How a Cubicle and a Kelly Green Sweater Sparked My Obsession with Color

If there was ever a place to tell this story, it’s here.

Not many people know this about me, but I am mildly—okay, maybe more than mildly—obsessed with color palettes, seasonal color analysis, and the color wheel. When I have free time, I’ll scroll Pinterest, mesmerized by curated seasonal palettes. I analyze people I meet, mentally placing them into their “season.” I even send my family members color charts and tell them what I think they are, much to their amusement (or maybe mild annoyance).

 

Somewhat recently, I even invested in a program that breaks down the science of color into 12 distinct palettes. It came with a license to distribute it, but honestly, that wasn’t the point—I just wanted it for myself.

One night, lying in bed, unable to sleep (thanks, perimenopause), I started to wonder: When did this fascination begin?

And then it hit me.

 

When I was 18, I worked at a company called Crystal Springs Water—you might have heard of it. They delivered those big five-gallon jugs of water to homes and businesses. I worked in the customer service call center, a sea of cubicles filled with about 30 or 40 of us answering calls all day.

I sat next to a woman named Doreen. She was middle-aged, though at 18, I wasn’t the best judge of age. My guess is she was around 45 or 50. She had an attractive face with relatively no wrinkles and a short, neat bob of prematurely gray hair. Doreen had a simple style—nothing flashy—but she always wore the most beautiful colors.

 

One day, she showed up in a stunning Kelly green top. I couldn’t help but comment on how gorgeous she looked. The color made her glow. I told her she always seemed to pick the perfect shades.

 

She smiled and said, “I’m a Winter.”

 

I had no idea what she meant.

 

She explained that she had her colors done years ago and only wore shades that suited her seasonal palette. I was instantly intrigued. A few days later, she brought me a book called Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson. She let me borrow it.

 

I devoured that book. Read it cover to cover, multiple times. And, well… I never gave it back to her. Years later, I loaned it to someone else, and I never got it back either. Karma, I suppose.

 

The funny thing is, back then, color analysis wasn’t really a thing. The book was already dated—it came out in the early ’80s, and this was the mid-’90s. Most people had moved on. But now? It’s everywhere. People are rediscovering seasonal color palettes, and younger generations are eager to figure out their best shades.

 

I love that something I became fascinated with all those years ago is now having a resurgence.

So, tell me—do you know your color season? Do you remember Color Me Beautiful? I would love to hear about it. Follow me on instagram and send me a message!