The false promises of seasonal color analysis

gAs long as People can dress colorfully. We were desperate to make it better. In the mid-19th century, advances in dyeing technology and synthetic organic chemistry enabled a textile industry previously limited to what was available in nature. New, huge value shades can be produced in large quantities. The problem is, people are starting to wear really bad ones. which is driven towards clashing maxims. This color revolution–

The mass media creates a slight moral panic (“cancel optical scandal” a French journal called it), which then attempted to edit the 1859 edition. Godey’s Lady’s BookIt was the most widely read American women’s magazine of the antebellum era. Promise to help “A woman who is immaculately dressed and flashy”, referring to the prominent color theorist. french chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul and his ideas about which colors are the most “became” to many women. (Probably white people) Chevreul promotes “light green” for people with fair skin. “Lack of roses”; Yellow for dark brown hair and “bright white” for those with “Bright complexion” whatever that means.

Chevreul died in 1889, 121 years before Instagram was invented. But what if this platform is available to him? I think he would do a great job with it. There and elsewhere on social media Millions of people are still trying to figure out which shade looks best on them. They are doing this through seasonal color analysis. A quasi-scientific, quasi-philosophical discipline that holds that we all have a natural color palette that suits us. And outfits that don’t make us look ruddy or green emphasize our flaws. and diminish our beauty

According to this method, everyone belongs to “seasons” and “sub-seasons” that are determined by the color of their skin and their appearance. For example, bright winter. They often have sparkling eyes, dark hair, and look good in jewel tones. True fall is defined by golden undertones and earthy tones should be worn.

This theory first became popular in the United States in the 1980s, only to resurface in South Korea. Skyrocketing on the English-speaking internet In the past few years– Reddit’s seasonal color analysis community currently has 167,000 members, ranking it in the top 1 percent of the site. Search Seasonal color analysis Go on Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest and you’ll find a seemingly endless stream of results: posts that “type” celebrities like Mindy Kaling (Dark Winter) and Sabrina Carpenter (Light Summer); Advice for those who are into fall but hoping for winter. and offers the ideal accessories, eyeshadow, prom dresses, Halloween costumes. and other clothes Almost every item imaginable is colored each season. Seasonal Advisor both certified and others It is attracting hundreds of thousands of followers and charging hundreds of dollars for in-person participation.

Read: How do colors shape our lives?

The smartest among them film their sessions on social media. in general video The customer sits without makeup. Facing the camera With a cute white hat covering her hair. A color consultant covered her in different colors and assessed each shade for its ability to make her skin pop. In one TikTok, a young woman with high cheekbones and gray eyes was identified as Summer and displayed A set of shades that make her look like a color consultant. Tatum Schwerin said approvingly.“Like a baby doll” (in my eyes The difference is noticeable but unsightly. The video has been viewed more than 32 million times.) In another video a young woman Describes her experience flying to South Korea to have paint analyzed.She said the results were “shocking” – a bright spring.

Guidelines for this season Go back to Carole Jackson’s 1980 book. Paint me beautifully– In it, Jackson promised: “Color is magic” and asserts that “women and men have discovered its power to make the world look at them in awe.” She uses the seasons to explain to her readers:

(Like Chevreul, Jackson wrote with white readers in mind.)

This book is a feeling. It took seven years to new york times list of bestsellers and create what we might call a lifestyle brand: Jackson published a sequel specifically for men. and began licensing the system and the Color Me Beautiful name to other consultants across the country. People would come together to add color to various events. Explained by time such as “Somewhere between a Tupperware party and group therapy,” the woman keeps paint samples in her pocketbook. In case of emergency when shopping Reader’s Digest Subsidize employee consulting fees according to welfare policies that cover self-development.

More than four decades later, Color Me Beautiful still exists and continues to sell certificates for consultants. Although it is adding AI color analysis to its suite of products. And its wisdom has spread to social media. This is where teenagers and people in their 20s are discovering it. The new version of color analysis is just like any other modern version. Many are more complicated. Color analysis now recognizes the existence of a wide range of skin tones. and more complicated Jackson’s four seasons are divided into 12 and sometimes 16 sub-seasons, depending on one’s philosophy. The differences are detailed in a long blog post filled with color wheel pictures and terms like chroma–

The appeal to contemporary audiences is clear: First, the draping video is clearly watchable. The same goes for cooking videos. Simple process and observable results But I think the concept also fulfills a real need created by the collision of technology and the fashion and beauty industries. Young women today are probably photographed more than any other group. in history But they live their lives on the internet. It is a source of rapidly changing trends. Targeted advertising cheap fashion Conflicting advice and color correction software Knowing what looks good on you has never been more important. And there aren’t many resources to search for.

Just like there are astrology quizzes and quizzes on the internet. They are two of the most enduring online products of the past decade. Color analysis is changing direction and becoming narcissistic. and promises essential, immutable self-knowledge that can be put into practice. It gives a subtle feeling of being part of a tribal society (online you can find groups for people who identify with each sub-season) and guarantees simplicity in a complex world.

The fashion and beauty industries seem to be embracing this fictitious experience these days. Human hair can be divided into 12 different types based on texture, density and thickness. A decade ago, The goo on the surface of your ordinary bottle advertises itself using vague terms such as MoisturizeToday’s skin care products offer formulas and invite customers to “Cosplay as a cosmetic chemist” as a beauty reporter Jessica Defino wrote.– Canny’s seasonal color analysis influencers play a role in this. Some even wear lab coats in their videos. Jenny Mahoney opened a seasonal color consulting firm in New York in 2023 and has expanded to Orange County, California, and Washington, D.C. Things. The first thing she told me about color analysis was that it was “rational, systematic, and based on science.”

Definitely sort of Color theory is really a science. As a systematic approach to observing the natural world, color can be measured, categorized, and studied. Chevreul was onto something when he proposed that the eye reacts in unique and sometimes surprising ways to certain color combinations. However, the color consulting industry It’s “scientific” in the same way the health industry is. Some principles may have a basis in truth. But the market that has sprung up around them is trading on something else. It often feels like a solution rather than part of the problem. have more vocabulary more rules How to be led further astray All the more reason not to trust your own eyes. Winter is a season where the weather is cool. But summer is no exception—it can challenge what you think. cool Method. Yellow color like marigold gives a warm feeling. But yellow like daffodils gives off a cool feeling. Or at least suitable for those who live in winter. According to one website If you’re soft autumn, like Tyra Banks, you should wear “peas, roses, and wheat,” and if you’re truly spring, like Blake Lively, you should dress in shades. “Reminiscent of colored pencils”

Online, people talk about avoiding their favorite colors. Or throwing away a favorite piece of clothing, says one Reddit user who says she spent 26 years and nearly $1,000 analyzing the color. recently posted that she is close to quitting the organization entirely. Over the years She has been identified as several types. and change clothes decorations and new makeup every time, but “I’m never 100% comfortable wearing an outfit,” she writes. It’s enough to make people a little crazy.

I know this because seasonal color analysis drives me a little crazy. Even though I hate being told what to do. But I’m always looking for ways to look hot with little to no effort. But I can’t seem to find myself in every season. My hair can be described as blonde, red or brown, depending on the light and time of year. and because of a genetic disorder that is not serious So my left eye was the color of the mud of a New England pond. while my right side is Bright blue color, cool to the eyes I’ve read tens of thousands of words about what this means. and paid for two different color analysis apps. soft autumn warm autumn cool winter bright spring and the soft summer This means that black is one of my power colors. Or is it a fast track that makes me look haggard? or even seriously ill So I walk on this earth knowing that everything The day was another wasted opportunity to make my feature stand out. I slept well most of the time.