We all connect to colors differently and find different things beautiful. How do we use the appeal of color to choose the styles that suit us best?
Color analysis is much deeper than just knowing which colors look good on you. It can help you see how you as an individual connect and relate to the world around you. Whether it be your Shabbos table color scheme, the style of jewelry you wear, the flowers you choose, or even the interior design of your home–it is your unique personality and individuality that will help you find the colors and style that work best for you.
Color is the first thing our eyes perceive. Lines, shape, and texture are the three elements that our brains recognize as an object.
Hashem created us as part of this world, and He created each of us in a unique way with a unique purpose. When we match our natural color, textures, and shapes of our faces, we are literally aligned with the beauty that Hashem has created us with.
How does our brain decide if we like something?
Our brains are quite logical, which causes humans to feel attracted towards things that are similar and repetitive. If we love a particular style or color, it is because we have noticed enough connections to ourselves that translate into liking it. That is beauty!
Look around you and notice the beauty of natural color that Hashem has placed in the world around us. Outside your window you can glance at a tree and notice the different shades of green, starting from deep tones of color to the lighter ones. You can observe the shapes and textures of the leaves and how they change color at different times of the year. Each season has its own color scheme and harmony, and no one would ever say that the bright red, orange and yellow leaves do not go well together.
The physical world is one where we can learn to become closer to Hashem by doing mitzvos and learning Torah. Every creation can be used for good thus elevating it to holiness. The way we dress is a part of this equation and Hashem has gifted us with nature with its range of gorgeous colors that we can copy and use as a tool to make ourselves more beautiful.
When using Google for shopping, it will most often guide you towards the clothes that fit your body type. While body shape and size is important, using the three elements of color, lines, and texture will actually transcend your natural beauty. This is the ultimate visual harmony, especially when the colors and patterns are repeated.
How do you choose the right colors for you?
The most important part of enhancing the way you present yourself is your skin tone. Our skin color is the largest portion of the face, and we want to be mindful of colors that might look unflattering or even give off an unhealthy pallor. Learning to recognize your skin undertone can really help with choosing the best colors for you.
How do you know what type of skin tone you have?
A little trick to knowing what skin type you have is if your skin tans in the sun, you have warm undertones and if you burn when exposed to the sun, your skin tone will have a cool undertone.
Interestingly, colors have a psychological effect. Some colors will make you appear more friendly and approachable whereas other colors will create a more formal and powerful presence. At the same time, opposite colors are further away from each other and therefore are dramatic and stimulating (i.e. red + green). Colors that are closer together will offer a calming, elegant, and simple flow to your look.
Choosing clothes that incorporate the natural blush color of your cheeks
will give you a beautiful healthy glow which will have a more feminine effect for women, and a masculine look for men. A skin tone color such as nude looks best when worn for an elegant event as opposed to a more casual setting. It is also a great idea to purchase shoes, heels or a handbag that match your individual skin tone.
Neutrals are the background colors used to create core wardrobes.
These colors almost always need additional accents of color or hardware in order to give them life. It is important to wear jewelry with your neutral colored clothes so that the look you are giving is both bold and attractive.
Stark White
is one of the hardest colors to wear, most people have white included in their wardrobes, but more often it will be an ivory color. Instead of putting on a white shell with your clothes, try wearing your skin tone shell instead it’s much more flattering.
Brown is a personal color,
it is only used when it relates to the color of the individual’s skin, hair, or eyes. I was working with a male client whose hair is beginning to bald. I suggested he stay away from the color brown, because it related to the color of his hair which would draw attention to his receding hairline. We are always focused on highlighting the positive aspects of an individual and concealing the more problematic areas. Another example of this is a person who suffers from rosacea on the face. We would advise them to stay away from pinks and reds because those colors would highlight their skin problem.
Clothes that are monochromatic,
which means wearing a particular color in different shades, will give a person an elegant, slimming and taller appearance.
Often, we try to be like others because we all want to fit in. Trying to become one with the crowd is doing a disservice to ourselves. Instead let us focus on the individual beauty Hashem created just for us. When we spend energy on keeping up with ongoing trends, we fall into the trap of our focus becoming more gashmiusdik instead of elevating our beauty to one of spirituality.
Sori, an amazing post. I never would have connected to it before but not long ago I designed the interior of my office for my psychology practice and did research on colors, textures and anesthetics. I found it interesting and fun, but most importantly I actually came out with a place that looks and feels great to work in and most people seem to love.
What you write about the pursuit of individual style vs. the tendency to conform and follow the crowd being a spiritual activity is inspiring. There is so much in the Torah and in halacha about dress and grooming, but I wonder if there are any sources for your point. Rav Lazer Silver once said something he believed in and then said “There’s a Gemora that says it….and if not there should be!” Put differently, a Rebby of mine used to quote a source he called “Seychel Hayashar”. Good old common sense, which nowadays we could all learn more from.
Yasher Koach!
omg such a cool post!! love the topic and it’s so informative and well-written.
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Are the colours you are most drawn to likely the best ones for you?
It really depends a lot of us know intuitively what looks good and what we like however a lot of us are really influenced by people in our life and societal norms and trends. My job is to through the color analysis determine what loooks best yet I definitely like to hear what a person is attracted to and then sift through that information to see where it’s coming from.
Skin-tone colored shells may be a problem with Tznius. One should consult with a rabbi regarding this.
Yes had the same thought
I read the comments just to make sure someone pointed this out
+1, they are definitely not Tzniut… many a time I saw someone wearing a skin color shell and from far it totally looked like they were sleeveless until I got really close and saw the shell.
Hi
As always in regard to all Halacha one should consult his own local rav, however the concept can be applied to white as well it’s more flattering to wear off white or an ivory as opposed to a stark white.
Loved this informative article,
Thank you
You’re so welcome!
This is really a topic that interests me.
After researching color seasons for a while, I want to point out 2 things:
Regarding wearing white, only those that fall into the autumn and spring categories will look better in off white and cream than white. People who are winters or summers will look sharp and crisp in white and dull in cream. (In short, winters and summers have cool skin tone and autumns and springs have warm skin tone.)
And about figuring out which skin tone you are, the tanning tip helps, but is not always accurate. There are more factors to take into account. For example, as an auburn with super light skin, I never get tanned. So I thought that I must be cool-toned, but it did not sit well with me because I know that I look so much better in rusts and olive greens than blues and purples, for example. (Just naming colors that are generally known to lean towards coll and warm, though there are so many shades of each color that there are cool options to warm colors and vice versa.) After much research, I learned that people with reddish hair are often miscategorized because our skin does give that cool look at a glance, but upon deeper inspection, the UNDERTONES are often warm and our faces look that much better with warm colors. This is usually truer for people with reddish hair and brown/hazel eyes, as opposed to red-haired and blue-eyed people, who are often more cool.
So while proper color analysis with draping will give the best conclusion for those straddling the line between warm and cool, until you can afford that there is another pretty good way to learn where you lean. If your lips are peachier pink then you are most likely warm-toned, and if they lean more purple then you are most likely cool. Bear in mind that if you think they lean purple but in a way that makes you look cold and unhealthy, then you are probably warm-toned.
Hi,
I love that you are so informed about color analysis. White in general is the hardest color to pull off and even those with cooler skin tones won’t be wearing a stark white however it will veer into the cooler tones.
Yes the undertones isn’t a perfect tip like the veins trick and all other tips to know your undertone. People are unique and the most accurate way to know is by getting your analysis done.
I love that you shared another tip to help others.
what if you both tan and get burned how would you know what colors are for you?
If you are neutral you can pull of both warm and cool. Yet there is a fine line of not going to warm or too cool.