Gettin’ Your Colors Done

I have a friend named Cheryl. She’s a “Spring.” An “Autumn” walked in the shop once and asked if we carried any brown bras. The more people I mention our upcoming color analysis event to, the more stories I hear. One woman said her daughter had her colors done to find the perfect shade of white for her wedding gown. Another, a “winter,” said she can only wear pinks and blues that are “icy.” I was glad we had some nightgowns to fit that bill.

Cheryl and I have known each other since high school and have re-connected as adults. We both play golf, have husbands named Matt, and live in very cool places that we each get to visit…she in Martha’s Vineyard, and of course, I’m here in Vermont. A few years ago, I was trying to coordinate tournament golf outfits with Cheryl and certain color suggestions were met with a, “No, that’s not my color.” She was serious. She only wears colors that are on her color wheel of swatches. She went on to tell me about her friend Wendy Jacobs who “does your colors.”

Through Cheryl, I met Wendy on the Vineyard a couple years ago and we talked about having her come up to the shop in Vermont someday. As a House of Colour Style Consultant, she’s an expert in helping people identify the colors that harmonize with their skin tone, hair, and eye color. Someday has arrived and we have her booked to do four sessions on October 23 and 24. She lives in South Carolina now and travels to do events like this. Each session holds just a few people – like 3 or 4 – and will be held during the day because that’s when you get the natural light.

I’m very excited to learn what season I am and to look as the brochure says… healthier, younger, fresher, and more dynamic. Cheryl said Wendy will hold a series of colored scarves around my face and that I’ll be amazed to see which colors really dull me down to drabby and which ones brighten up my whole appearance. She said that you leave the experience with information and a “color wheel” of swatches… a swatch wallet. The way Cheryl works her colors is incredible. The other day, she was rocking a gingham yellow button-down and blue jeans…and socks. She says that once you understand your wheel, everything sort of works together and it’s a lot easier to shop and get dressed in the morning.