How many times do you spend hours staring at the closet thinking “I have nothing to wear“? Wearing any present garment but still not feeling valued enough? Probably the problem lies in the colors. With the advent of Armocromia we have all begun to look for the most suitable color palette for us to revolutionize our image and be able to feel more “brilliant“.
Color analysis is a discipline that can revolutionize our lives. Not just the image. It’s the first step in a larger process that concerns ourselves
These are the words of Rossella Migliaccio, an image consultant who was the first to bring to Italy in 2010 the idea that everyone had colors capable of enhancing their person. He opened the Italian Image Institute, the first Italian institute dedicated exclusively to the harmonic discipline. With the book “Armocromia” it was she who brought the term into the common jargon of fashion and beauty and opened our eyes to the study of color.
But color analysis is not a widespread practice only in Italy. It has also caught on in other countries around the world. She is well known, for example, in the United States, where Jeannie Stith, founder and CEO of Color Guru, loves to help women look amazing and feel gorgeous with the right clothes on. Today, his website advises around 800 clients per month.
Color analysis is a phenomenon that has gone viral thanks to social media. And it’s still a hit on Tik Tok. This idea has been able to totally change the way we think about our wardrobe and go shopping. For decades, color analysis has interested the image consultants of politicians and prominent personalities. But today, it has also caught the attention of Gen Z and any fashion enthusiast.
The historical roots of color analysis: from “Color Me Beautiful” to the beginnings of Color Analysis in Italy
In Italy, Rossella Migliaccio is certainly the greatest exponent of the study of chromatic combinations in relation to the somatic traits of the individual. But the origins of this discipline date back to the 80s in response to the popularity of Carole Jackson’s “Color Me Beautiful” manual.
In the book, the idea of orienting one’s clothing choices on the basis of a color palette capable of enhancing one’s characteristics was mentioned for the first time. The concept was then taken up by researcher Suzanne Caygill, considered the first true initiator of color analysis, who in 1980 in the book “Color: The essence of you” explained as follows:
Through the chromatic harmony of nature and the seasons we find the key to understanding who we are, to get out of personal rigidity and connect with those pure energies that allow us to be ourselves.”
The essence of color analysis revolves around the concept of Season. The four seasons are nothing more than the four basic categories into which the known colors of the visual spectrum are categorized. Each category is associated with a combination of physical characteristics, such as hair and iris color and complexion undertones. For each of these, therefore, there is a reference color palette. But that’s not all: to have a more precise feedback, each category can in turn be divided into subgroups, for a total of twelve sets.
This idea of associating palettes and seasons has its roots in art. In the early twentieth century, in the Bauhaus artistic movement, the painter and designer Johannes Itten divided colors for the first time into two macro-groups: Warm and Cold. He then divided these two sets again into Light and Dark. The result was a division of the colors into four groups named after the seasons. Today, those same subdivisions are the foundation, the basis of Armocromia.
Photo credit: italianimageinstitute website
Color Analysis: How to Identify Your Season
Each season of Armocromia is identified by the colors that nature takes on at that time of the year. As a result, Winter is characterized by cold, deep colors with strong contrasts. Summer has cold but more delicate colors. Autumn has warm, deep, amber colors that resemble the colors of the earth. And finally, Spring is defined by warm colors but more radiant and bright than Autumn. To understand which season you belong to, there are several online publications and tests. Let’s see together what are the points to take into account to carry out a Color Analysis Test.
First of all, you need to establish the undertone of the skin, cold or warm, which should not be confused with the value, light or dark. They are, in fact, two independent variables.
A very common mistake is to associate people with dark colors (e.g. with black or brown hair) with warm colors and people with light colors (e.g. with blonde or auburn hair) with cool colors
Rossella Migliaccio
Before starting the test, it is necessary to remove make-up completely. Then cover your hair with a neutral-colored towel and always wear neutral clothing, especially near your face. To understand which subgroup you belong to, you need to look at your dominant characteristic: your skin. That’s why your hair should be covered: it’s the color of your complexion, along with other elements, that dictates the law. Once ready, you should stand in front of a mirror and possibly in the presence of a natural light source.
Photo credit: Helena Lopes | Unsplash
To identify the season, it is necessary to use fabrics or patches of different colors in order to identify the undertone of the skin. Once everything you need is ready, you can start the actual test. You have to look carefully in the mirror to notice if your face is enhanced more with one shade or another. It’s a bit of a complicated process, which is why it’s best to hire an image consultant. The good knowledge of Armocromia allows you to better recognize the colors that illuminate your face.
The tanning factor should also be taken into account.
When you go out in the sun, do you immediately take on color or do you redden? A pinkish and fair skin, in fact, is more difficult to tan and tends to reddish. Those who tan more easily, on the other hand, have more amber or olive skin. Also of fundamental importance is the observation of the color of the eyes, the presence or absence of freckles and the observation of the lips.
And what season are you?
Winter
You have olive skin, dark hair, and black to brown eyes, with a few shades of green. Your skin has a cool undertone with a dark value, and the trio of eyes, hair, and skin is characterized by high contrast and intensity.
The perfect palette for this group consists mainly of white, black and grey, without excluding colours such as electric blue, cool red, bright yellow and light pink. In short, we are talking about cold, intense and bright colors.
Spring
Radiant skin, lively eyes and hair with golden reflections that give a natural glow, immediately evoke spring and its colors. In fact, those who have a complexion similar to the color of peaches, with blonde or auburn hair and predominantly green eyes belong to this category. The recommended palette includes various shades of blue, beige, apricot, coral and apple green. It’s quite rare. Characterized by an intrinsic brightness, it reflects the same colors released by nature during this season.
Summer
This season includes those with pinkish skin, light hair and eyes that turn from blue to light blue, passing through green. This season is characterized by cold undertones of the complexion, light value, low contrast as well as chromatic intensity. The perfect palette for this group is made up of pastel and powder shades, lilac, pink. It is especially welcoming soft and pastel colors, even a little muted.
Taylor Swift is Summer Light!
Fall
If your complexion is golden and fades to amber and ivory hues, if you have golden red or brown hair and brown or green eyes, then this is your season. An autumn woman, according to Armocromia, has a complexion with warm undertones, which can be present in both light and amber skin. It also has possible freckles, not excessively accentuated and of a shade tending to orange. The recommended palette for this group includes all those colors found in an autumn forest, such as shades of green and brown. Autumn colors with an orange base are an excellent choice, such as coral red and terracotta shades. Other colors to consider include forest green, olive green, and mustard yellow.
Armocromia from head to toe: the choice of shoes
Color analysis not only suggests suitable makeup, but also influences the choice of clothes and shoes. It allows you to create a harmonious whole that highlights both the outfit and the skin tone, also carefully considering the choice of shoes within the recommended palette according to the season to which it belongs.
Photo credit: Marta Production | pexels
First of all, however, it is important to talk about a factor that should not be underestimated when it comes to shoes: color continuity. It is about maintaining a uniform color between our legs and the footwear worn. The main goal is to avoid a visual break in the legs and, as a result, create an illusion of momentum to appear taller.
During the hot season, or when we wear clothes that leave our legs uncovered, chromatic continuity is achieved by wearing naked shoes, that is, of the same color as our skin. When, on the other hand, the weather requires us to cover our legs, we can maintain chromatic continuity by combining trousers or tights with the same color as the shoes we wear.
The most common observation regarding color continuity is the perception that winter women have an advantage because they have black in their palette. In fact, using black socks and shoes seems to make it easier to maintain color continuity and avoid visually breaking your legs. However, it is important to point out that there are equally effective solutions for all other seasons, and indeed, the diversity of palettes offers many creative options.
Generally, the colors to choose are the same as those we saw in the previous paragraph. Nowadays, especially for female customers, there are many models of shoes with as many color choices. From pastel blue for a summer to bright fuchsia shades for a spring.
Color analysis is a revolutionary guide to enhancing our natural beauty through colors. From historical analysis to modern trends, this discipline teaches us to choose not only clothes and shoes, but to communicate our identity through a palette of colors. The process of identifying one’s own season thus becomes an experience of self-exploration and self-analysis.
Looking to the future, Armocromia is a key to a more conscious relationship with our style and with ourselves. The diversity of the palettes emphasizes that every individual, regardless of the season, has a unique opportunity to express their beauty. In a constantly evolving world, Armocromia invites us to embrace our authenticity and transform the way we relate to our wardrobe, creating a future where fashion becomes a vehicle for our uniqueness!
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