Customer Reviews

Women of Color

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book has great basic information on color coordination. It is based on the concept of seasons...summer,winter, spring, and fall. It is directed toward women of color(black,hispanic, oriental, etc). For anyone familiar with the season's concept most other books will inaccurately blanket type all black women as "winters". This book does not. It takes in to consideration all our shades and hues. For anyone who has studied fashion or color application the information may be too basic. For the average woman or someone who is dissatisfied with the effect of the shades they wear this book has a lot of information and shows you how find colors to compliment your skin tone and undertones. This is also great for anyone needing to plan a wardrobe and needs to know how to mix and match colors to get the most mileage. I first read this book about 5 years ago. There wasn't a picture of the book cover so I thought it was a different book because of the copyright date. It is the same as the original from 1994. It's an excellent book and the information is still relevant but keep in mind to wear what feels good to you and that as people of color we come in every shade of the rainbow so there will always be exceptions to the rules.

I found this book a great add-on to Carole Jackson's Color Me Beautiful. The photographs are beautiful and the techniques are presented logically. However, I didn't like that she seems to advertise certain clothing designers like Donna Karran/DKNY and Liz Claiborne. Also, she seems to push the idea that in order to be beautiful you need to spend a lot of money on things like manicures & pedicures every 7 days seeing a skin care specialist often. HELLO! Not everyone has a budget for these sort of things! I also didn't like the fact that she seems to think that your season dictates your personality and what fragrance you choose.

This book takes the theory of Seasonal Color to a new level. As a woman of color and a Certified Image Consultant trained in Seasonal Color draping, I very much appreciated the detail and thought given to seasonal color as applied to women of color.

Too often, women of color were tagged with one particular season, with no allowance for the rainbow of skin tones and coloring combinations that we are born with. This book explains not only the different possibilities for coloring, but teaches through gorgeous photography and color charts that women of color can fit into any of the traditional seasons.

Wonderful information is also contained within this book on dressing figure challenges, accessories, and drawing the eye to where you want it. For anyone in the Image Consulting industry who works with women, this book is a great reference. Our world is becoming more multi-cultural every day, and this book will help Consultants work effectively within that world.

One would think that a CMB book about women of color would atleast focus on all women of color. This advice speaks of african american women, Asian women (as in Chinese, Korean, not Pakistani or Indian) and Hispanic women, and if you are from the middle east, the mediteranean, or SriLanka you pretty much have one picture of an east Indian woman, and some white women to look at and assume you must be an autumn. She offers much conflicting advice - that you could look golden but be olive, and there is no way you can color type your skin using this book unless you are very blue black or very golden. The author herself looks warm toned in her picture but says she is winter, and a family picture of a very good looking African American family is even more confusing than ever, because the mother and daughters are all of the same skin tone and undertones, hair and eye color, but are dubbed autumn and springs respectively. Her book is full of written examples of her clients, but without pictures don't make much sense except in selling her skills and her suggestions are way over the top (Top Management should have fur coats as part of their work wardrobe any body?). Honestly, I bought this book from a reseller for 2 bucks and that was a waste for the shoddy advice this book provides. You are much better off reading the core CMB books which includes advice for women of color, but does not claim a focus it does not deliver on. Unless you really liked 80's fashion and wouldn't mind reading antiquated, conflicting advice, I would advice against buying this book.

I have read many books on style but this one must be the most disappointing. There is some good information on choosing the right colors and building a wardrobe but nothing that you could not find in a good women's magazine. Most of the book consists in anecdotes illustrating Ms. Mathis's skills as a fashion counselor-at times it sounds like an advertisement or a biography. My main complaint is that the author assumes that a woman's personality is predetermined by her coloring; for instance, all summer women are catalogued as soft and romantic. As a woman of color, I expected to learn how to bring out my true personality with the help of the right clothes, accessories and makeup. I did not want any fashion guru to dictate what I should be like and how I should behave. Mary Spillane wrote a far better book based on the Color me Beautiful system. She even included references to women of color without making a big fuss about it.

Ms. Mathis' book is a great short and simple guide to personal enhancement for all women. I acutally enjoyed not only looking at the various pictures illustrating womens' many colors and style, but I read every page. In addition, I have found her information on color palates from hair color to wardrobe indispensible. Ms. Mathis also offers readers the opportunity to have their palates developed by her personally. She provides an address and details on palate swatches. Overall, "Women of Color" impressed me. It is the first book of personal enhancement I have found worth reading from cover to cover. I was able to derive useful information from it and actually looked forward to applying it.

Darlene,

Thank you for using your formidable skills, professional expertise and your life's experience as an African American woman to adapt the "seasons of color" theory for use by "Women of Color!"

This is a beautiful, well-done book! Kudos to your the photographer and the models as both the photographs and the women depicted in the photos are beautiful!

The text is well done and "user friendly!"

I believe that all women will relate to your practical advice, sense your sincerity and appreciate your empathy!

As a confirmed "Autumn," I am now aware of the difference that "wearing your season" can have on the quality of the compliments received. It is the subtle difference in receiving a "compliment" to the effect: "...that dress looks nice on you" versus "...you look wonderful in that dress!" Many women will immediately appreciate that it is the latter compliment to which we aspire and that "makes it all worthwile!"

I look forward to your "next" book because I know that your experiences since finishing "Women of Color" are probably worthy of your literary efforts, as well.

I will try to remain in "my season." But, if you notice that I have strayed, then a gentle nudge is o.k.!

Again, thank you!

This book was written based on the color theory. Basically, the theory says that each of us has either yellow or pink skin undertone, and thus only fits one of four "color palettes" namely Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Everyone can wear every color but it's the shade and intensity that makes the difference. This book is for colored skin people: Black, Asian, Caucasian, Latin America. Those who want to learn more about the same topic with a focus on white skin people may read "Color Me Beautiful."

In my opinion, the color theory has a good rationale behind it: everybody has her own colors that flatters her skin tone (and body shape too.) For example, my mother hates black and loves brown, rich orange clothes. She always says she feels older in black, but black actually flatters my skin. In terms of the color theory my mom can be an Autumn and I, a Winter. However, I think dividing all people into such 4 categories is an oversimplification. While finding the color type may be easy for some people (white, pinky skin), it doesn't work for me. I'm an Asian with fairly light skin and the skin undertone is between pink and yellow, or peach color. So I don't think I belong to a particular group. However, the book is successful in that it makes me pay attention to the colors and shades that suit me. Gradually, I hope I'll create my own "color palette". Besides, the book has very thorough color pages which I may use as a checklist when I shop for clothes and build my unique colors.

Darlene,

Thank you for using your formidable skills, professional expertise and your life's experience as an African American woman to adapt the "seasons of color" theory for use by "Women of Color!"

This is a beautiful, well-done book! Kudos to the photographer, Edgar Thompson,and the models as both the photographs and the women depicted in the photos are beautiful!

The text is well-done and "user friendly!"

I believe that all women can and will relate to your practical advice, sense your sincerity and appreciate your empathy!

As a confirmed "Autumn," I am now aware of the difference that "wearing your season" can have on the quality of the compliments received. It is the subtle difference in receiving a "compliment" to the effect: "...that dress looks nice on you" versus "...you look wonderful in that dress!" Many women will immediately appreciate that it is the latter compliment to which we aspire and that "makes it all worthwile!"

I look forward to your "next" book because I know that your experiences since finishing "Women of Color" are probably worthy of your literary efforts, as well.

I will try to remain in "my season." But, if you notice that I have strayed, then a gentle nudge is o.k.!

Again, thank you!

I already own this book, and my family and I all view it as an absolutely indispensable guide for the colors within our individual "seasons".

Ms. Mathis has effectively changed the Fashion industry and image consulting field(and the way color is used and how people see themselves)--permanently!

What I like about this book is that it does not exclude the so-called "white" woman but includes them as well, as they too come in wonderous and glorious shades of brown: ivory, creme, beige, almond, tan...and the list goes on. It does not target one specific "ethnic" group, but goes beyond it to embrace ALL women and men of ALL shades through its unique color-seasons guides.

I suggest that, whether you are man or woman, of whatever color range, get this book.