Trends have always been cyclical (which is why we’re witnessing the unfortunate resurgence of low-rise jeans) and this year color analysis has come back in a big way. Last popular in the 1980s; color analysis helps you find your “season,” which effectively means determining what tones look best on your skin. If you’re a winter you look best in cool, saturated jewel tones, if you’re a spring you look best in warm, bright tones, etc.

Color analysis is popping off on TikTok, and hundreds of videos (and spoofs of them) show the process. Stylists determine your colors by holding different colored fabrics up to your face to illustrate which ones make you brighter and more energetic and which ones drain you.

Backed by Art and Science 

Though the videos may be theatrical, color analysis is backed by aesthetic principles and psychology. Carole Jackson’s “Color Me Beautiful” was the book that initially started the trend. Color analysis combines color theory, longtime artistic principles about what colors work well together, and color psychology, a sector that researches how color impacts emotions and behaviors.

As we learned in elementary art class, some tones on the color wheel are naturally more complementary to others.

“When the method is sound, the information is extremely valuable when used well,” says Image Strategist and Communications Consultant Zayna Rose.

Dress With Ease 

The goal of finding your colors is to shop and get dressed more easily, because you already know that rich reds or pale blues look best on you. There’s certainly something to be said for this. A catalog of colors you know will flatter you makes it easier to throw together an outfit or select an item for your online shopping cart.

“Having a detailed understanding of your optimal palette makes things easier when it comes to decision-making and feeling great in your looks,” says Rose. 

Another benefit is that your skin tone sets your colors so once you’ve been assessed; you’re set for life. Unlike skincare products or hairstyles, which may change over time, these are your colors forever. 

Don’t Forget to Play

 As with all beauty trends, don’t take color theory too seriously. It’s meant to simplify your life, alleviate decision fatigue, and bring confidence to your style. If you find it’s beginning to have an iron grip on your wardrobe (I couldn’t buy anything purple), you’ve gone too far.

“I believe everyone should wear whatever helps them to feel good whether it’s in their ideal palette or not,” says Rose.

There are no hard and fast rules in fashion. If you find a piece you love in a color that isn’t in your season, buying it and feeling confident in it is okay.