A Process of Elimination

I started this journey as a failed winter. An awful autumn. A sickly summer. I arrived at Spring through a process of elimination. There was always the feeling that my coloring was different than that of my friends and family. Though a dark-haired, dark-eyed brunette, I was somehow more delicate, gentler, paler. Easily overwhelmed and oppressed by dark colors. Faded by colors that are too strong. Washed out by colors that are too weak. Colorless and ghostly-pale in too-warm color. Where did that leave me?

The evidence accumulates through years of bad pictures - burgundy lipstick, black and red plaid, those muted and dusty neutrals that gave me all the life of a dried-up leaf.  An intuition glimpsed from the rare good photo - a bright blue dress, a green sweater, a rose pink top. Did I just get a good night sleep the day of that photo? Was there something special about the lighting?

I read the descriptions of the Spring season, and initially dismissed them. Aren't springs all blondes or strawberry blondes? Their hair could never make it into the dark brunette range! And they all have those light 'bright' eyes!! But those colors...I love them. They could really look great on me!

The color palettes that seemed logical (is that word even associated with Spring?) just didn't work for me. A re-investigation of childhood pictures, where I could really see my natural hair color and makeup-free skin, guided me along. But looking at photos and asking people if I looked good in lipstick colors only helped to a point. I knew I that needed a PCA. I needed to get draped to finally solve this riddle!

Kindergarten Photo. Looking cute in Bright Spring colors.
The bright rust background is in the Bright Spring palette.