I observed grace under pressure in a high pitched environment when I met this month’s Bright Winter feature: Cindy Christi at the United States National Pageant several years ago. As founder of Cindy Christi TV, Cindy helps CEO’s, Speakers, Best Selling Authors, On-Air Personalities and Pageant Contestants fall in love with their brand voice, so they can step into the spotlight and lead their legacy with confidence, clarity and ease.
Our roles at the pageant were aligned in helping the contestants andNational Titleholders shine on stage and throughout their reign. Cindy’s professionalism and ease in front of the camera and steadying presence onstage set the tone for contestants and the pageant as a whole.
I noticed how she stood out in some of the bright clothing she wore and offered to determine which bright colors were her best; Bright Winter? Bright Spring?
It was clear right away thatshe was a Bright Winter when I started draping her. Wow! She truly lights up the room in the right pops of color.
Learn more about Cindy’s color-filled journey and how applying her perfect shades elevates her brand, business and homelife in this month’s Colorful Lives blog.
What prompted you to have a color analysis?
Kerry and I were both sponsors of The United States National Pageants together. I was asked to help her document the color analysis she provided to each newly crowned National titleholder.
In the process, she generously offered to gift me a color analysis too. Because of her eye she had already narrowed me down to a Bright Winter or Bright Spring. And once she color draped me, it was obvious right away that I was a Bright Winter!
While colors in both collections and even the Cool Winter were ones I naturally gravitated to; the Bright Winter collection felt as if it were custom tailored, just for me.
How has it changed your life?
I carry my Bright Winter deck with me whenever I shop. It helps me know exactly what shade of creamy dreamy, fiery fuschia and chocolate brown are mine and which ones are not.
Kerry also said once my closet was in harmony, it would begin to show me when items didn't belong. It’s true! As a result, I have given away so much and made room for new exciting pieces that make my wardrobe and heart light up.
I am also a believer that like attracts like. So the more intentional I am about aligning my colors, surroundings, and internal compass to my own true north, the more naturally, elegantly and colorfully God reflects back that I’m on the right path.
In what ways has it changed the way you approach your business?
I know my power colors and am intentional about wearing them. Knowing my colors also uplevels the way I plan for personal branding shoots!
I focus first on what I want my photos to communicate and then pull wardrobe props and colors that align with that message. I even look at potential backdrops when I scout and plan every detail around my colors so that they look fabulous when grouped together in my press kits and training materials.
Recently I planned a shoot on the beach wearing shimmery neutrals. And in my mind's eye I wanted to include hot pink. So I bought an extra long scarf in “my pink” and let it dance in the wind. These are some of my favorite photos of all time!
Any interesting things happen while you were wearing your colors?
I have always received compliments in hot pink. It's a driving color in my personal and business branding. When I wear the right shade I feel empowered and on-point. The wrong pink however falls flat and I always wondered why. Now I know.
What was the biggest surprise?
The biggest surprise was that yellow was actually one of my colors! Being Asian with yellow undertones it didn't make sense that a yellow would work for me.
I thought for sure that made me an anomaly but low and behold, bright yellow is one of the Bright Winter colors.
Also, I love wearing neutrals. Surprisingly it took more time to remove and replace my neutrals than my brights. Off white and gray come in sooooo many differnet shades! Some flattering and many not so much. Now I group my colors together so they show me which ones truly belong and which ones to lovingly release.
Tell me about your favorite color in your palette.
Hot pink! I also love wearing rich purples, fuchsias, oranges, vibrant greens and yellows on camera. And when I’m at home I looooove wearing dreamy neutrals. In fact half of my closet is filled with shades of white, off white, pewters and grays.
Tell me about your closet.
My closet is filled with organizing shelves and beautiful woven baskets. Neutrals are grouped together and brights are paired by color.
I love opening my closet doors and looking at my favorite outfits and colors smiling back at me.
I have curated each item so that it not only looks good but also feeeeels wonderful on.
Colors, textures and fit ALL carry equal weight for me. If a color looks great but the fabric isn’t soft, silky or snuggly, it goes. So does a snuggy top in the wrong shade! While there are still some items that don't check all three boxes, there are only a few and it’s because they have sentimental value to me.
What has been the biggest challenge?
Patience. I crave beautiful uplifting experiences and color plays a significant role in all of it.
Once I see the potential in something I want everything to uplevel right away. I’d love to go on endless shopping sprees for myself and those I love so that everything from my surroundings to my clothing, to my bedding to home goods - shines, sparkles and thrives together in harmony.
To help, I’ve adopted the mindset that curating is a joyful journey of creative decision making rather than an endless list of things to fix.
And in quiet, inspired moments, I envision my future world through journaling, vision and pinterest boards. Trusting that all things beautiful, harmonious and “color-coordinated just for me” will find me in their own divine timing!
Cindy has gained insider secrets from decades of hosting, directing, and producing content aired on TV and syndicated radio networks like HGTV, The Food Network, OWN, Hallmark Channel, PBS, iHeartRadio, K-LOVE, Bible Gateway, and Focus on the Family. To "Get Media Ready", Contact Cindy!
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It’s a treat to introduce you to this month's colorful lives feature, Soft Autumn Tim Stich who is also my son!! Tim’s experience with shopping for clothing and wearing color is unique as I become a color analyst when he was quite young. When he and his sister Clare were little, I tried dressing them in bright colors with strong patterns as was the style then.....but even before learning about personal color harmony, I started to sense that the clothes overwhelmed them and began dressing them in softer colors and solids. I was even shocked the other day to discover when I pulled out his school photos that every single photo (even before I learned of his color palette) was taken in a Soft Autumn color. You can see how his life has evolved wearing the soft, earthy colors that suit his ruddy hair, freckles and soft blue/green eyes.
Over the years, he has mostly been very eager to wear what suits him and looked to me to help him distinguish soft autumn colors from the two seasons nearby - warm autumn and soft summer. We enjoy shopping together, especially now that he lives in Manhattan and the shopping is abundant. It can be a challenge to find his colors in sizes and style that fit but when its perfect, it feels great and he knows it. Read on to learn more about what it’s like to be a guy whose mom is a color consultant!
I am so excited to introduce you the “entertainingly irreverent” (Associated Press) Soft Summer, Valerie Peterson. Valerie is an extraordinary storyteller in a variety of media including scriptwriting, screenplays, fiction, non-fiction and book publishing/consulting. I analyzed her colors years ago in Rhode Island at a girls weekend hosted by a mutual friend (color analysis and girls weekends make a great combo!). In the years since, Valerie has embraced her Soft Summer colors in spite of living and working in New York City where black is a standard and practical.
It was a thrill when her publisher chose a photo of my family for her wonderfully spirited book, Peterson’s Happy Hour. On page 46, you can find me with my family - brothers, Mike and Tim and my parents Marcia and J. Michael Jones circa 1970. The book features many more photographic gems and recipes for a fabulous social gathering!
In this month’s colorful lives blog, Valerie shares her journey with her color palette. As with all her writing projects, she is humorous, colorful and entertaining! She has kept in great condition and still uses the Sci Art swatch book that I provided back in those days!! Be sure to check out her large body of work on valeriepeterson.net and read more in the blog:
While doing color analysis in Boston in June, I had the pleasure of meeting Danielle Burton and giving her a 12-Season Color Analysis. Danielle had recently experienced a 4-Season Color Analysis with a House of Colour consultant and was told she was a Winter. I was skeptical that she was any type of Winter (in the 12 season system, there are actually 3 Winters - Dark Winter, Cool Winter and Bright Winter). Her light eyes, natural lighter and soft brownish hair and skin tone were much more consistent with my clients who fall into the lighter seasons, especially Summer.
Since her hair had been highlighted, we covered it with a neutral gray cap to do the testing portion of the analysis, ensuring that the lighter color did not sway the results of the analysis. It was clear from the beginning that Danielle was responding more harmoniously to the cool tones even some of the lighter cool winter drapes which was consistent with her 4 season color analysis.
But, while she contrasted with any drapes that were dark and bright, she was softened and balanced by the lighter cool tones, particularly Summer. The dark colors brought out shadows under her eyes and the brighter colors overwhelmed her and brought attention to themselves. In the end, she looked lovely and perfectly balanced and harmonious in the Cool Summer colors!
"While I had a great experience at House of Colour, I do think they are missing out on a ton of research and color science by not including the 12 seasons and variants. The added layer of cool vs bright vs dark was a huge difference for me and really solidified which category I best fit”.
Enjoy reading more about Danielle’s experience with both systems and her reaction to her diagnosis as a Cool Summer:
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