Remember Bridget Jones’s mother insisting that Bridget get her colours done? Well, it seems that she was on to something, as women are turning to House of Colour stylists for advice on how to determine what colours and styles suit them. Monagahan-based stylist Maria Macklin explains that it is not about simply choosing colours that you like. “I always say, generally if you see the colour before you see the woman, the colour is not right. We show women how to wear their clothes, and not have their clothes wearing them,” she says. “We rely on black too often, when really only winters (see colour wheel) can wear the navies, blacks and greys.”
Remember Bridget Jones’s mother insisting that Bridget get her colours done? Well, it seems that she was on to something, as women are turning to House of Colour stylists for advice on how to determine what colours and styles suit them.
Monagahan-based stylist Maria Macklin explains that it is not about simply choosing colours that you like. “I always say, generally if you see the colour before you see the woman, the colour is not right. We show women how to wear their clothes, and not have their clothes wearing them,” she says. “We rely on black too often, when really only winters (see colour wheel) can wear the navies, blacks and greys.”
The system depends on your colouring, and what shades of colour you should wear. It’s not just about wearing more blue: it’s about the subtly different but perfect shade that will make you look your best.
Colour for life
Maria first encountered the styling technique in the mid 1990s, while working for a multinational consulting firm in London. “A couple of women came to the office at lunchtime to give a talk. I shopped quite a lot at the time. I had a bit of money to spend and I thought I was quite fashionable!
“But I realised I had a lot of black, navy and grey. I didn’t wear a lot of colour. These women gave a talk about wearing colour and the colour wheel, and did a demo on my colleague. There and then I could see the difference it made to her.”
Maria went on to get her own colours done, only to discover she was an Autumn. Her wintery blacks and dramatic pink and blue clothes had to go, and in their place she was to wear olives, oranges and mustard shades.
At first i thought yuck
“At first I really thought yuck at the thought of these colours, but I could see that the electric blues and bright pinks did nothing for me,” she says.
“From the day I bought clothes in the right colour for me, I got compliments, and have been getting them since. I loved how easy it was to make the transformation, how easy it was to shop, and how much money I have saved, as there are no more mistakes in my wardrobe.”
A bright business idea
It wasn’t until three years ago that Maria decided to become a colour stylist herself, when she and her family were living in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. At a book club meeting someone commented that she never wore black, which made the group curious.
When Maria spoke about getting her colours done, her face lit up. “I had thought about setting up, but I chickened out twice, as it is quite expensive to buy into the franchise.
“Now I have a studio at home, where I can host styling sessions with small groups, and I give talks for women’s groups, at events and at large businesses,” she says.
At her studio, she has a variety of tools and visual aids, so you can see for yourself the colours and styles that work for you.
The full package
In terms of styling, House of Colour uses Carl Jung’s six body archetypes, a system that suggests your body shape determines your personality, so that you can incorporate that into the way you dress. For example, a romantic body shape is all about curves and softness, while the natural body shape needs flowy, relaxed fabrics. There is also the House of Colour makeup range, with a variety of shades for each season.
“Word of mouth is the biggest driver of business, as is the fact my clients are walking around looking their best. As soon as they make the change, people want to know their secret. They get asked questions like, have you lost weight? because they look so much happier and more confident.”
Engineering the
perfect palette
Her client Amanda Jane Gainford was at a talk Maria gave at a golf club. She saw power of the subtle changes Maria could help her with. Maria helped her realise that she was a “winter”.
“Those bright colours, and the drama of wearing black and white together, all that was a big change for her, as confidence was her issue,” Maria says.
“Winters also need to wear lipstick, and Amanda Jane had never done that before. But after just a few weeks, she had gone through a whole tube – and she was back to me for more.”
As an engineer, Amanda Jane had tried to dress in a corporate way, but actually was hiding her femininity. “I work full time in a male-dominated career, where up until recently I felt it was important not to draw attention to the fact that I was female. I dressed in a way in which I felt I blended into the shirts and ties that surrounded me,” she says.
After having her colours done ahead of taking on a promotion, Amanda Jane feels more like herself. “I feel now that I can dress for who I am, while looking and feeling right for my role. As a female engineer I try to be a role model for younger women and feel it is important that they don’t feel the need to lose their femininity to become a senior career person.
“I want to be able to demonstrate that it is OK to be feminine in a male environment, that your work ethic will promote you, and that it is fine to stand out from the crowd.”
For more, write to House of Colour | Coolaha, Carrickmacross, A81KN22, Co Monaghan, Ireland, visit maria.macklin@houseofcolour.com, call 087 278 9547 or check out @houseofcolourmonaghanlouth on Facebook.
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