The Weekend Read✨The Curious Case of The Forgotten Colour Fan

Jenny Goldsmith | Read in 6 minutes

Hello!

So, you’ve had your colours done and you saw the difference in the mirror. You were surprised when that one safe shade you wear made you look tired and then watched your face light up when the right colour went on instead. You walked out feeling empowered, enlightened and thrilled with your new palette of colours.

Why then, a few months or years later, is there a jumper in the wrong colour back in your wardrobe? Why is there a top that drains you and why are there mistake buys with the tags still on lurking in there? And why, if colour analysis works so well, do some people slowly drift back into old habits?

Let’s talk about this. Because this isn’t about failure, it’s about being human. And if you’ve ever found yourself gently, or dramatically, veering away from your best colours, you are absolutely not alone.

Why You Had Your Colours Analysed in the First Place

People tend to come for colour analysis because their wardrobe isn't working and they feel lost with what to wear. They feel stuck in their style, bored of their wardrobe and frustrated that they keep buying clothes that don’t quite work. Often there’s a sense of wanting to look fresher, healthier, more confident or more themselves again, without quite knowing how to get there.

Seeing colour analysis in action is a revelation. Your skin appears clearer, eyes brighter, hair healthier, and your face as a whole looks more alive and harmonious. It’s not subtle and it’s not imagined, it’s visible. That’s why so many people leave feeling excited, relieved and empowered, and why they stick to their colours. When someone drifts away later, it’s rarely because the process didn’t work. It’s almost always because something else slowly takes over.

The Weekend Read✨The Curious Case of The Forgotten Colour Fan

Old Habits Are Comfortable, Even When They’re Wrong

Our wardrobes are built over many years, shaped by social rules, workplace norms, fashion trends and emotional comfort. We’re taught that black is slimming, neutrals are sophisticated and certain colours are more appropriate than others. Over time, these perceptions start to creep back in.

When life becomes busy, stressful or overwhelming, we can revert to what feels familiar and safe. That usually means colours that feel low-risk and socially accepted, even when they don’t actually suit us. This isn’t resistance or defiance, it’s simply human nature. Old habits are deeply ingrained, and under pressure we default to what requires the least emotional or mental effort.

Over time, we forget how good we felt. Straight after a colour consultation, we’re highly aware; we notice compliments, we notice how we feel, and we notice when something works beautifully or not. But humans are excellent at adapting. What once felt exciting becomes normal, and when it becomes normal, we stop consciously noticing it.

The emotional memory of when you looked and felt amazing can fade into just feeling normal. Without that emotional reinforcement, it becomes easier to slip back into old buying patterns without even realising we’re doing it.

Emotions Drive Shopping More Than Logic

Most of our shopping isn’t logical, it’s emotional. Often, we shop when we’re tired, bored, stressed, insecure, lonely or in need of a little lift. In those moments, we don’t always reach for what’s the most flattering; we reach for what feels comforting, easy and safe.

Neutral colours often feel emotionally undemanding. They don’t draw attention, they don’t require decisions, and they feel like they’ll work without much thought. So even when we know better, we sometimes choose emotional ease over visual support.

The retail environment itself doesn’t make colour consistency easy. You may have noticed that most shops, particularly this season, are dominated by black, white, grey, beige and navy, with colour appearing sporadically. Even when you actively try to shop within your palette, you can struggle to find what you need.

When time is short and options are limited, we buy what’s available rather than what’s ideal. Convenience wins, even when it doesn’t serve us in the long-term.

Social Influence Is Powerful

We are constantly influenced by what we see around us, from friends and colleagues to fashion media and social platforms. When certain aesthetics are repeatedly presented as stylish, chic or aspirational, we start to internalise them, even if they don’t suit us. It’s easy to mistake admiration for alignment. We think that we love a particular look and quietly believe it works for us, even when it doesn’t reflect who we are or what actually supports us.

We change throughout our lives, but our wardrobes don’t always keep up. Life events like parenthood, menopause, career shifts, ageing or health changes can alter how we see ourselves, and sometimes we experiment with clothes and colours in an attempt to reconnect with our identity.

This experimentation isn’t wrong, it’s part of growth, but it can lead us temporarily away from what actually suits us, especially when we’re searching for emotional meaning through clothes.

Online, the message around colour can sometimes feel muddled. Many people claim to be colour analysis experts while visibly ignoring the principles themselves. This can make colour analysis seem like just another subjective opinion rather than a practical, evidence-based tool. When that happens, it becomes easier to dismiss or deprioritise colour, especially when it feels inconvenient or restrictive when it 's not meant to be.

Final Thoughts: A Gentle Return

You don’t need to throw everything away or start from scratch. You don’t need to be perfect, you simply need to remember. Pull out your fan, look at your colours again and notice what lights your face up. Not guilt, not shame, not rules, just awareness. It gives you a chance to pause and to reflect on your wardrobe and your dressing habits. It's a chance to gently notice what you’re choosing and why. It’s an invitation to reconnect with what supports you, rather than what feels familiar, fashionable or emotionally easy.

Make one small step; choose one colour to reintroduce into your wardrobe and make one intentional purchase to create an outfit that truly supports you. You deserve to feel good in your clothes.

Colour isn’t about restriction, it’s about looking and feeling the best you can. And when we drift, it isn’t failure, it’s simply about getting your colour fan back out and using it.

Next week in The Weekend Read we are talking about handbags, their origins and why we don't leave the house without one.

Best wishes,

Jenny & Judi xx

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