Here is a splendid example of the Rose Tone Summer seasonal type. This was a painted palette which I don’t do much anymore because I found the swatch fan palettes are more practical for shopping use for my clients.
My unique process for finding a client’s fashion image and archetype involves analyzing her physical appearance as well as her personality.
When I give someone full package service, color analysis plus style analysis, we turn next to appearance design: Sarah exemplifies a romantic face type, with a “traditional” style-type body from the front, (rectangular) and a romantic style-type body from the back, (the figure eight shape).
Next, I look at her placement on the Enneagram because I have found that personality mechanisms influence what kind of clothing you feel best in. Sarah is a professional speaker but also the mother of a large family; she needs to keep things on the Sporty side with Romantic touches so she can support her “doing” center, but also honor her femininity. I have given her the Sporty/Romantic fashion image.
Now, to return to a discussion of her appearance design and Seasonal Theory: The Rose Tone Summers that I know tend to be more athletic types, often living life on the sporty side. As I developed her color palette and style recommendations I also wanted to honor the characteristics that make the summer season in general one of the most feminine.
In person, Sarah reminds me of the beautiful maidens in a John Waterhouse painting because there is a pre-Raphaelite quality to her face and her naturally straight long hair makes her look like she’s from another time.
She has romantic design tendencies, as well as sporty, and her Enneagram placement combined with her instinctual subtype dictate a more modern romantic style of clothing. Her historic period stems from the Medieval era and for formal business attire she will look best in simple A-line shift dresses with a jacket that is custom tailored to fit her rectangular front and figure eight back shape. She can then add some complexity with accessories that create focal points from the bustline up.
Her “style” flower is the Lisianthus… a beautiful closed flower that reminds me of some of her design qualities but also her quiet way of carefully observing her surroundings before she engages. Lisianthus reflects the strength in her features and the diffusion in her line quality.
From my practice with seasonal theory and my studies of the Enneagram, I am coming to believe that personality archetype, as much as seasonal archetype, affects how a person wants to dress.
The importance of the Enneagram and the part it plays in helping people dress to their personalities will be explored more fully in a future post.
In the meantime, may the colors be with you.
Pati
Master Color Designer for Seasonal Color Studio