Colour analysis: why TikTok is obsessed with it and fashion brands should be too
Be it #barbiecore #vintagetech or #coquette, TikTok is the place where trends are launched into the stratosphere, particularly for the Gen Z consumer. According to recent research from TheIndustry.fashion and BigCommerce, around two thirds of Gen Z fashion shoppers say the short-form video platform influences their fashion spend.
But the latest viral fashion trend taking over the platform has nothing to do with being influenced by a film or cultural moment, but by colour. In what is being billed as an anti-fast fashion movement, increasingly young consumers are being educated to find "their colour" and shop accordingly.
"Getting your colours done" began in the 1980s and somewhat fell out of fashion, but these days #colouranalysis is sweeping through TikTok clocking up millions of video views on the subject – and it's starting to gain traction on Instagram too with 100,000 posts already tagged with the phrase.
TikTok and Instagram lend themselves well to "tutorial" style content, which plays well into the #colouranalysis trend, say experts.
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“TikTok users love educational content and transformation stories,” says Cliff Bashforth, managing director of Colour Me Beautiful, which provides personal colour consultations and is seen as a trailblazer in the space having started up in the 1980s.
“Colour analysis provides a captivating narrative, and the system can be proven by displaying ‘before and after’ makeovers, good and bad colours on an individual and colour combinations,” Basforth adds.
Shopping by your colours also plays into the new mood of consumers expressing their individuality through fashion, rather than jumping on every trend. Trends, such as this year’s ubiquitous Barbie pink will keep popping up from time to time, but consumers are increasingly rejecting the idea of "must-have" pieces and adopting a more personalised approach and opting for styles with enduring appeal.
“With the general conscience turning away from fast fashion, colour analysis is a good way to ensure you’re buying something that will suit you perfectly and last a lifetime,” says Megan Watkins, head stylist at online fashion retailer SilkFred.
The benefits of colour analysis for the consumer extends beyond fashion and into beauty can help set a life-long personal style, says Bashforth. “For many people, finding their most flattering shades of clothing (and make-up) is a life-changing experience,” he says.
“Wearing your best shades of clothing enhances your natural colouring, brings out your individuality, boosts confidence, and ensures you always look your best, effortlessly expressing your personal style,” Bashford adds.
Watkins adds that the right colours of clothing can also help enhance a wearer's complexion: “Finding the right colour palette for you will elevate your entire aesthetic and can even help with making your skin look brighter and minimise dark circles.” Complexion also plays an important part in matching a customer to the right palette and goes beyond just eye and hair colour, the latter of which can change throughout your lifetime.
“It is a common misconception that ‘finding your colours’ is down to your hair colour or eye colour – it’s all about your skin,” says SilkFred's Watkins.
“Your skin undertone stays the same no matter your age or how long you’ve been in or out of the sun, so assuming the colour analysis is done correctly, your colour palette will stay the same for the rest of your life.”
Professional colour analysis can set a customer's style for life
At a professional in-person colour analysis session with Colour Me Beautiful, which can last up to two hours, a stylist will look at how different groups of shades look against your face.
“Larger coloured swatches – known as ‘drapes’ in the trade – are used to test for the undertone, depth and clarity of the individual’s colouring,” Bashforth explains.
“Some companies also use the seasonal method and categorise people into spring, summer, autumn, or winter. At Colour Me Beautiful we start by explaining our 24-palette system so the client fully understands why he or she falls into a certain colouring type.”
The stylist will talk through colour combinations, outfit ideas and make-up suggestions, and customers are given a fabric swatch to use as a guide for shopping.
“No longer is an individual told ‘what colours to wear’,” Bashforth adds. “Instead a flexible approach has been adopted which means a client is shown ‘how to wear colour’ – it’s more about the shades of a hue, rather than the hue itself.”
There are ways customers can carry out their own analysis at home. “Gather up a variety of tops, knitwear etc. in warmer and cooler hues,” says Bashforth, starting with no make-up and wearing a top in a basic neutral shade.
The Princess of Wales wore 'primary red' to Ascot this year (Jonathan Brady/PA)
“In daylight, stand in front of a mirror and hold each garment up to your face, observing whether your complexion is enhanced and looks fresher, or your skin appears dull or pale.”
Watkins also advocates the 'vein test' to see if a customer falls into either the 'warm' or 'cool' category. “All you need to do is check your wrist and see if your veins appear as a more green shade or if they appear to be a blue/purple hue,” says Watkins.
“If you’re on the green side, this is classed as a warm tone, if you’re veering towards blue or purple then you’re on the cooler side of things.”
She adds: “If you’re looking for a colour that suits just about everyone, primary red is a good bet as it partners well with every other colour on the colour wheel.”
As consumers continue to shop more consciously, the #colouranalysis movement is one brands and retailers should embrace. Not only does it lend itself well to social content but it provides a great opportunity for added-value in-store services and merchandising, as well as personalised communication (imagine the fun AI could have with this!). Furthermore, it's a movement that embraces all ages, genders and budgets, so on the list of strategies to adopt we should label this one as a #nobrainer.
Main image: Lucy Liu, Dame Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler attend the UK premiere of Shazam! Fury of the Gods while embracing colour. Image: PA
