There is this thing called colour theory. It presupposes that there are four colour seasons which are further sub-divided into 12 or 16 categories. It works because it presumes that every individual falls somewhere within the 12 or 16 categories.
The concept of the four colour seasons has long been used to categorise individuals into different colour palettes based on physical characteristics and skin undertones of which there are three: warm, cool and neutral. It is a system that has gained both notoriety and popularity in the fashion and beauty industries as a tool for determining clothing and makeup choices.
The colour theory concept has been lauded, and there are plenty of image consultants who have been trained in the art of colour swatching to figure out if you are warm, or cool. But, it is not without its limitations and critiques. The four colour seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, are meant to simplify and personalise colour choices, making it bespoke. Its 12-16 categorisations are set, and it is nearly impossible to divert from your box.
Colour analysis began with German philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He observed connections between different colours and colour psychology was born. Note how there is no correlation between colour, skin tone and clothes and that this was an artistic and creative find.
Then between 1919 and 1933, Johanness Itten, an Impressionist painter cum professor at the Bauhaus University in Germany expanded their realms. He decided that portraits were a little more flattering when portraits were matched to hair and skin tones. He is the man responsible for creating colour palettes that synchronise with the four seasons and with four different complexions. He, like von Goethe used this in art.
Then one day, a colour theorist named Suzanne Caygill (1911-1994) took the next step.
Combining Itten’s “season theory” with Goethe’s “colour psychology,” she created her own theory. It was based on her opinion that we hold information about our personalities and styles in our natural colouration. Personal traits such as skin, hair, and eyes are related to colours found in nature. This theory proved to be the foundation for many a colour professional. Most people in colour theory are familiar with psychologist Carole Jackson because of her book, Color Me Beautiful.
Each of the seasons has a category associated with specific colour palettes believed to complement an individual's natural colouring. This includes skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour. All humans allegedly have a dominant colour season. This is meant to inspire style and fashion decisions. You can already see the trouble with colour theory here. Not only does it lack diversity, it does not account for the complexity of human undertones and characteristics.
My biggest critique of colour theory is how white it is. Skin tones vary, yes, as do hair and eye colours, not just across races, but across ethnicities. It is impossible to capture these nuances for a system that has YouTube videos and demos using primarily white women ranging from pale to paler. I have, for instance, been a Winter, Spring and Autumn in the span of two years.
The system's limited colour palettes clearly lead to misclassifications and inaccurate recommendations. Colour theory has therefore resulted in the misrepresentation and exclusion of people of colour, primarily Black people. We presently exist in an era of diversity, but colour theory has not evolved as fast as fashion anticipates. This one-size-fits-all approach does not address the diversity encountered through billions upon billions of people.
Skin colour exists across a spectrum, and this oversimplifies it. For instance, as a Winter, I cannot wear orange. But I look fantastic in orange, which makes me a Spring, but by all accounts I am supposedly a Dark Winter. In fact, Black women are more often than not categorised as either Dark Winter or any shade of Autumn. I have also seen Lupita Nyong’o classified as a Dark Winter, A Bright Winter, and an Autumn. Enough people have felt locked out of colours they love because it is considered to not fall in their spectrum category.
Colour is also influenced by factors such as lighting, personal style and self-image or branding. The system is rigid without accounting for the fluidity and spectrum of colours. Italso limits one’s self-expression because of the fear that the colour will make you look “sallow”, “bring out your eye bags,” “make you look tired,” or “make you look grey,” common phrases in this system that do not in any way reflect the person of colour’s experience.
Yes, the four-colour seasons system may have been developed with good intentions, but we cannot overlook its evident limitations and drawbacks. Its lack of inclusivity, oversimplification of individual variation, and reinforcement of beauty standards as
Caucasian all serve to raise concerns about its relevance in our modern, diverse and complex world. I am all for finding what works for you. I am also in support of individuality. If you like it, wear it. I would like to think that by adding my critique to the pool of thoughts around this system will inspire transformation. That someone out there is working on a more inclusive, personalised approach to colour that will accommodate the rich tapestry of human characteristics.
