Read this if you have a hard time deciding what colors look best on you but you’re still not sure how to go about it

“A colorful trend is coming back around and responding to today’s wardrobe crisis. Color analysis — or sharpening one’s personal style game using compatible colors from the color wheel — has been said to lead to more decisive dressing. The idea is that it takes the guesswork out of getting dressed, doing makeup or hair.” ~ Leatrice Eiseman, International Color Expert

Color is everywhere, we can’t escape it. But many times, you may not know what to do with it.

It’s especially stressful when you go shopping, so many choices.

How does one decide?

Color analysis has been around for a long time, making its biggest impact in the 80’s.

I was there. As I was entering the fashion industry in the 80’s I knew it was important to understand how to use color in my profession.

More recently, COLOR has led to illuminating ones “personal brand.”

COLOR plays a big role in your decision making. Everything from website colors to your wardrobe palette to meaningful branding colors. It’s all interconnected.

What is personal color analysis?

It’s a process where one learns what COLORS look best with your eye, hair, and skin tone.

1. You then receive a beautiful COLOR palette that takes the guesswork out of choosing new clothing pieces.

2. It helps you gain confidence and zero in on knowing your most flattering shades.

3. It is not only a confidence builder but gives you the know-how to use color with your wardrobe but in the illumination of your personal brand.

STYLE TIP!  Using personal COLOR analysis for clothing selection can simplify the shopping process and help you zero in on “your colors” and ignore the rest.

Sustainability.

I’m sure you have pieces in your closet you continue to keep because you love how the COLOR makes you look and feel.

Did you know, the average consumer throws away 81.5 lbs of clothes every year (that’s 11.3 million tons of textile waste that hits landfills!)?

STYLE TIP! When you love and embrace certain colors, you hang onto pieces longer.

What is a Colortime System?

I’m honored to be a certified color consultant with More Alive With Color, Color Clock System™.  It is not based on the seasons, but rather on the changing light at certain times of day. 

More Alive with Color, Color Clock System

“This is a more inclusive and international method, as many people live in climates where they cannot relate to “winter” colors; they simply do not experience those cooler color temps in their surroundings. 

Anyone, no matter where they live, can understand — through their own experience — the significance of the cleaner, sharper, jeweled tones of Sunrise hues, the sun-drenched subtlety of mid–day tones (which I call “Sunlight”), or the warmer drama of a beautifully striated Sunset painted across the sky.

Also included is a fourth palette called the Crossover™ colors that contains colors that are so apparent and prevalent in nature that they work with every palette. These include shades like Pantone’s Sky Blue, Sand, True Red, and Black.  Pantone is the most widely-used color system used worldwide, Pantone colors are used throughout the Colortime system.” Leatrice Eiseman

STYLE TIP! COLOR is the foundation of all fashion, and it makes us feel a certain way.  Why wouldn’t you want to understand how to use COLOR to put your best self forward?

Color for Confidence

My Color for Confidence program is a hybrid self-led / in-person, (via Zoom) bespoke customized experience to help women understand and discover her BEST and most flattering colors.  

Through the More Alive With Color, Color Clock System™, you will look at your unique inherent coloring, define your Signature Colors, utilize the goof-proof combinations, all of which allows you to create a wardrobe with ease, simplicity, and confidence.

You’ll then have an individualized 50-minute white-glove color session where we will clarify your best colors, mix-and-match outfits inside your closet, discern what colors are NOT good on you, and expand on how to use COLOR for your personal brand, and any other burning questions you might have about personalized COLOR for your business/personal lifestyle.

Personal Color Analysis: https://www.womenofdefinitivestyle.comcolorforconfidence

With Your Definitive Style in Mind,

💗Annette

Are you someone who loves adding new color each season?

do you tend to stay with your few favorites that you can depend on?

Color definitely has a personality.

And there is no one right answer.

That is truly the beauty of color, you have the opportunity to use it as a tool in your branding as well as your wellbeing.

And that is exactly how the Pantone 2021-22 Fall/Winter colors were chosen this year.

You're going to find colors that you can use to embrace personal expression whether sensible or quirky, color that embrace calm and healing as well as express a rainbow of hope and joyfulness.

“According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, “This season is offering a range of pragmatic hues infused with vivifying bright pops, and a plethora of possibilities that support our lifestyle of continual reinvention and convey a promise of reemergence.””

— Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

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HERE ARE 4 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU DRESS WITH EASE, BE ON-BRAND, & GET NOTICED:

1. Capture my BEST style strategies and image advice that include secrets to honoring your inner beauty, to what style basics are a must, to creating a color wardrobe capsule – Get Your Ultimate Style Guide to Feeling Confident and Empowered with Ease.

2. Join my upcoming FREE 60-minute Style Strategy and Confidence Masterclass. Register at: https://www.annettebond.com/masterclass

3. Work with me privately to take you from questioning your clothing choices to creating a signature wardrobe that is uniquely you. Schedule a 60-minute Get Dressed with Ease Breakthrough session to share a little about your image challenges and what you’re envisioning for yourself, and we’ll devise a strategy, so you are ‘stepping into your excellence’ and showing up as the powerful woman that you are, dressing with ease. https://www.annettebond.com/contact

4. Join other like-minded successful smart women in my Style with Significance Facebook Group! This is a place to share personal styling ideas, get advice from a professional stylist, and meet other powerful professional women who value looking as good as they feel

 

Happy New Year!

This months message was an article I recently wrote for the International Fashion Feng Shui organization. Enjoy!

2018 is here. How are you going to set in motion the New Year?

Searching the internet I found that only a tiny fraction of us keep our resolutions; University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals.

A new Marist Poll found "being a better person" is the most popular New Year's resolution for 2018.

The thought of being a better person is sincere but what about honoring a better version of YOU as we might say in Fashion Feng Shui. If you became a better version of YOU, I believe you would be a happier better person.

And honoring a better version of you would be a natural progression into achieving your New Year’s resolutions – wouldn’t you say?

My vision for 2018 came upon me about 8 weeks ago as I was putting together a description for a “signature seminar” I am planning to implement in 2018. My goal is to step into the spotlight with more speaking engagements just as adding more Fire into my business has been on my radar.

I passed on the description of my “signature seminar” to a colleague, who is a writer and requested her feedback. When the document was returned, she made several modifications. I respected what she proposed but wondered, was that really me?

In that moment, I realized over the last 7 years I’ve shared a barrage of marketing messages. All good, but realized I was a little confused on what message was appropriate for my 2018 signature talk.

I imagine this is how many of you feel about your wardrobe. Confused, inconsistent and unsure of yourself with a closet full of clothes and so many messages?

With this awareness, it has lead me on a path to dig deeper into my brand. Creating a brand message that is fully aligned with not only my essence but intentions for the coming year.

To guide my intentions, I have found in addition to creating written goals (Wood) for the New Year, I adopt a word or phrase. It allows me to express my individuality (Water) and I can just Be with the word and feel what it means to me.

To further embrace your word, Stefania Rolandelli quotes in Fashion Feng Shui for Life, explore your senses. How does your word for the New Year make you feel? How do you feel hearing your words? Seeing your words in action? Does your word have emotion?

Sharing our personal word and goals can be scary and exciting at the same time.

I’m wondering if because only 8% of the people reach their New Year’s resolutions, are they the 8% who dare go deeper into not only stating their goal with passion (Fire), but taking action on the goal (Wood), committing to the goal (Earth), feeling the goal (Water), and setting up frameworks to support the goal (Metal).

There is a vulnerability to owning our goal 100%.

My new Sassy RED FUR coat makes me feel 100% vulnerable in a very good way as I set into motion my 2018 goals.

As I was out Christmas shopping this season, I came across a red fur waist coat from Zara. I tried it on and immediately LOVED it. It spoke to me. As I looked at my husband, his face was saying, OMG you’re going to wear that? That is BOLD. His hesitancy was all over his face. Generally, I don’t let my husband persuade my buying decision but this time I did.

I left the red fur coat behind. I told myself I needed a fur coat that was more neutral and practical.

How many times have you thought you needed a more practical goal (Earth) instead of the goal that made you stretch (Wood) and maybe got you noticed (Fire)?

When I came home I couldn’t stop thinking about the red fur coat. I knew in my heart that the red fur coat symbolized my Intentions and words (Bold Commitment) to my 2018 signature talks.

I was scared to purchase the RED FUR coat. I would have to wear it (the practical Earth in me could not let it hang in my closet with tags on it). I might be judged (Metalin me).

I knew when I walked into a room that the red fur coat would do the talking, it was sassy (was I ready to add more fun with Fire) and I either needed to own the sassy red fur coat or move on (Wood).

Four days later, I ordered the coat. Making the decision to purchase the Sassy RED FUR coat to align with my 2018 goals, words and intentions has never been so purposeful and powerful.

Loving Stefania’s Rolandelli question in Fashion Feng Shui for Life book, does the clothing piece make you feel vulnerable and why?

When I look in my closet at my Sassy Red Fur Coat, I think of my BOLD COMMITMENT to my 2018 goals and yes I’m feeling a little vulnerable.

Do you have clothing in your closet that is ready to support your 2018 goals/words/intentions and allow you to radiate more of who you are in the New Year?

Are you ready to claim your message and feel it 100%?

If you're in a place of heck yes, I'm ready to ELEVATE and EXPRESS my personal style in 2018, I invite you to join me Saturday, February 3rd for a Fashion Feng Shui Workshop designed especially with you in mind!

Click the Link Below to reserve your spot! 

www.annettebond.com/ffs

With Your Definitive Style In Mind, 

Annette Bond

Color is an interesting subject because it can conjure up so many different meanings and feelings for individuals.

The colors you chose to wear may reflect your personality as an introvert, an extrovert...or maybe you’re trying not to be seen?

Did you grow up with a mother who loved experimenting with color whether it was with clothing or paint?

Or maybe you wore a uniform to school and you now shut down those colors?

We all have a story to tell about color.

I had a personal experience with purple. I realized nothing in my closet was purple nor was I attracted to it. As I thought more about the “why” behind the reason for not being attracted to purple, I realized that was my sister’s color growing up, my color was pink. If there is a color you’re struggling with, I encourage you to dig deeper into why you have that thought and then “attempt” to let go. Move forward with an open mind that allows you to play more and not be so bridled with color apprehension.

I find many people hesitate experimenting with color outside their box for fear of, “what if it doesn’t look good.” They decide on two or three colors that they like and don’t venture far into the creativity realm.

Through my one-on-one Color Image Consultation I am able to give you increased confidence on where to start and objective insight into why a color makes you shine.

Last week I spoke to a group of ladies about creating More Color Confidence. 

Here are 3 distinct avenues to explore & attain greater color inspiration:

1. Look at your own natural coloring, your hair, eyes and skin tone.

Start by having a friend describe your eye color. I guarantee that many of you will be surprised how complex your eye color can be. Take those specific colors and start experimenting with clothing colors that compliment your eye color.

For example:

Amber golden brown eyes: try a honey gold or tangerine coral color.
Hazel eyes: try a deep teal blue or emerald green.
Light green/blue eyes: try a slate blue, softened green tone or warm pink.

2. Look for inspiration in different mediums, like paintings, beautiful scarves or an outfit in a magazine.

If the color combination catches your eye, try it, experiment, you have nothing to lose.

I recently received a beautiful scarf  as a thank you gift for speaking at the Illuminating Women’s group – I fell in love with the color combination. I began playing in my closet and found I can wear it with my blue sheath dress, my favorite new emerald jacket and use as a pop of color with my white jeans. I’m excited – thank you Cecilia for handpicking this beauty in Italy. What a treat!

3 Use color as a tool to convey the message about how you want to show up in the world.

More professional, add navy, blue tones or gray. More creative, add purples and unexpected combinations such as icy blue to eggplant. Gray and chartreuse. More elegant, add burgundy or teal.

We are smack in the middle of all the vibrancy of spring and summer clothing. Indulge in a new color or new color combination. By adding one new color to your wardrobe this spring, you will have an instant update. That color could be in the form of a necklace, handbag, blouse, or jacket. I stand strong on my philosophy– make sure you can wear that new piece with at least 2-3 pieces in your current wardrobe. You will love the versatility and optimization.

My inspiration for the season is emerald, I’m loving it and can’t wait to acquire more pieces. I’m combining it with soft pink, white, black, navy, denim, icy blue and possibly some fuchsia. Wow, who knew? I also recently came home with a great big tote from target – emerald green, of course.

What is your NEW COLOR for Spring 2016? I’d love to hear how you’re playing with color and new color combinations!

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Annette Bond is a Personal Image Consultant who works with the professional over 50 who feel ordinary, old or overweight. She helps them to reveal their radiance so they can become more of who they are and walk into the world with more confidence and success.

Do you need to feel more put-together, current and polished? Does your professional dress need to be taken up a notch?

Email Annette @ annette@annettebond.com to learn about her Reveal Your Radiance Signature Program.

Or visit http://annettebond.com/image-services/