IMAGE - Autumn

This concludes our look at the 4 Seasons and the best colors for each.  So today we look at the Autumn.

"Your body has a color that identifies YOU.  You are an important person.  You matter to others.  The way you look affects people around you.  The colors you wear either blend or fight with what we call your Season (your personal color design)."  Brenda Kentner "Tie Me Up with Rainbows"

Okay, I've told you that I'm an Autumn, so what does an Autumn look like?  Well, this is what I look like, but I am not an absolute Autumn.

 

Look at these beautiful Autumn celebrities: 

 

Cindy Crawford



Kathrine Hepburn




Maria Shriver

 

Carol Tuttle

The absolute Autumn's skin may have more yellow, orange or gold undertone.  Because the hemoglobin count is high in the Autumn (I know, go figure), the color of their skin is more coral-orange.  This Season usually suntan beautifully,  We have been called the Bronze Goddesses of the Seasons.

There is nothing soft and frilly about this Season. Think texture and angles.  An autumn will not need ruffles and lace like the Summer, or bright active colors of the Spring, and neither will she feel comfortable in the jewel tones and elegant lines of the Winter.

Autumn's characteristics are those of strength and strong will, just like the rough and fiery colors of nature.  You are a determined woman (some even dare to call us stubborn) and you need to honor your desire to accomplish your tasks swiftly and practically.  From your make-up which should be in the warm tones with golden and bronze highlights to your hair which should be a no-fuss style, you demonstrate the practical nature of this beautiful Season.

Because your skin coloring is high, Autumns wear more neutral browns and bronzes on cheeks and lips, greens and coppers on the eyes, and blue-gold if the eyes are blue.

Your eye coloring ranges in color from blue, green and olive green, to warm brown.

 Remember, few of us are an absolute Season but because of genetics we are blends of all the four Seasons.  BUT, we will always have a dominant and sub-dominant Season.

For instance, a Gentle or Golden Autumn may feel more comfortable in some of the lighter softer shades of the color bouquet.  Once you know your dominant and sub-dominant Season, then find the shades that enhance your coloring and temperament best.

 

 My sub-dominant Season is Winter and as a result, my coloring and temperament reflect this.  This simply means that I can wear a soft black as a neutral as long as I have an autumn color near my face.  Otherwise, the black near my face creates shadows and lines I would rather not emphasis.

This blend also means that I must allow the Holy Spirit to soften me, to make my words gentle and kind, and to not be so judgmental and critical of myself and others.  What does God desire to do in your life?

I hope you have enjoyed our journey with the four Seasons and have found your distinct coloring and temperament here somewhere.  You may want to flip back and review the colors and characteristics of each Season.  I pray you will take this bit of information and find what best enhances your God given beauty.

Come back next time as we look at body styles.

IMAGE - Spring

Think vibrantly alive, freshly appealing, animated, bubbly, brilliant, radiant, crisp, fun, and unstructured!!!

Your natural gift is IDEAS!  You may have trouble carrying them all out, but you are absolutely full of them.

You are vibrant, expressive, cheerful, spontaneous, and the life of the party.  You help the rest of the world have fun and hope!

"You are like the sun, shining brightly on humanity."  

Carol Tuttle, Discover Your Personal Beauty Profile

Your skin undertone is ivory, peach, golden or dark beige making you a WARM season.

You are youthful and cute regardless of your age.  EMBRACE IT!  Your face may be circular or heart shaped, with full circular cheeks.  Your nose may be what we call a button nose, or a turned up nose.  It may even have a point or star at the tip like Meryl Streep.  Springs with blending Seasons of Winter or Autumn may even have a more angular face and features.

Your eyes will be round and full of sparkle or light and usually one color such as blue, blue-green, gray or gray-green, and even brown.  In this case your blending Season is either Winter or Autumn.

The best colors to enhance your radiant glow are the bright primary colors as seen in the painting at the top and the fan below.

Look at these beautiful Spring celebrities:

Christie Brinkley

Rachel Ray

Sally Field

Whether you are a Winter, Summer, Autumn, or Spring, this is the most important thing to remember:

1 Peter 3:3-4

New Living Translation (NLT)

³ Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. ⁴ You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Spring ladies, go out and let your "light so shine" for Jesus Christ today.

Next post will be about the Autumn.  I'm one what are you?

                         

IMAGE - Summer

Last time we talked about the Winter person who is Dramatic and looks best in Picasso bold jewel tones.  This week we are going to the other end of the cool skin undertone spectrum and look at the Summer who is all Romance.

One of the most interesting things about Image to me is how God put together the total package - the total person.  Let's look at our Summer girl for example.

What do you see when you look at this woman?  Soft femininity with Dresden-like qualities; quiteness, fluid movement; curves, perhaps even an hour-glass figure.

This person is somewhat introverted and moves slowly but deliberate.  She is steady, easy-going, relaxed, connected, nurturing, warm and detail-oriented.

The Summer's skin will be rosy or very pink which just fits perfectly with the overall sweetness of this person.

Think Monet!!

The Summer loves floral patterns, lace, frills, and flowing designs in her clothing which enhances her soft romantic appearance.

Wear silver and rose gold jewelry and remember, Pearls are always perfect for the Summer.  Hair should be worn in  a soft style around face.  If you have natural curls, showcase them.

The soft pastels and blued tones of Summer's bouquet enhance the tranquil appearance.

Hippocrates titled this beautiful person as having a "Phlegmatic" temperament.  This normally fearful, worrying temperament can be replaced with the self-confidence of the Spirit-filled life when the Holy Spirit is given control.

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 
2 Tim. 1:7

Beautiful, special lady, be all God desires you to be.

Next time - Spring!

COLOR - Winter

I'm late again getting a posting out this week.  Can someone tell me where the time goes?  The old adage, "I don't know how I had time to work" is so true in my case.  This past weekend my two sisters and I got together at one of their homes in Cajun Land.  We spent Saturday afternoon looking at antique stores and upscale flea markets in the area.  It was so much fun and I found a beautiful blown glass bowl that is perfect in my living room.

Our little shopping trip was also enlightening and it was a perfect example of what we are talking about.  As we shopped we would take turns saying, "Oh look at this," or "I really like this."  The other two may or may agree, but it was so typical of how we are all different.  To have grown up in the same home with the same influences, our individual tastes are vastly different.  That's because we are different.  We have different personalities/temperaments, body styles, and coloring.  We are each so uniquely special and different.

"Your true beauty comes from within and your outward beauty comes by accentuating your uniqueness."

Today, I finally have a minute to sit at the computer and think with you about color.  Have you decided whether you are a Cool or Warm season?  Whether you are a Winter, Summer, Fall or Spring?

Today we will look at the WINTER.  She has been described as "Shimmering ice with warm friendly fires.  Elegance, poise and drama, independence, quietness with a touch of shyness."

Winter's look is "Elegance"  The bold colors of winter accent the striking color scheme of the season.

Think Picasso!

The Winter person has cool - blue - skin undertones.  She will more than likely have a fair complexion, but not in all cases.

Winters are insightful, intense and precise.

The best shades are strong, vivid shades with blue undertones such as red, royal blue and emerald green.  The best neutrals are black and navy.  This is the only season who can wear pure white and look gorgeous.

Rich materials such a velvet, satin, suede and wool help to achieve the poised, striking appearance of the Winter.

Jewelry should be silver, crystal, diamonds, but gold may be worn if the skin has an outer warm appearance.

If you still have questions about your season, you may want to find a qualified image consultant for a personal evaluation.  Or, you might enjoy trying a free tool from author, trainer, and image consultant Donna Fujii at http://donnafujii.com.

Next time we will look at the Summer person.

The color fan for the Winter is by "Color Me a Season" and copyrighted by Bernice Kentner.
http://colormeaseason.com/

IMAGE: Color

Have you thought about the fact that you never get a second chance to make a first impression?  Within 10 seconds, someone has subconsciously formed an opinion about you.  What image are you projecting?

Image matters because people make assumptions based on limited information.  I know!  It's not fair!  But, that is the way it is.  Besides, aren't we a bit guilty of making these determinations of others ourselves?  Because of this, it is so important to consider what your appearance instantly projects about you. 

So, the first step in making a positive first impression is knowing what colors look best on you.

Does talking about your best colors bring to mind the 70's and 80's when a conversation starter was "I'm a Spring, what are you?"  Even though there doesn't seem to be as much emphasis on having your colors done today as it was back then, there is no doubt that having a personal color scheme is a hallmark of all truly stylish women.

The first step is to determine your skins undertone.  You will have either "Warm" or "Cool" undertones and this never changes.  It is what you are born with and have to live with.  Warm will mean that you have yellow undertones, and cool means that you have blue undertones.

Because of this, colors either blend and compliment, or fight and detract.  Look at this illustration:

 

Chadwicks

Right colors will make your eyes sparkle and give your skin a healthy, flawless appearance.  Right colors will make you look younger.

 Chadwicks 

Wrong colors will dull your skin, hair, and eyes, and magnify skin imperfections.  They will also make you look older.  And none of us want that do we?

To determine your colors, you need to assess your hair, skin and eye color as well as what colors you feel you look the best in.  Determining your "season" can introduce you to a whole new palette of colors!  Experiment with extremes near your face and see if you can tell a difference.

Now, let's look at those four seasons and see if you can find yourself.

Winter - Cool - Blue Undertones - Hair is usually Dark; Skin is often Pale; Eyes will be Brown, Hazel, or Blue with light flecks.  Think Dramatic! 

 Summer - Cool - Blue Undertones - Hair is usually Blonde but may be light or Dark Brown; Skin may be Pale or Rosy Beige; Eyes may be blue, Green or Soft Brown.  Think Romantic!

 Autumn - Warm - Yellow Undertones - Hair may be Red, Auburn, or Golden Brown; Skin may be ivory, Golden or Dark Beige.  Think Classic!

Spring - Warm - Yellow Undertones - Hair may be Honey Blonde, Auburn, or Golden Brown; Skin will be Ivory Peach, Golden Brown; Eyes will be Clear Blue, Green with Gold, or Golden Brown.  Think Natural!

REMEMBER:  God created you perfectly.  There is not one thing about your natural physical appearance that isn't absolutely perfect for the totally unique individual you are.

Next time we will discuss what colors are best for each Season and why.  In the meantime, I'm an Autumn.  What are you?