The Colors of My World

I've always been into my colors...about 20 years ago I had my colors done by Color Me Beautiful...I don't even know if they exist anymore...but thanks to Color Me Beautiful I've always known what colors to wear...that is after they labeled me an Autumn. Autumns look good in brown and beige, gold tones and off-white, greens too(but they must be khaki greens, not bright greens), maroon (not real bright red)...orange and coral are also my colors.

Over the years it's also helped me to know my colors when shopping for clothes...I would shy away from any white or black or blue suits (except for my Ralph Lauren pinstriped navy blue suit...as you know from my previous post - Spring Rite of Passage - I couldn't pass up on that pinstriped navy blue suit)...and I don't wear purple very much either since it is not in my Autumn repetoire (but purple is one of my favorite colors).

The past few years...I think it was about when I turned 45...I started to ease up on my Autumn colors...I became more adventurous and ventured into Winter territory...selecting black suits (which I was told NEVER to wear)...then white entered my wardrobe ("NEVER wear WHITE blouses," I remember my Color Me Beautiful consultant saying, "Or you will look washed out)...and most recently a black and white hounds tooth jacket found its way into my attire (and I might add...with lots of compliments every time I wear it).

So I began to wonder, am I no longer an Autumn...are the colors of my world changing as I age...am I turning into a Winter...is my brown and beige world becoming more black and white...is that what happens when you approach 50...things literally turn more black and white?

Then just the other week...while I was listening to one of my favorite radio stations on my way to work...WPST to be exact (think they are from Trenton, but it is 94.5 on my dial...it's only on my dial because my kids programmed it in there...not because I put it there)...the wonderful WPST had a segment all about "what the color you wear says about you"...it was so interesting that I went and found the synopsis of the program on its website:

- Brown -- Positives: Honest and down-to-earth, you prefer a structured lifestyle...(throughout my younger years I did prefer a structured lifestyle...maybe that is why I was not enough of a risk taker...I was wearing too much brown...I even extended my colors into my home decor too...I loved it so much 20 years ago that I bought the Color Me Beautiful Home edition and decorated my house with Autumn colors...Negatives: You may avoid problems (yep, that's me...avoiding those problem areas, even in my house).

- Orange (another Autumn color...but mostly used for accents) -- Positives: You are nurturing, outgoing, creative, practical, and competent...(that's me too, all me, and still me at 49...but should I start to be less practical...lose my practical baggage and be more adventurous now that I'm almost 50)...Negatives: Competitive, restless (me, me, me...and more me, me, me every day...especially the restless part...lack of sleep and restless in other ways too).

And what about those Winter colors I'm now starting to wear...I was curious about what black and white says about me:

- Black -- Positives: You are strong-willed, disciplined, and independent...(I like these attributes...it shows I'm changing...becoming stronger)...Negatives: You may lack confidence...(what???...I thought I was becoming stronger with my black suits...may have to stop wearing these black suits after all...glad I kept mostly brown and only added a few black suits to my wardrobe).

- White -- Positives: "You are positive, well-balanced, and eternally optimistic...(no wonder I didn't wear white as much when I was in my 20s, 30s, and early 40s...I'm ready for more white at 45+...I'm becoming more optimistic...more well-balanced...more positive as I approach the 5-0 mark)...Negative: You may isolate yourself...(It's true I am becoming more isolated...I'm so busy writing my blog...and doing work that I haven't gone out as much with my friends...miss all the movies and dinners with my friends...will have to ease off on some of the white blouses when I want to see my friends...maybe every few weeks)

And what about my favorite color...what did it say about my favorite color purple...

- Purple -- Positives: You are sensitive and intuitive and have high aspirations. Negative: Arrogant, rude, impatient...

Good old purple...it does have some negatives...but it has some really good positives...think I'll be adding more purple to my 50+ wardrobe...even if it isn't one of my Autumn or Winter colors...I have HIGH ASPIRATIONS for my 50+ years... maybe in addition to my wardrobe I'll also paint a room purple...maybe I'll paint my daughter's bedroom purple so it will be filled with HIGH ASPIRATIONS...the bedroom I have plans for when I become an emptynester...I'll paint it purple...or lilac...that's a form of purple...right??? with some white in it too...

I think the only color I'll never wear again is blue...didn't like it in my 20s, 30s or 40s...and definitely don't want to wear blue at 50...no more feeling blue...purple is my color now...I'm filled with HIGH ASPIRATIONS for the future.

Judi