On Being Summer

Lines of Summer

Lines are flowing, curving like a languid "S" drawn gracefully on sand. The curves of smooth lines, never broken, but flowing constantly, give Summer's impression to design.

Prints in Fabric

They should mirror some of Summer's expression. A graceful orchid, or a small-tiny wild-flower print, depict the Summer Season. Designs must be delicate and fragile. Prints must flow without resting and no one color should demand attention. Red white and blue colors may form small checkered or lines in fabric designs that surprise us as they flatter a quieter expression, which too spells Summer.

Fabrics

Fabrics that give Summer impression are soft in texture. Velveteen, taffeta, chiffon, soft wools and cottons, silks in quiet colors all feature Summer at its best.

Accessories of Summer

They should never be large or chunky. Bracelets should be small links instead of full bands. Diamonds are not as good as pearls, or gems that glow, instead of sparkle. Flowers, bows, cameos, hair combs or butterfly pins, bespeak themselves of Summer. Metals that are best are silver, platinum and soft rose gold. A Sunshine Summer can sometimes wear small touches of gold as framing for pearls or colored gemstones.

How To Use Your Summer Colors

Basically, there are four types of Summers. Because of your blending with another Season or two, you may not have the typical Summer look that people expect. You can have any color of hair and be a Summer, but your hair and your complexion will be in the color range for the use of the blue undertones in pastel colors. Do not use the colors from the Season you are blended with. Stay in your own Color Fan. You might want to follow some of these suggestions for using colors for your special body harmony.

Brownette Summer (Absolute Summer)

Follow all of the instructions for a Summer type from the book Color Me A Season, by Bernice Kentner. All the Bouquet Colors on the Fan are perfect for you, as are many of the strip "E" pastels. You will find that since your hair is brown, that color will work best as a basic color to build your wardrobe around. Try to match the brown strip in the Fan that is most like your hair color. This can be the basis for a good wardrobe but you must use other Bouquet Colors to give your wardrobe interest. Do this by accessorizing, such as scarves, jewelry, ruffles and laces.

Brunette or Silver-Haired Summer (Moonlight Summer)

Because your hair is dark, you can use most of your colors on the darkest end of your Fan. You may also use the softer colors of Summer and stay within the Summer Fan. Many of the darker colors will be flattering, as well as the lightest pastels. Use navy blue and dark brown as well as greys. Avoid tan colors because your hair is dark or silver grey. On the cards that have been marked as your best colors in the Seasonal Color Fan you can use all of the five color strip colors because they should work well for you. Moonlight describes you. Since you were almost a Winter, you are going to need the deeper colors but in a magical frosty way. Pearls and sparkling jewels in pastel colors set 9 in silver are wonderful on you. Choose your colors in soft lines, prints, stripes, and plaids that achieve a little more formal look, than the soft frilly Summer person.

Blonde Summer (Sunshine Summer)

You may be mistaken sometimes for a Spring in your look and in personality! Spring colors, however pastel, have too much yellow in them for your complexion. Use your hair coloring, or light skin tone beige, for basic wardrobe choices, then you can use any of the Bouquet Colors in your Fan as well as all of the pastels in your Fan. You are especially in harmony with your Bouquet's turquoise blue. In fact, use navy blue or Summer brown as a great base color to build on.

Redheaded Summer (Indian Summer)

A cast of Autumn gives you a warmth in your hair tone that is lovely, even with pinks and pastels in your Fan. One of the most complimentary color to your hair is Summers' turquoise blue. All blues and greens are especially good, as well as the neutral tans. Play up your red hair by wearing navy blue or tans. Do not wear your exact hair color. Compliment your hair by choosing the cool colors, purple, all the blues, turquoise or green. As to wardrobe style, you may want to choose more of a business look such as suits and neutrals that can be made interesting with stripes or prints of nature, in your greens and blues.

Notes About Using Your Summer Color Fan

Summer Card #1 is specifically meant for help in choosing lip and cheek cosmetic colors.

Working With Summer Colors

Follow the instructions in this Fan Booklet. Because pastel colors are rather neutral in intensity many colors may be used together in a design or a print. You may also want to build around navy blue or Summer's red. Other choices would be light greens, or even light blue. Grey or brown are a perfect choice as well.