It’s my pleasure to introduce Cathy Williams of Seasonal Color Consultants. Her blog, Aging in Color, is timely and informative. Aging is a verb, which implies movement. I love the concept, as suggested by Cathy, that we are aging (moving through time) in color!
As you know, I stand for growing older in the most empowered way possible, and that includes beauty, color, and style. I recently had four dynamic women in my course, The Art of Mindful Aging, where we did an exercise that revealed to us what age we “thought we were,” rather than our “current age.” It was fascinating to see that most of us had an age gap. We also discussed having seen women who had grown older yet continued to dress like a teenager. Thankfully, none of us were stuck in that expression! I bet many of you have seen women who style themselves in a previous era, as if only youth can claim the prize. Alignment is a powerful space to occupy.
That’s why I was delighted to meet and work with Cathy Williams. Cathy is a master of color and maven of style. She fully understands the value of wearing YOUR right colors and YOUR most flattering style. Her approach is honoring, creative and filled with humor. In several sessions, Cathy took me from inharmonious colors to a luminous color palette ideal for me, my age and my spirit. She overhauled my wardrobe. My closet now houses light, simple, yet elegant clothing. I leave my home every single day knowing I am the best I can be, at 66. Now, that’s something ladies. I am aging in color!
How about we let the world know that we are fully alive, vital, radiant and wearing clothing that highlights our beauty and flatters us, especially as we grow older?
Enjoy reading Cathy’s blog and, if Aging in Color speaks to you, give her a call. You won’t regret it. I promise.
Aging in Color – The Secret Power of Being Yourself
By: Cathy Williams, Color Analyst Expert, Seasonal Color Consultants
You might think that, as you age, clothing and style don’t matter as much as they once did. Perhaps you have gotten accustomed to a certain way of dressing and you’ve stopped taking an interest in current fashion. Or, it might be that you’re so busy looking after everyone else that you barely notice what you’re wearing or why you’re wearing it. Perhaps you’re no longer sure how to dress the body you now see in the mirror, having given up on the idea that you can look great in the body you have, at the age that you are.
Whether you are consciously aware of it or not, it doesn’t feel good to wear clothing that’s not right for you. When you wear colors that clash with your natural self, it’s draining. When you’re wearing styles that combat your inherent energy, it’s exhausting.
We hear many women talking about becoming invisible as they age. They think that their youth is gone and, with it, the attention they were accustomed to receiving. As a result, the woman in the mirror becomes an easy target for criticism.
Hear this: it’s not your age that’s making you invisible. It’s not wrinkles and gray hair that make you fade out. It’s pretending to be other than you are that makes you disappear. When you’re not dressing in the color and design that aligns with you, there is a visual and psychological disharmony that happens. This disharmony drains you, hides you, and eclipses who you authentically are. It is this misalignment that makes you invisible to the people around you.
Unless you live in a nudist colony, you are wearing color and style every day. Whether you’re in sweats or a business suit, the color and style of every single thing you put on your body is constantly communicating. What do you imagine your current wardrobe is saying? What would you want it to say?
Any fabulous outfit highlights how you look AND how you feel. The great thing about Seasonal Color & Style is that it addresses how you look and how you feel at the same time. Getting dressed becomes not so much about being in “style,” but is much more about being authentic. When you are authentic, you are visible — no matter how many years old you are.
At the core, alignment with yourself is where the power is. The key to discovering this power is to know who you are — and then figure out how to translate it into clothing (we are experts at this). After the work is done, getting dressed becomes an easy way to simultaneously look great and be yourself. We think, with such power at your fingertips every day of your life, you’d want to know how to wield it.
Knowing which colors belong to you and which styles express and flatter you is self-centering, in the best way. It’s about delighting your body and mind with color and style lines that make you glow, from the inside out. When you know the unique selection of colors and styles that make your soul sing, you are aligned from the inner to the outer – and you feel terrific.
Seasonal Color & Style is the new fountain of youth. Looking great becomes effortless when your closet is full of clothing that is right for you. You will look and feel fabulous at every age, at any price point, all day long.
At Seasonal Color Consultants, our clients tell us they love the experience of feeling good in their skin, of feeling great in their colors and looking fabulous in their clothes. They are experiencing an inner ease and an outer enthusiasm, from boardroom to home office, from date night to lunch with friends.
Has aging zapped your confidence? Consider having a Seasonal Color & Style Consultation. You will look better. You will feel better. And, most importantly, you will discover the secret power of being yourself.
About Cathy
Cathy Williams had her first experience with Seasonal Color Consultation when she had her Colors done by Suzanne Caygill in the early 1980’s. From then, until now, she has been obsessed with the topic. Cathy has graduated from both The StyleCore Institute and Image and Color Institute International but received the majority of her training from Lois Marlow-Scott, Suzanne’s longtime assistant. Lois was Cathy’s beloved mentor and teacher. When Lois passed away in 2017, she entrusted Cathy with her entire Color Lab, which holds thousands upon thousands of highly curated fabric swatches. Cathy uses these swatches (and more) to create beautifully customized Color Harmonies for her many clients.
Learn more about Cathy and Seasonal Color Consultants HERE