If you can’t afford a professional colour analysis, here are some tips to help you find some of your best colours.
How to Find Your Best Colours (Even Without a Professional Colour Analysis)
If you’ve ever stood in front of a mirror holding up a top and wondering, Why does this make me look tired? Or why does this one make my eyes pop? You’re not alone. One of the most common questions I hear is, “How do I know what colours suit me?”
The ideal path is to invest in a professional colour analysis, where we look at your unique combination of hair, skin and eyes and identify the tones that harmonise beautifully with your natural colouring. But I completely understand that not everyone is in a position to do that right away.
So here’s how you can start uncovering your best colours on your own.
Look at you—not the clothes
A great starting point is to ask: What colours already exist in me? Think of your eye colour, your hair tones (even greys or whites), your natural lip colour, and your skin’s undertone and flush. These are the colours you’re essentially repeating when you wear your best shades.
For example, in my own palette, my signature colours come directly from my natural colouring. I have silvery greys and whites in my hair, a cool pink blush in my skin, and blue-grey tones in my eyes. So those are the shades I gravitate towards—they feel like me. They’re easy to mix and match, and they make outfit planning feel effortless.
Notice how my outfit blends with me – as the colours relate to my inherent colouring? That’s what you’re looking for. You don’t want to be seeing the colour before we see you (that’s fashion – which is about selling clothing not making you look gorgeous).
Signature colours create face focus
One of the things I love most about colour analysis is seeing the shift when someone tries on a colour that truly belongs to them. There’s this subtle magic when you wear a colour that looks like it could’ve come from you. Your face becomes the focus. Your eyes brighten, your skin looks healthier, and the colour itself seems to disappear into you. That’s the power of signature colours.
I sometimes demonstrate this with magazine cut-outs when I teach. I’ll pull colours from a model’s skin, hair and eyes and compare them to my own. And you can instantly see—her colours do not suit me, and mine wouldn’t suit her. That’s the beauty of this work. There’s no one-size-fits-all. What flatters one woman may completely overwhelm another.
Notice the difference between this model’s skin colour (which has a golden hue compared to my skin which is more pinkish. She is warm and I am cool. The colours that would suit us are very different.
Try this when shopping
Next time you’re out shopping or rifling through your wardrobe, hold a garment up to your face and ask yourself one simple question: Do I want to look at my face, or the clothes?
If your eye is drawn immediately to the fabric and not your features, it’s likely the colour is wearing you. But if your eyes, skin and smile all seem to come alive, chances are you’re onto something that truly works.
What to look for
You’re looking for harmony. Colours that echo what’s already in your natural palette. Not colours that overpower, dull you down or create shadows. And while there’s more to colour analysis than simply matching hair or eye colour, this experiment is a helpful, low-pressure way to start tuning in.
No need to rely on seasonal labels or complicated systems. This is about developing your eye and trusting your instincts. You might be surprised how quickly you start to notice patterns—certain shades will always make you feel more like yourself.
You are the palette
The most important thing to remember is that the best colours for you are already a part of you. And when you begin choosing clothes that mirror those innate tones, something shifts. You feel seen. You feel more cohesive. And dressing becomes less about trying to “fix” something and more about reflecting who you already are.
If this feels exciting and you want to dive deeper, colour analysis can offer even more clarity. But in the meantime, start with this: Hold up the colour. Look at your face. And trust the version of you that lights up.
And if you’d love to discover your specific palette from my 18 directional Absolute Colour System and find out your signature colours, you can do so here.
