Color Me Youthful Back in the early 1980s, you could walk into almost any clothing shop and find a woman scouring the racks for colors that matched her "season." It was the era of color revolution in fashion, launched almost single handedly by a book called Color Me Beautiful. That book brought color theory to the masses, showing how wearing the right colors can make anyone look fabulous. By assessing skin undertones, a reader could categorize herself as a winter, spring, summer, or autumn color type, and then learn to use image enhancing hues to her best advantage. The concept is sound. Color can bring energy and vitality to your appearance. And once you know how, you can apply the concept to your entire wardrobe. Compliments of the Season If you've ever "had your colors done," as the expression goes, then you already know that using the right colors near your face is like getting an instant face lift and chemical peel all in one. But if the colors you're wearing aren't flat tering, any imperfections you may have are going to be magnified. Even in shorts, the wrong color will emphasize skin flaws on your legs. In Color Me Beautiful. author Carole Jackson categorized people into four groups, named after the seasons and based on an assessment of skin undertones, hair color, and eye color. Each season has a palette of colors that suit it. Think of the dominant colors in each season of the year, and you'll have a good idea of which colors belong to its group. It's a model that image consultants like Donna Fujii, who trains beauty consultants in San Francisco and Tokyo, follow to this day, although many have created subcategories within the seasons and developed new groups. Her award winning book, Color with Style, expanded color theory to embrace the diversity of skin tones for African American, Asian, and His panic women. If you hoven't already, take the time to read both books. They're great primers for doing your colors. But if you want to start right now, here are some tips from Fujii and other fashion experts that will point you in the right direction. Identify your undertone. Even experts use a trial and error method. Pieces of fabric from each season are draped around the client's neck, one at a time. If the skin looks washed out or sallow, the color is wrong. After several colors are tested, a pattern becomes clear. Skin that has blue undertones (summer and winter) looks best in cool colors; so orange yellow fabrics aren't flattering. Skin with yellow undertones (spring and autumn) needs warm colors. Vibrant blue violet, for example, brings out the worst. As you assess your skin, keep in mind that the coolness or warmth of skin tones has nothing to do with the light or dark quality. Darker skins do tend to be warmer, but this isn't a hard and fast rule. Check the contrast. It's not enough to know if you can wear warm or cool colors. The contrast between hair and skin is also a consideration. High contrast women brunettes with fair skin, for example can wear stronger colors, whereas women with gray or salt and pepper hair are low ' contrast and need to tone things down. A low contrast person can, however, get away with stronger colors in evening light. Lower the contrast. Having your colors done isn't a one time event. As we age, our hair and skin lighten or dull, so the color value and intensity that we can wear may soften a notch or two. If, for example, you usually wear black and other dark colors, charcoal gray and winter white may now be more suit able. Salt and pepper hair might look better in sand, taupe, or pearl gray. "I'm wearing colors today that I couldn't wear several years ago," says 49 year old image consultant Pat Newquist, owner of Wardrobe Image in Tempe, Arizona. To be safe, consult an expert every 5 years. On the Edge of Trends Every few months, there is a flurry of activity as designers and fashion experts announce the season's colors: bright pink is in, pastels are out; black is beautiful, brown looks dowdy. A year later the entire scene can totally reverse. Don't take trends too seriously, says Fujil. Study them, use what appeals to you, then find your own way. Here's some advice to help you. Remain neutral. For your clothes, combine neutrals. Dress simply and spice up the look with interesting shoes, says image consultant Diana Kilgour of Vancouver, Canada. In any case, it's a good idea to keep your shoes current. Oust the old combos. Seek out interesting new ways to combine your separates and accessories, suggests Kilgour. A continental, European effect might mix winter and summer colors, mix neutrals, or add baby blue, black, brown, or charcoal to navy blue. For a suit, combine black and brown rather than black and emerald green. Pick and choose. "In every trend in every season there's going to be more than one color palette," says Fujii. Home in on the colors that work for you. Pick three, maybe four, but never more than five. Even within a single color trend, there's a range of tones, so you should be able to find one that works with your complexion. Context counts. The environment in which you plan to wear an outfit is just as important as color suitability. For example, if you're wearing peach and people around you are in black, you'll look too young, says Kilgour. So plan ahead and try to fit in with the crowd. Face Up to Colors Our natural skin tones, hair color, and clothes aren't the only colorful things about us, of course. We also wear makeup. And where enhancing our facial features is concerned, it's tough to let go of old habits. In fact, most of us tend to wear makeup the same way for 10, even 20 years, says Newquist. When we do this, we're walking away from a wonderful opportunity. With new application methods, colors, and products, we can shed years. In fact, makeup expert Linda Stasi of New York City, former beauty editor and columnist for Cosmopolitan, Elle, and New Woman magazines and coauthor of Boomer Babes. A Woman's Guide to the New Middle Ages says that the effect of reworking eyebrows is as dramatic as a face lift. Pat Newquist, Linda Stasi, and Donna Fujii, who has her own line of makeup and skin treatments, offer more advice. Correct and conceal. Dark circles under the eyes need a color corrector and a concealer. Apply the corrector first. The color you select depends on your skin tones. Although there are huge color variations within ethnic groups, you can narrow your color choice by considering your background. African Americans can choose yellow or amber, Asian skin needs pink, Mediterranean is best suited to yellow, and Scandinavian selects a whitish product. Blend the edges of the corrector, then apply concealer that is almost the same color as your skin. Go lightly. Skin tones lighten or dull with age, so it makes sense to go a little fighter on the makeup. Use colors that aren't as intense as those you used before. For example, shift from black to brown eyeliner. Choose soft, sheer makeup that's blended with brushes rather than your fingertips. Ensure that the color doesn't sit on top of your skin, and wear neutral eye shadow. Your blush should match the color that your cheeks get when you're working out. Apply blush below the cheekbones. Update regularly. Lipstick may last a year or more, but it's still a good idea to reevaluate your makeup colors at least once a year. What you see may inspire you to make a bold change, drop the eyeliner, or buy a new lipstick that's a few shades lighter or darker than the one you're using. Splurge. After all, lipstick costs less than dinner and a movie. 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