Seeing is Believing. Why People “Get their Colors Done”

Personal color analysis by Joy Overstreet, Portland’s Personal Color Analyst and Seasonal Stylist, ColorStylePDX.comPersonal color analysis appointments take up to three hours because the first part of the appointment is a conversation. To create the perfect color palette I need to better understand the client’s personality, interests and design preferences.

I always ask two questions:

  • What image of yourself do you want to convey to other people?
  • What image of yourself do you want to convey to yourself?

Over and over, I hear “I want to look more____”  Approachable, Attractive, Authentic, Authoritative, Appropriate, Competent, Confident, Credible, Collected, Comfortable

They are aware that each of us has just a few seconds to make a good (or bad) first impression. Sizing up other people is an instinctive survival skill that often happens below the level of consciousness. A few seconds may be all you get before the other person rules you out–or decides “they look like my kind of person.” Whether you get a second look also depends on the preferences of the viewer. If they find a hippy/boho look appealing, they will recoil from a guy in a gray flannel suit and vice versa. So an “approachable” or “credible” look can express itself in different ways, depending on the viewer.

Fortunately, if you know what effect each of your colors create, you can dress with intention: to be more credible, wear my eye color… more approachable? skin tones. Romantic? the right red. And so forth.

These posts will explain this in more detail:

Anatomy of a personal color palette

What should I wear to my job interview?

If you’d like to know more or are ready to schedule an appointment, I’d love to hear from you. Or

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"Alive! with Joy" is an eclectic mix of inspiration, design and culture, plus photos. Always thought provoking.