Customer Reviews

Color Me Beautiful

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

When this book was originally published,so many women benefitted from the simple concept of knowing what your best colors were and buying only those colors. Once I knew I was a summer, I saved hours of shopping time because now I knew what colors would look good. I also understood why I always felt great in ice pink: it was a one of my colors and subconsciously I felt more confident wearing it. Frequently overlooked is the money saved by NOT BUYING clothes that look good on the rack but don't look good on you. 12 years later, the same colors still make me look good. It's a simply ingenious system.

I had my colors analyzed at summer camp, way back in the 1980's, using this book. Almost twenty years later, I still have the color swatches, and still rely on them for choosing what shades to wear.

The book gives the information. Unfortunately, printing methods don't show the dramatic differences that holding the fabric sheets under a person's face does, as we did back in summer camp.
I've seen (and agree with) the complaints here from women of color that this book doesn't meet their needs. I'd suggest "Women of Color" by Darlene Mathis as an alternate resource. It applies the seasonal system with darker skinned women in mind. Carol Jackson, who wrote this book, wrote an introduction to "Women of Color," where she admitted the shortcomings in her book, and endorsed the new book as taking the next, needed step.

Refreshing, to see an author recognize and endorse another author's correction for their own book's shortcomings.

I was quite skeptical that a book which has been in print so long would contain up-to-date information that I could use. Not only does it contain sensible advice on dressing and accessorizing, I learned that I've never worn the correct make-up colors. In a couple of days, with simple modifications in make-up and dressing, I feel I look much better. Not so simple was determining my correct "season". With just the book that is a bit tricky, but I can tell that I did get it right. A surprising little gem.

Please, if you are reading this, get this book. I'm not kidding. I still can't believe how much this book has helped me in thoroughly enjoying my physical appearance. It is not as though I ever thought I was ugly, but this book has actually turned me from plain to pretty.
The way the book works is you learn to analyze your physical coloring, and based on this, you are put into one of four color "seasons"; Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring. It can be difficult to see yourself objectively, so friends are helpful, but once you figure it out, it is as though the fashion fairy godmother has visited you and you begin to build a truly amazing wardrobe that makes you look great every single day. It took me about a year to really settle in and accept my season because I was wearing colors from all of the seasons, but now I am spending far less money on clothes and I have so many more combinations that go together.
My only word of warning is that if you are not white, it will be a little more difficult for you to distinguish your season because there aren't as many pictures for you. But, the author does give a lot of physical descriptions in writing, so you should be able to find your season too. If you think that you are between seasons, just pick the one that works the best overall. You should not expect all of the colors in your season to flatter you, just most of them.
This book should be required reading for every girl.

I read this book 15 years ago and still love it. However, only 4 categories is not enough. Some of us are on the borders of the "seasons." I was analyzed as an Autumn ("dirty" blonde hair like a summer, but green/brown hazel eyes like an Autumn, neutral skin like any season), but feel that I look great in (and have been complimented in) some of the summer colors. And some of the bolder autumn colors (orange, bright gold) are a bit much for me. Doris Pooser's book expands the theory to include those between seasons, so I recommend it. According to her, I fit the Muted category between Summer and Autumn, which makes sense. But CMB is a great way to start discovering which colors are you and building a wardrobe. I don't always stick to it, but I keep it in mind when shopping.

This book is showing its age. As a one-stop beauty bible or whole-image builder, it doesn't quite work any more--it's too dated. As a color guide, it has lost some of its visual impact--the book has been through so many printings that the color palettes are changing color and turning useless as shopping guides. So why, you may ask, do I give it all five stars? Because I've never seen another beauty/style manual (and I've seen plenty) that instructs and inspires readers as effectively as Carole Jackson's does in the art of enhancing your personal beauty through color. The author conveys her love and knowledge of her subject through clear, chatty, infectiously enthusiastic, genuinely informative, sometimes even poetic prose; as other reviewers have noted here, this book is fun to read! Besides, each of the printed color palettes still distinctly represents its particular "season" in overall appearance, and the 32 color photos of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter women remain striking illustrations of the seasons in human coloring. Above all, countless readers have color-typed themselves and started using color to look their best just by reading this book. I did, and I'm happy to report that now, in my 50s, I receive more compliments on my appearance than I did in my 20s! So, even though a revised and updated edition of Carole Jackson's original COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL would be most welcome, I won't knock a single star off my rating. After all, can you name another beauty / style manual that was first published 20 years ago and is not only still in print, but usually ships within 24 hours?

Fashion styles come and go but we all have to wear colors. Just which ones? I bought this book when it was first published and I consider the color advice as relevant today as it was then. It may be difficult for some to pinpoint their season and this is where a professional consultation comes in. I don't know if anyone is still doing this. I had mine done when the book first came out and you really need to sit in front of a mirror and see yourself draped not just with the "right" colors, but the "wrong" ones to see the difference.

I hate shopping but I can quickly scan racks and racks of clothing for my colors to pinpoint what's right for me. Until this year, with loads of bright colors that I could finally wear, shopping the past few years was dismal. As a Spring, I can't wear black or gray which seemed to be everywhere. At least I saved a fortune! If only designers would do their collections in a few colors of every season so we'd all look good all the time.

[***** = breathtaking, **** = excellent, *** = good, ** = flawed, * = bad]

Well, you may laugh and think of this book as too-1980s! (I think it's first date of publication was 1981.) But unlike big hair and shoulder-pads, this method of determining one's personal colors stands the test of time. (The actual styles recommended in the wardrobe section are outdated, but the color information and photographs make up for this.)

Basically there's four color-groupings named after the four seasons. To find out which group you fall into, have a good look at the color of your hair and eyes. Also, try putting a white sheet of paper under your wrist for a neutral background while you determine whether or not you have a blue- or a gold-undertone to your skin.

This works for all ethnic groups, which are dispersed fairly evenly across the four groupings. What works for your sister or mother might not work for you. Once you're familiar with the color diagnosing you can always use it to help the men in your life shop.

Winters and Summers have a blue-undertone to their skin and look good in silver-toned jewelry. Winters look good in deep, clear colors like black, navy-blue, true red, and pure white. Summers get a lot of blue-gray and rose tones. Autumns and Springs have a gold-undertone to their skin and look good in gold-toned jewelry. Autumns look good in earth tones, and Springs get a lot of off-white, ivory, and pastel.

I'm simplifying greatly; it's best to have a look at the photographs in the book which are amazingly convincing. Especially the ones that have the models dressed in the "right" and "wrong" colors so you can see the difference. Don't bother to buy the hideously expensive color-swatches offered separately from the book as an aid to on-the-spot shopping: the excellent photographs are good enough.

Years ago I was browsing through a now-extinct local used bookstore and ran across this book. I was immediately intrigued by it and purchased it for a DOLLAR plus tax. Best dollar plus tax I ever spent! I absolutely stayed up all night poring over the pages repeatedly as if I had found gold - except in my case, white gold or silver is much more flattering...Anyway, this started an absolute addiction to learning about style and color and makeup and design for me. I highly, highly recommend Clare Revelli's books for learning even more - that is, if you can still find them - she had a disagreement with the original publisher and evidently if you find them new from her they are now $30.00 each (they used to be $7.99 new). You can find some copies here used in good condition, and after you are armed with both Color Me Beautiful and Color and You books you will be amazed at how much better you look after changing your makeup and wardrobe colors to flattering colors for your season. I am convinced that this is the best initial purchase any woman can make who wants to present herself to the world in the best possible light. Buy now and change the way you see color and image forever!

When I first found this book, I analyzed myself, cleaned out my closet, went shopping - and then helped my friends do the same thing. For a while it worked so wonderfully well but, once everything got all "matched-up," I got bored. I reverted to my old patterns, just buying without preconceived notions. And then I would go back to the Color system.

After Doris Pooser refined the original four palettes into twelve systems, it went better. (I am a Spring/Summer). I have gone back and forth between loving the color system, and then thinking, with make-up, that I can wear anything I want. The truth is that I cannot; I am 57, tall and good-looking - but I get compliments when I follow my natural coloring and pay attention to my body shape.

The bottom line is that this book has probably influenced my life more than any other book and, even though I sometimes think I can ignore it, I am most comfortable when I just accept who I am and how I naturally am comfortable in my own skin.