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The "dominant trait" method of personal color analysis.

3/3/2014

21 Comments

 
When you read about personal color analysis, you'll often come across the term dominant trait.
We know - hopefully we know! - that color has three dimensions, and any given color can be described as being high or low in each of the three dimensions.  So a color can be

 - warm or cool in hue
 - light or dark in value
 - high or low in chroma (bright or soft) 
The palettes of each of the 12 seasons are harmonious within themselves. Any given palette can be said to show a dominant trait in its colors.
The Dark Winter and Dark Autumn palettes, for example, are predominantly dark, or low in value. The Bright Spring and Bright Winter palettes are predominantly bright, or high in chroma.
Now, some writers will suggest that you can identify a person's season by identifying the dominant (and secondary) traits of that person's coloring. You see this a lot online. I call it the "dominant trait" method of color analysis. 

The thinking goes like this: you can look at a person's skin, hair and eyes, and judge whether her personal coloring is mainly dark, light, soft, bright, cool or warm. Once you figure this out, you immediately have her narrowed down to two seasons. 

Unfortunately, personal color analysis doesn't work this way. If only it did!
Departure from this idea is part of what separates the followers of Kathryn Kalisz's teachings from other thinkers in the world of color analysis.

Season can't reliably be determined by identifying the "dominant trait" in someone's appearance. It can only be determined by identifying the traits that characterize the best colors for that person.
A Bright is not always obviously bright in personal coloring. A Dark is not always obviously dark. A Soft is not always obviously Soft. And so on.

A great example: Lupita Nyong'o, who just won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Picture
Lupita Nyong'o. Try the "dominant trait" method of color analysis on her: what dominant trait do you see?
If you're using the "dominant trait" method to determine Ms. Nyong'o's season, you will likely think something like this:  
"Her skin tone is quite dark. Her eyes are very dark. Her hair is very dark. 'Dark' must be her dominant trait; she must be a Dark Autumn or Dark Winter."

But that's not right! 
Picture
Lupita Nyong'o: Not awesome in Dark Winter's dark, saturated blue...
Picture
...nor is Nyong'o fantastic in Dark Autum's dark, rich orange.

Her best colors are not dark and rich. Instead, she's most fantastic in super-bright hues.
Picture
Picture
The dominant trait of Ms. Nyong'o's best colors is brightness. 

Would you have looked at her face, hair, and eyes and called "brightness" the dominant trait of her personal coloring? Probably not easily. 
(This is one big problem with the "dominant trait" method of determining season:  it often results in women of color getting automatically, inaccurately slotted into Dark Autumn and Dark Winter.)
Avoid the "dominant trait" method of determining your own season. It may well lead you astray. Instead, focus on figuring out your best colors. You can do it.  :-)
21 Comments
Bertha Patterson
3/4/2014 06:23:29 am

This is excellent material, especially for us persons of color.

Reply
Kirsten I.
3/4/2014 03:45:47 pm

Glad to see Lupita analyzed as Bright! When I saw her in her ice blue gown at the Oscars, I noticed how the color worked as high contrast on her and how beautiful she looked. The photos of her posted here cement my impression of a naturally Bright person. And speaking of the Dominant Trait theory, it seemed like an awful comedown from Carole Jackson's Color Me Beautiful books. I'm so glad to see the 12 Seasons applicable to people of all races and NOT determined by superficial coloring.

Reply
Jo
3/17/2014 11:56:48 pm

Hello Rachel,
I'd appreciate it if you would help me with some confusion :) Marigold, golden yellow, toffee and peach - are those colours good for BSp? Marigold and golden yellow seem look better on TSp, they are so warm. I haven’t found any pictures of Julianne Hough in marigold or gold so isn’t it mistake that someone put it in colours swatches for Bsp?

Best wishes,
Joanna

Reply
Rachel Arnt-Schemmel
3/18/2014 08:47:35 am

Hi, Jo.

Keeping in mind that your mental image for these color names isn't necessarily the same as mine-

I'd call some BSp colors marigold and golden yellow. It would also be fair to call some TSp colors marigold and golden yellow. Neighboring seasons have a lot of overlap.

Butterscotch, yes, but only if it were super-saturated. It must be very clear, not rich or earthy.

Peach, yes, if it's pinky. Not so much an orangey-peach.

Is Julianne Hough a Bright Spring in your estimation? I've called her a Light Summer, while I believe Christine Scaman thinks she's a Winter.

Reply
Jo
3/18/2014 09:04:16 pm

I rather see her as Bright or True Winter - she can handle shocking colours and black. Marigold leaded me to conclusion that she might not be spring. I read somewhere that she has been classified as BSp and it occurred to me that it’s mistake.
I like notice nuances of colours, thanks for explaining. I appreciate your constructive comments and feedback. :)

Reply
Heather
3/20/2014 12:45:08 am

In every photo I've looked at of her online, where she's wearing black, there is a dark, harsh, reflection under her chin. She does not balance black. Personally I would tend to believe LSum.

Morgan
3/20/2014 04:49:57 am

What´s your opinion? Do you think Lupita N´yongó is a Bright Winter or a Bright Spring?

Reply
Rachel
4/24/2014 04:25:24 am

Hi, Morgan. :-)

I suspect Bright Winter. But I don't want to commit to a final verdict just yet. I feel like I need to see more of her.

Reply
Jo
3/22/2014 10:18:20 pm

Can you give an example of blond BSp? If there are any natural blonde women in this world...
You might be right that Julianne Hough is Lsu - I've made some research and found that she looks bad in black, I remember her wearing black in DWTS and I thought that if she wears this must be good on her.

Reply
Rachel
4/24/2014 04:28:18 am

Jo, I'm still searching for one myself! Like the mythical Blonde Winter, the Blonde Bright Spring can exist in theory but I haven't yet come across her.

Reply
Rowena
5/6/2014 09:23:38 pm

They exist - I think I might be one! I was draped as a spring (4 seasons system) but was not satisfied with this. With the help of your colour cards (and a friend) I identified myself as Bright Spring.
My hair is blonde and I have clear blue eyes and quite pale skin. I look surprisingly good in Flamingo pink (warm) or Coral - als long as it is bright enough.

Mary
3/23/2014 01:05:20 pm

It helps me, sometimes. I only got into color analysis a few months ago, but the quiz that used dominant trait analysis on Pretty Your World was my introduction to the whole thing and I knew right away I was soft. Unfortunately, that led to my trying to analyze people's coloring based on the dominant trait theory and failing most of the time. But after I read this blog and saw the draping-only theory stressed it's been eye opening to me, realizing you really do need to drape. I've been trying to analyze a lot of celebrities and I never would have known Gabriella Wilde or Kirsten Dunst were brights before looking at them draped in different colors; on screen they've often been made to look light spring-ish, I think. However, I've also noticed that brights' eyes often pop out in such a way that it's clear they need more color to flatter them when they're in all black... That was how I analyzed PJ Harvey as a bright recently. In the photo you posted here her eyes give me that vibe, too... But yeah, without draping I refuse to come to absolute conclusions anymore.

Reply
Lisa K. Ford link
4/21/2014 11:55:31 pm

Great read Rachael. My dominate trait is light but look best in BSP.

Reply
Laurel Harrington
4/24/2014 03:40:08 am

I could not agree more. In fact I have no dominant trait at all. I am very medium looking. However I am a dark winter who looks best in dark, cool colors.

Reply
Celeste
6/20/2014 02:59:24 am

I actually think with the dominant trait method she would be a clear. Her hair and eyes are dark but her skin is lighter so that would place her in clear.

Reply
Sue
7/19/2014 04:12:54 am

I've always been curious about Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's personal colors. She wore a lot of black and white with the occasional caramel brown pants. Is she a bright season?

Reply
Sue
7/20/2014 01:34:15 am

Correction: Was she a bright season?

Reply
Rachel Arnt-Schemmel
9/7/2014 07:05:57 am

It's a really good question. I have wondered too. I haven't undertaken a serious study of her, but my guess is Light Spring. I think black is perhaps too strong for her.

Reply
Jessica
12/5/2015 03:08:51 am

Hi Rachael, my daughter has extremely dark brown eyes, Ivory skin and golden blonde hair. I've been trying to determine her season for months now and she doesn't really fit into any. She looks better in light spring and light/soft Autumn colours, however can look lovely in summer pale pink and pale blue! My other daughter and myself fit well into soft Autumn, with dark golden blonde hair, lighter brown eyes and golden beige skin. It's the black brown eyes and blonde hair of my daughter that are atypical. There are clear categories for people with light eyes and dark hair.. Are dark eyes and light hair clear too?

Reply
Rachrl
1/11/2016 03:56:11 pm

Are there truly clear categories for certain hair and eye colors? I don't think there are.
Focus on how the skin reacts to color.

Reply
Melina
11/18/2018 07:51:14 am

So great to have read this & seen the Dominant trait theory busted! I'm currently reading a book that adheres to the very same "dominant trait" method of color analysis, without actually using that term (it's Colour Me Beautiful by Henderson & Henshaw), and totally disagree with the method! (I just find it interesting to compare colour palettes etc, and it's borrowed from public library, wouldn't spend my money on a book of that system ;).)

For example, Softs are the "leftover" category when you don't obviously belong to any of the other groups, i.e. Light, Cool, Warm, Deep, and Clear. And the reasons for deciding you're one of those groups are also very vague, IMO - for example, to be a Warm season you have to have red tones in your hair, and to be a Cool one, grey tones in hair!
I would surely be a Soft in that system, not clearly & apparently being any of the others, but Soft season colours quite wash me out & look so faded on me (and I in them)... So I'd be very much mistyped in it. Luckily I know better ;)

Reply



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