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Why Colour Training is so Important for Creatives
8 Nov by Wendy Elsmore
Interest in colour analysis and professional colour training is skyrocketing right now. Colour psychology is widely understood to affect emotions, mood and decision making, so we were thrilled to catch up with our much-loved Head of Colour Jules Standish; the UK’s leading Colour Expert.
In this post, we sit down with Jules as she explains why colour is such an important skill for those in the fashion and creative industries right now.
Q: What is Colour Analysis?
Jules: Personal Colour Analysis is fundamentally about finding the most flattering fashion and make-up shades that harmonise with an individual’s complexion, hair and eye colours and overall appearance.
The RIGHT colours can even out the skin, bringing a natural glow of health and youthfulness, making that person look their best. The WRONG colours can highlight tiredness, ill health, and ageing by drawing attention to the darkness under the eyes, the chin and around the mouth, whilst also draining the complexion.
Four Seasonal Analysis is a system that correlates a person’s inherent colouring with the colours of nature’s four seasons. It is based on the two Warm Seasons of Spring and Autumn that have yellow/golden skin tones and the two Cool Seasons of Summer and Winter that have blue-based skin tones.
The aim is to help everyone look their best and feel fabulous wearing their WOW colours. This instils a greater sense of self-confidence and ultimately well-being, whilst creating a wardrobe full of shades that coordinate beautifully, saving time and money in the long run.
Only owning clothes that suit you perfectly means you will wear items, again and again, mixing and matching and updating when new trends emerge. This is a wonderful way to feel balanced whilst having a sustainable approach to dressing.
Q: Why is Colour skill such an important tool for all professionals in the Fashion and Creative industries?
Jules: As a stylist and a colour consultant myself, I understand the power of being able to combine my skills in the creative industry and have seen the use of colour in fashion and interiors grow increasingly over the years.
I truly believe, because of my own personal demand and that of our trained stylists at LCS, that having colour knowledge in the industry right now will give you the edge in certain careers when competing against others without these tools.
Q: Why is Colour so topical right now?
Jules: Colour analysis has grown and developed so much since those wonderful pioneering American women introduced it into the marketplace back in the 1980s.
People want to look younger and healthier in an instant and it’s become very apparent over the years that having your colours analysed correctly can be the equivalent to a “facelift” – in fact, I have had several clients who have had facelifts who want to look another ten years younger by discovering their true colours!
Self-care and mental health have been pushed to new limits recently and people have been looking for new ways to feel comforted and in control. Using colours we feel emotionally and energetically connected to in the clothes we wear and those we surround ourselves in our homes can positively impact us by feeling more balanced, calmer, uplifted and ultimately happier.
Colour psychologically can benefit everyone, globally, even accepting cultural differences. We can all universally appreciate that yellow sunlight makes us feel optimistic and joyful, whilst blue skies and green trees help us to feel less anxious and more at peace.
Q: As the UK’s Colour Queen, what exciting projects are you working on?
Jules: Every day new opportunities arise which is one of the reasons I love what I do. Being a colour consultant and an author allows me the flexibility to work from home, as well as travelling to jobs, which has had a busy family over the past 20 years has been amazing. I am currently busy planning some exciting new projects for next year, whilst also working with my publisher on marketing for my new book.
Let me give you an idea of the variety of jobs I have enjoyed over the past few months; I wrote a fabulous six-page colour feature in OK! Magazine’s historic edition for the Queen’s top fashion choices of 2021, whilst also writing an article on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s new “Style Statement” for their online platform.
I have been the colour expert on a big fashion spread for the Sun newspaper on “skin-tones” to learn how to colour block like the celebrities and my second article was published in Platinum magazine, all about “Colour and Confidence”.
I was also invited to do a “Colour talk” at the launch of a new personalised handbag brand at a major London department store in front of influencers and the media. Alongside this, I have tutored the online students of Colour Analysis at LCS on the power of psychology and colours and am looking forward to being back on the central London campus for the Personal Styling course shortly.
Q: We know there is an exciting new book launch on the horizon. What can you tell us?!
Jules: “A Colourful Dose of Optimism” was written during the lockdown. I was being asked by the media almost weekly to talk about how colours can positively help to boost our moods during such a difficult time, and it made me focus on how important it is for us all to help each other collectively to feel more optimistic.
So, I put together all my colour knowledge plus some fascinating research and created a new colour diagnostic system and the perfect plan for positive change, that is easy to use and gives immediate results.
In a nutshell, discover your own happy colours to feel good NOW! Once discovered, learn how to; detox your wardrobe and rebuild it in a colourful and sustainable way to suit you; WOW at work in your best colours, either in the office or virtually; stay comfortable and casual in the new athleisure wear, by using neutrals and colour combining; welcome in a colourful dose of optimism to give your home a lift too.
Aside from being lucky enough to have you, Wendy Elsmore, Director of LCS write the foreword to my book, I am also thrilled to announce that I have colourfully collaborated with many trained LCS stylists worldwide, along with fashion and interior experts and brands. They have included their exclusive “top tips” on how to use colour in new and exciting ways in each chapter. This was part of my vision for the book on how we can all collectively come together and support each other through changing times.
The publication is Spring 2022, pre-order the book now at Amazon and leading bookstores.
Q: As the Head of Colour at LCS, what makes your LCS Advanced Colour Analysis training so special?
Jules: Firstly, we have a Colour Analysis training that is holistic and we deem to be totally relevant for the times, where self-care and individuality are so important. We are totally inclusive of all ethnicities and genders and look not only at the genetics of an individual’s colouring but personality too.
We champion authenticity and – by delving deep into each person’s make-up – believe that this supports the analysis along with detailed step-by-step colour draping methods and lessons on skin tones.
Our colour training includes the history, theory and background to colour analysis and one of the areas we are very strong on is the inclusion of the fascinating subject of “Colour Psychology”.
We round off the learning with a business module which is so key in helping our students understand how to use their newfound colour skills and put them into practice immediately so that they can start to earn an income as soon as they are qualified.
Q: Students will be excited to know that you have a fabulous colour team of industry experts and you all appear on the training. Can you introduce them?
Jules: My colour team is simply the best! I work alongside Senior Colour Tutor and Coach Tracy Hooper and Colour Tutors Sian Clarke and Peter Kane. We are all expert stylists too, having worked in different creative sectors, so we bring a wealth of knowledge to the course to benefit our students.
Not only are we all highly qualified, and passionate about colour, but we love to have fun too! A winning combination, I think.
Q: The LCS training develops Colour Experts who can work globally with accreditation. Are all students professionally assessed?
Jules: Yes, we have a vigorous marking system in place. Halfway through the course, the students are required with our help to do their own “self-analysis”. It is vitally important they know their own seasonal palette and feel happy and confident before they are then expected to analyse two case studies accurately before they qualify.
The students have a year to complete this course, but we do encourage them to try and get each module completed as they go along, over the 9 week period of the course.
This training qualifies you with two certificates. The Diploma Certificate is accredited by the London College of Style and LCS is accredited by the British Accreditation Council. The diploma is also independently accredited by the CPD Certificate Service which awards you 40 hours of CPD training points upon completion. This means it holds weight wherever you are or go in the world.
Discover the Accredited LCS Colour Training
Q: What opportunities lie beyond training as a Colour Expert?
Jules: Right now, the world is so open to the positive benefits offered by colour. Each of our students come out with a high level of expertise and can bring their own personality into their chosen creative field. This is an exciting time for colour experts with lots of business opportunities available. It’s what we hope for all our trained LCS Colour Analysts, that they go out and shine in their own colourful way.
Q: How can we all use Colour to impact our lives?
Jules: Colour is a HUGE subject, and as you know (as do our wonderful students!) I could talk about it all day and all night! I love to educate people on the transformational properties of colour, helping to make colour conscious, to embrace its positive power for ultimate well-being.
It’s my pleasure and privilege to help everyone to see colour take centre stage so that they too might just smile that little bit more when they experience the incredible impact that colour can have on their lives; to look their best and feel confident and happy too. That’s colour magic and we can all create our own rainbow wands.