David Zyla Told Me That I Am a Jeweltone Summer!

Karen's Jeweltone Summer Palette

Ok, so I'm not keeping you in suspense. That's my archetype. And above, you can see the palette he put together for me. I posted previously about who David Zyla is and my experience seeing him. Here are my results, in minute detail:

Romantic - the color of my fingertips, the color I blush - my version of red, sexy, vitality, one of the most powerful colors to wear. For me: a cool winter raspberry - don’t warm it!

Essence - skin color - my version of white, nude. Most subtle thing to wear, vulnerable

Energy - the darkest part of my iris (but not the ring) - friendly, approachable, present, I’m here

Tranquil - the lightest part of my iris - mellow, chill. For me: a cool lilac.

Dramatic - the color of the veins in my wrist - kaboom, look at me! Guest of honor. It’s the opposite of romantic on color wheel.

First Base - taken from the ring around my iris - formal neutral, my version of black. LBD, coat. For me: Charcoal.

Second Base - the darkest part of my hair - everyday neutral - my version of brown. For me: Red Plum/Aubergine.

Third Base - the lightest part of my hair - informal neutral - my version of khaki. For me: Pale Sage

Pastels - lighter versions of the above colors. Great for summer clothes, bathing suits, and home decor. For me: stay away from white or anything icy. 

Metals - metallic versions of the above colors. Use for jewelry, belt buckle, pen, business card case, metallic thread running through a scarf. For me: silvers and platinums, metallic versions of my colors.

Notice there is no true blue - it goes a little cold on me - he doesn’t like it as well. There is blue in the greens and lilacs. No brown, yellow, or orange, either.

Wearing an outfit with bases only will be pretty but it won’t have much impact. Use a pop of color.

My personality (and I think he is dead on with this):

I get along with men but stay feminine  

I have a strong energy but still feminine  

I have a nurturing management style but not coddling  

My children are getting a realistic view of the world - I’m not doing their homework for them, but I set limits to make sure they succeed

I am: Jeweltone Summer! Hyperfeminine but still strong

Overall: 

Always an element of drape, but streamlined overall (this is TMIT)

Drapes and wraps - for example, wrap dress, faux wrap top, waterfall sweater, pashmina (with dressy dress)

Roman updated - but not Grecian, that’s too wispy. Roman is stronger

Unbroken lines - top flows into the bottom - don’t color block, don’t end at the waist

Dresses are great

If separates: tie the top to the bottom with a scarf or jewelry containing both colors

I have elongated curves - like a stretched out hourglass - and my clothes should be elongated

Only one element of wrap/drape at a time, overall look should be streamlined. Eileen Fisher is too drape-y

Nothing rustic! (Rustic: tweed, heavy knit sweater, birks, whipstich, distressed)

Classical, cleaner

Clothes that look like you took a piece of fabric and wrapped it around me and it just stayed - fabulous

Patterns: 

Ovals

Painterly effects

Pointillist - confetti - looks like a solid from a distance, but up close it’s dots of different colors

Saturated

Prints should be no larger than palm of hand

Avoid anything cartoonish

Avoid hard contrast - keep tones similar

If there are “bad” colors in the pattern, then draw out the “good” colors with another item of clothing

40’s style:

Like high waisted pant, fluid leg, hollywood pant, side/back zip, no belt loop, with a fitted top (brands: Layfayette 140, Ann Taylor)

Silk Jumpsuit with a heeled roman sandal (designer: Kathryn Malendrino) - simple in shape, no metal hardware

Avoid menswear

Fabrics:

Jersey, suede, silk velvet, cashmere, mohair, crepe, crepe de cine, georgette crepe

NO men’s cotton shirt, or tweed

Suits:

Tricky! 

Separates or a dress are better for me

Jacket/blazer:

Always show waist

Single button

Go in at waist, end at hip

No collar (that notched, angled look is not good) 

Maybe a soft belt that ties like a bathrobe

Dresses:

Wrap dress is ideal - Lauren by Ralph Lauren makes a nice jersey faux wrap in a bunch of colors every season (packable, dress up or down)

No shift dress - that’s too plain for me

Example of a cocktail dress:-high waisted, crepe on the bottom and chiffon on the top

Skirts:

To middle of knee

Wrap skirts

High waisted pencil skirt, top tucked in

Perhaps a four inch trumpet

No pleats

No gathers at the waist

Pants:

Boot cut when they’re in style

Side/back zip

High waisted

If not high waisted, then wear long shirt

Instead of jeans, go for brushed cotton, twill

Look for luster, pile, velvet

Cords only if very fine wale

Denim is too flat and masculine

Brand: DKNY often does velvet jeans at the holidays

Blouses/shirts/tops:

Crossover jersey/faux wrap

Length - high hip - (well below the waist)

Sweaters:

Cowl neck (lovely with skinny pants)

Waterfall cardigan (lovely with a watercolor print blouse under) 

Purses:

Buttery, like calf skin - not patent leather

Shape - no drawstring, need some structure. Bottom wider than top is nice. Double handle

If crossbody purse, it should be really small.

Shorts:

Bermuda 

Capris:

Should stop at the ankle, not mid-calf (if I must!)

Casual:

“Jeans" made out of a beautiful twill with a cowl neck sweater

Gym: Luxe, terrycloth Juicy Couture-type pant with tank top  

Shoes:

Sandal with thin straps is great

Soft V or elongated oval - not pointy or round

Comfortable brand: Arche - they make stretch grosgrain.

Avoid hard horizontal, like a strap across the ankle

For tennis shoes - look for slip-ons, or laces that are the same color as the shoe so they “disappear” (lacing is rustic)

Boots - suede in the charcoal or aubergine

Coats:

Hood - drapes softly around the face

Draped collar 

Hidden buttons

Self belt (like a bathrobe)

Softly structured

If must get a down coat - get in Romance color! (try LL Bean)

For raincoat: pearlized, iridescent (try London Fog or Sanyo)

Sleeves:

Short short (not bustline length - that widens the bust)

3/4 length sleeves but not with capris (with capris, wear short sleeves instead)

Long sleeves - ideally really long, onto the hand

Bell sleeve sweater is nice (fitted at the top of the arm, ends in bell)

Neckline:

Softened V is perfect, echoes my chin

Draped neckline

Scoop and crossover also very good

Shorter, harder Vs are ok

portrait not as good

No crew neck

Jewelry:

Glassier-looking

Pink Tourmaline, Amethyst

Pink pearls but not freshwater (those aren’t formed/refined enough)

No turquoise or catsite or anything veined or rough or unfinished - too rustic

Necklaces:

Oval, teardrop pendants are great

Longer length necklaces, not collarbone

Layer two necklaces, say, long strand of beads and a shorter pendant/medallion

Or long necklace with beads and metals

But not heavy or chunky

Earrings:

Oval studs

White gold, open in the middle

Designers: Rebecca Norman, Melissa Joy Manning

Bracelets:

Never a cuff

Three thin bangles are nice

If it’s an inch wide or wider, it should be filigree - open work, not thick/solid/chunky

Rings:

More oval than square

This is a good place to bring in colored stones, perhaps in tones of a color

Watches:

Bracelet watch

Pearlized face is better than black or white

Open work bracelet-type band

Scarves:

Cowl neck is fantastic

Linen, translucent for summer

Avoid Hermes twill silk

Wool shalley

Wider, longer scarves - to cowl and create drama

Not shiny

Not small and perky

Belts:

Soft belt like bathrobe

Or skinny belt to define waist

Covered buckle - don’t want to see spokes and holes - it should end cleanly

Glasses:

Silver frames, or any of my metals - he really likes the metals for me

Clear plastic frame

Clear with silver flecks

Second base color - aubergine

The bases and metals blend more with my hair.

Or for more of a statement, really any of my colors, dramatic, tranquil, energy, romantic. Energy and tranquil really pulls out my eyes!

Don’t go any wider than my current pair in the temple - if too wide, you can see the arms and they compete with the eyes

Slight angle to the lens shape, not a total oval

If I go with color, it should be mottled light and dark like my purple/blue pair, not a solid color

Current lens size is perfect (I’d call it medium)

Hats:

Winter: Skullcap-style knit beret - symmetrical all the way around

Variegated in color - a combo of my colors

Maybe a brim, but fun and floppy, 70’s style - do a straw version of this in summer

Gloves:

Long - past the wrist

Hair: 

Don’t go shorter than jaw or longer than shoulder (that would be too languid)

Do go shorter in the back - if longer in the back, it would drag my head back.

Slight layering

Nails:

Any of the colors in my palette, but he pointed out essence, metallic, and pale romantic

Makeup:

Foundation/Powder: Essence

Lip/Blush: Romantic

Charcoal eyeliner (1st base) - the softer one

For variety: aubergine eyeliner (2nd base)

Eyeshadow: 3rd base over eye

For evening out eyeshadow: a little bit of energy or tranquil

Good brands for me: Shisedo for eyes, Dior for lips - the french brands go cooler

Stores/Websites good for me:

Diane Von Furstenberg for wrap dress

Kettlewell (UK) - lovely wrap sweaters and wrap dresses

Talbots (just a few pieces there - will take some hunting - 80% of the store is not good)

J. Jill

Ann Taylor 

Ann Taylor Loft 

Other questions I asked:

Will my palette change over time? It may mellow and soften a bit. I may find someday that the darkest shade no longer works, and will want to go with the lighter ones.

Why several variations of each? To give me options. The deepest color is the most potent. You can use any color in between the chips themselves.

In my next post, I'll go into detail comparing this with my Sci/Art designation.