What’s the big deal about being blonde?

Only 5.5% of the US population is naturally blonde, and yet… Even those who were naturally blonde as children get darker hair (like brown, or even dark brown) as they get older. Nevertheless, by the time American women are middle-aged, thanks to the miracle of bottled chemicals, 50% of us have become blondes (44.5% of […]

Lost weight comes back. Joy Overstreet, Portland's personal color analyst. ColorStylePDX.com

“Life-changing.” “Profound.” “Transformative!”

I still get letters from people who took the original Thin Within seminars long ago, saying just those words. Recently a graduate managed to track me down on Facebook despite my married name. She now runs The Red Tractor Farm, an inn on Kea, a Greek island (poor dear). Dear Joy — Many years ago […]

Your glasses say a lot about who you think you are. Joy Overstreet, Portland's personal color consultant. ColorstylePDX.com

Choosing glasses: from eyesore to “face jewelry”

Do you hate shopping for new glasses? You’re not alone. Choosing glasses frames is a high-stakes endeavor: they’re expensive and omnipresent. You can easily spend $400+ for a pair with prescription lenses, and they live on your face for at least a couple of years. You have to take so much into consideration: Intention – […]

Make them look at your eyes. Custom personal color palettes by Joy Overstreet, ColorStylePDX.com

What’s wrong with wearing white?

Q. The color analyst told me I shouldn’t wear white. EVERYONE wears white! Why can’t I? A. Do you just want to do what everyone else does? You’re more creative than that or you wouldn’t be reading this. Let me explain. It’s WHITE white that is troublesome because it is a strong “color” that can […]

Do you hate shopping for clothes?

Last week a client asked me if I’d take her shopping after she’d gotten rid of the clothes in her closet that were not in her new color palette. She was shocked when I said, “Nope. I hate shopping for clothes, even for myself.” (I didn’t tell her I sometimes make an exception for guys, […]

Red peppers, Oakland Farmers Market, Joy Overstreet, ColorStylePDX.com

Seeing red: color and emotion

I never understood what “seeing red” meant until it happened to me. I’m not proud of this moment. It was about the 100th day in a row my four-year-old son had done every thing in his tiny power to subvert our leaving the house in time to get him to nursery school and me to […]

Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair. Joy Overstreet, Portland's personal color analyst, ColorStylePDX.com

The Secret Lives of Color…

Is it self-serving to love the quote that opens The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair? Yes. But so what. It’s from the 18th Cent. artist John Ruskin: “The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.” The book is a fascinating exploration of the crazy histories of 75 different […]

Maya Rudolph should not wear prints like these. Joy Overstreet, Portland's personal color consultant. ColorStylePDX.com

Natural Beauty vs. the Red Carpet

I’m fascinated by some of the outfits celebrities wear for their moment in the spotlight. Most look ok, but some… OMG what were they thinking??? Is it Stylist’s Revenge? At this year’s Oscars Maya Rudolph (who is an incredibly talented actress and comedian) looked like she grabbed her grandmother’s bedroom curtains. I suspect she’s an […]