBnB super host and has renovated and decorated numerous houses. She managed an upscale thrift store. She started Creative Mornings in Pittsburgh, and most recently, was a reseller of vintage clothing and designer bags.
But the role of color analyst, undertaken after she had taken a course at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and had studied three different systems in depth, seems to fit her perfectly. She is still, after all, the grown-up version of the little girl who always selected her own clothes, insisted on a perm at age six, and wore dresses according to the beauty she saw in them, irrespective of season or size. There was a period in early elementary school when she crafted some very strange outfits, and I knew that letting her wear them ran the risk that both she (and I) would be disparaged, secretly, if not publicly. Yet it seemed more important that she follow her own inner light of beauty than that I make her follow the prevailing norms. Eventually, of course, she channeled her creativity into less bizarre tastes, but she never gave up on the thought that color should be fun, it should make you feel good, and that when it connects to your inner beauty, there is magic!
Last year Kate opened a studio she created in her own home. She uses all those formal and informal art classes on color theory, and she offers her services in creating an individualized color palette for clients based on skin tone and undertone. I was one of her first clients, and she confirmed what I learned long ago, that I am a “Winter.” The 12-season approach goes beyond the original four seasons by specifying three types within a type. I could be either a Dark Winter, or True Winter, or a Bright winter. I am a True Winter. One of my cousins is also a True Winter. Another is Light Summer, like Kate herself. My three college friends are all different seasons. Finding that out together was like having a party in our college dorm again.
I love seeing my daughter explain how value, chroma, and hue come together to form colors and then watch her as she drapes two different colors next to a client’s face. She compares her role to the sound booth engineer in a recording studio when a musician is cutting a record. Her voice is warm. Her eyes dance. Her humor flows. She moves around the color wheel with intent, eliminating whole groups after comparing drapes. Eventually, both she and the client land on one spot on the wheel that is best. Then the client gets two items that will be useful for closet editing and for shopping: a pocket sized color collection for her wallet and a larger fan for her purse with individual swatches in the palette colors.
In a season of darkness, in a world full of strife, I am inspired by my daughter to live my best True Winter self. If you see me wearing red, my favorite color, or cobalt blue, my second favorite, just give a little nod. 🙂 I will smile at your bright orange or rich browns, two colors that do nothing for me, and rejoice at how they color YOU beautiful!
Do you remember reading Color Me Beautiful in the 1980s? How do you respond to color? Were you analyzed long ago or recently? I’d love to hear your story.
I remember coming home from Congo for one year instead of the shorter terms we normally took, and Color Me Beautiful was the going thing. I’m a winter too, Shirley! Even black looks good on me!
It’s interesting how children at a young age already have a sense of what later can become their calling. My middle daughter always insisted on her own choice of what to wear, and she was adamant!
Yes, Elfrieda. Winters can wear two colors well that other palettes avoid — black and white. That’s why the 1986 picture in black and white made me wonder if I had already done my colors then. It’s interesting that the craze extended to Canada. It’s also interesting that you had one child with adamant preferences for what to wear. It’s amazing how strong personality and preferences can be from a young age. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I don’t remember the book, however I did travel out of town to have my “colors done.” I came home with my purse size color swatches and some makeup. I think that I was a fall but I’m not sure and somewhere along the way, I threw that bundle of colors away.
Ha! So you did more than buy the book. You actually traveled out of town to book a session! Kate has clients from out of town too. I would love to know what the 1980s color analysis experience was like back in the 80s. Our crowd just read the book. I am sure Kate would love to hear your story also. Sounds like it didn’t have a lasting benefit for you. It would be interesting to see how the older palette might compare to the 12-season version. Merry Christmas!
I am breaking my break, just begun, to answer your question: Yes, I have read Color Me Beautiful and know that I, too, am a winter with RED my favorite hue. Cheers to the color wheel! 😀
One of the many things we have in common, Marian. Cheers to the color wheel! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
I am the right age and time and missed this altogether. Fascinating.
Maren, you were probably involved in higher endeavors like theology or poetry! Merry Christmas.
Me too. See below. !
Indeed I am a firm believer…. since the days when this book was first released. I have the swatches and for certain I am a winter.
Sounds like you have been able to put your color knowledge to use all your life, Joanne. Has it influenced your quilting and other sewing projects too?
Interesting! But I never heard of “winter” etc. I usually paid attention to clothing I liked (maybe stayed away from browns although I have stuff now). I would say I don’t really have color knowledge but no one has come out and said anything derogative about my clothes! My wildest outfit may have been the pink leather looking skirt (circa 1967 ish) with a pink leather vest. I thought it was pretty cool but it didn’t last long. At BCHS. 🙂
I would love to see that pink leather looking skirt, Melodie, with the matching vest. The 60s were an even more outlandish decade than the 80s. One of the things Kate has observed after analyzing over 200 people is that they often settle on favorite outfits and favorite colors that are in their palettes or close to their best colors — even before reading or learning about color from an analyst. People will often tell them “You look great in that color,” when their skin tones glow. Maybe that’s what your pink vest and skirt did for you!
I, too, am a winter, and in the 1980s, went for an analysis, and then took our daughters to have theirs done! It helped explain why I had always strongly disliked a brown “Sunday dress” my mother made for me when I was in junior high. I was so happy when I outgrew it. I found knowing I was a winter simplified shopping. I took the swatches along when I shopped until I had internalized them. I can imagine that Kate is a wonderfully fun person to work with! Go Kate!
You and I have so much in common. I never liked brown on me either, although every fall I wanted to wear orange sweaters, olive green pants and brown boots. They looked so good on other people! Knowing your colors does simplify shopping. As you know, it is a real blessing when our children find the right kind of work, and I think this one is a keeper!
What a trove of memories your post awakened! Back in the early 80s I bought the book and attended a seminar in which all of us had “our colors” draped on us. It wasn’t difficult to discern that I was a “Summer” (only four seasons back then) because I was invariably drawn to all those summery blues, greens, purples and roses (never black!). As I’ve aged and my hair has turned white, I’ve discovered I need to steer away from light or pastel summer shades, at times almost veering toward winter jewel tones. Becoming aware of my season had family consequences, however, because my spouse turned out to be an “Autumn;” in all our homes, we’ve had to negotiate color choices because of our seasonal preferences. In the past, when certain color combinations were in vogue (such as the avocado green and gold phase of the 70s), I struggled to find rugs and upholstered items in my color preferences. Now there’s even an online catalog company (Kettlewell Colours) that sells clothing by seasonal colors.
Wow, Marlene. You have been thinking seriously about color for a long time. Both of you know your colors and have found ways to incorporate two palettes into one home and two wardrobes. 🙂 You are both such creative people that I am sure the discussions only lead to better ideas. Thanks for mentioning the Kettlewell company. https://www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk/us/category/sale?filter-palette=winter&hpwinter1=true I had never explored their website before, but they have some pretty nice winter items . . . on sale too. 🙂 Thanks for showing up here. Gives me a chance to wish you a Merry Christmas!
This is so interesting! I too was a young professional and a clothing store offered the service! Here we are about 45 years later and I just parted with my palette of fabric swatches only to discover that it is becoming popular again!😊
Ha! Isn’t life just like that? Cycling ideas in and out without making sure we are in sync with them. 🙂
Maybe if you click on the 12-season system link I provided above, you will not have to carry old fabric swatches. The Nordic woman is really fun to watch in the embedded video. One of the many things that changed in the last 40 years is that fads are now more global than ever. And good ideas will remain if they serve a genuine purpose.
I remember the book and people having their colors done, but I never did. My wardrobe is made up of mostly deep blues and greens and purples. And black. I like the colors and I probably have gotten more compliments on wearing those colors. I don’t really like pastels or oranges and yellows, so I’m probably with the “cooler” seasons. That is wonderful that your daughter has found such a wonderful fit. And kudos to you for allowing her to dress for herself as a child. I was just telling my husband about some of the clothes my mother picked out for me when I was a child. I looked more like a middle aged matron than a young girl. 😂 Merry Christmas!
Tina, so good to hear from you again! You made me chuckle about how your mother made you look like a middle-aged matron as a child. There are so many ways to make mistakes as a parent. 🙂 Oh well, all we can do is follow our best lights at the time.
Yes, you must be one of the cool colors on the palette. I asked Kate if the typing usually surprises or confirms people’s own instincts. It is a bit of both, I guess. For example, winters often shun pastels, but there are some light colors, called “icy” that look great on us. As we age, we can look great in an icy blue or pink or grey, especially with a silver sweater or wrap. You might want to try. 🙂
Really enjoyed reading this, Shirley. I was very mesmerized by the season colors and read the Color Me Beautiful book in the 80’s and referred to it often. It truly made a difference in how I chose colors and what I wore. Originally I was a Summer with some winter tendencies and realized what a difference certain colors made in how I felt about my appearance but i always so enjoyed red but it had to be just right. It’s interesting I think, that I did not have an instinctive ability to chose flattering colors in my younger days until I read this book and had my season’s done professionally. Having grown up in the mountains of western Virginia in the 50’s and 60’s, I knew little about fashion and color so the concept was such a revelation especially in my personal life (professionally not so much, since in the 70’s I was a bedside nurse and white was the color). Having ‘allowed’ my hair to become white, I am now a true Winter and love all the colors connected to that season.
Hi Debbie. Both Summer and Winter are cool palettes (with blue as a base), so it isn’t surprising that you might have orginally been typed as both. You are right about reds. They are tricky. For me, reds, If they have much yellow, they aren’t right. Winters need them to have a slight blue underneath. You might enjoy going to the 12-Season approach link above also to find your updated palette. I’ll bet your white hair really sets off your favorite colors.