How Color Analysis Supports My Sustainability Goals

The selfies I sent in for my color analysis

​I'm not sure if it's been all the rage for a while or just something the algorithm has recently sent my way, but a few months back I heard about color analysis. Color analysis is a tool helps you find colors that best suit your skin tone and features. As someone who is interested in fashion and aesthetics, I thought the process was interesting but was slow to try it for myself. There are ways you can self assess, but I struggled to feel confident in my self assessment and eventually did a virtual consultation with Created Colorful. *Not an ad for this company, all thoughts are my own.*
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You can assessed as one of 12 seasons and my results were that I am Light Spring. This is known as the "Easter egg" palette and, honestly, I was kinda bummed. As an aging alt-kid Millennial, my closet is mostly black and I have very little of the Spring color palette in my wardrobe. Of course, I immediately began playing with some of their recommended colors with what I had and genuinely noticed a difference. I have always felt my skin was red and blotchy without a some make up to help, but in my palette I feel more evenly toned and my skin feels "warm" rather than inflamed. WELP, now I'm deep in the rabbit hole of this whole color analysis thing.

A sample of my Light Spring Behr equivalent swatches, not including neutrals

On the surface, I can see how color analysis could support consumption. If your palette is different than wants in your closet, it could encourage a desire to replace things quickly with fast fashion to solve a problem. However, I've realized a few things about how this color analysis process -- primarily that is has curbed my impulse purchases and better supported by sustainability goals. 

1. Improved my self-esteem
Okay this one is not a direct sustainability goal, but it is the foundation for how my reduced consumption is working. My favorite part about the whole process is that if I look in the mirror and am struggling with what I see like blotchy looking skin, sometimes something as simply as changing my shirt can make a huge visual difference. It sounds wild, but the color theory behind it and how our skin and eyes reflects what we are wearing really works. Let's be honest, bad shipping habits are often driven by negative feelings and this mindset shift has been huge for me that has made the rest of this list fall into place.

2. I've reduced the desire to consume
What this process has shown me is that it is truly an "analysis." Bringing a new material possession in my life is sometimes a little bit of a necessity like needing new pants postpartum, but also many, many instances of impulses purchases. Now when I see a clothing item of interest, I'm much more thoughtful not only about how it looks and feels, but also how *I* feel in the garment. I feel much more in-tune with myself and my needs and it is so much easier to walk away from a purchase.

3. Helps me ignore trends
I've never been a huge trend follower, but it happens. I am indeed the proud owner of a 40oz Stanley cup, so I can't pretend like I'm oblivious to what's popular. I think that deeper reflection can help to analyze your core style and then more easily rule out trends that aren't serving those larger needs. This is certainly the most obvious for color trends. Remember when everything was terra cotta brown and mustard yellow? Well, neither color is in my Light Spring palette so that would've solved that. Nothing has to be for everyone!!!
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3. Makes thrifting easier
The joy of thrifting is that treasure hunt feeling, but it can also be overwhelming! Racks and racks of clothing, knickknacks piled high, musty smells, or bins to scavenge through. Some days I'm just not up for it. After getting my results, I tested out few trips to store to see how it felt to look for a completely different palette of colors and it was SO. MUCH. EASIER. Truly. In the piles and masses of stuff, I simply stayed focused on my palette and sought hints of those colors peeking out on the racks. The rest of the chaos inbetween was so easy to tune out. 

4. Helps me figure out what to joy check
I have shared about my love for Marie Kondo many times and completed my tidying journey in 2018. Since then I do regular joy checks to evaluate posessions as well as deciding what new items I want to bring in. It's always a goal to be thoughtful about purchases for the environment and my wallet, but some days I'm better about it than others. I've been on the reduced waste journey for a long time, but I'm still an imperfect human. Having certain guidelines of what makes the cut can streamline your process and, for me, color analysis is a wonderfully useful tool for that process. 
Not sure what to do with clothing you've sorted out of your closet after a joy check? I've got s list of potential resources here!

If you've engaged in something that unexpectedly assisted you with reducing your