Colorful Lives, Dark Winter Stephanie Reh

Meet Stephanie Reh, an Accountability Evangelist!   Stephanie recently came back in for a color refresher.  Her original color analysis was over a decade ago and the refresher allowed both of us to learn from her journey wearing her colors over many years.  Stephanie's refresher was perfectly timed as it happened in the middle of December, her Dark Winter month and it allowed her to incorporate our discussion into transitioning her business to another level. 

When I contacted Kerry for my original analysis over 10 years ago, I did so because it sounded like a fun thing to do with my sisters.  And it was!!  It was such a memorable experience.  Over time, though, I got away from the discipline of color harmony and my closet was filled with whatever I got for Christmas or from Stitch Fix.  I recently had a refresher done with Kerry, which gave me renewed energy to edit my closet with intention. I only kept what fits the Dark Winter season, and what I love to wear.  I appreciate that Dark Winter is flexible, yet limiting at the same time.  It's flexible in that I can wear a shade in almost every color and limiting because there are some colors that just don't work such as khaki, orange, or yellow.  That makes it much easier to remember what fits and what doesn't....but in case I forget, I can always reference the swatch that lives in my purse!

I've been a Stitch Fix customer for years and I love getting that box!  Right after my color refresher, I updated my profile to specifically request that only Dark Winter items be sent.  So, I'm even more excited about the next box, because I now have room for a few more pieces.  In the past, I wasn't disciplined about what I chose to keep from the Stitch Fix shipment, yet my very favorite pieces just so happen to be Dark Winter.  There was something about them I just loved, and every time I wore them, people told me how good they looked on me.  It wasn't until my color refresher that I realized it was because of the color harmony and complementary style.

Since my refresher, it is so much easier to get dressed and I don't have "off" days anymore. Kerry's make-up tips inspired me to actually make an effort, whereas before I only did so on "special occasions".  I now have a simple makeup routine in the morning that communicates energy and possibility on my face.  And, I'm wearing lipstick now, which I rarely did in the past.  You really do show up differently when you feel good about yourself, and color harmony has done that for me.  This may seem like an over exaggeration but for me, it's not.  It has truly transformed the way I shop, get dressed, and approach each new day.

A surprising benefit for me is finally giving myself permission to literally be comfortable in my own skin.  I'm adamant about sun protection so I rarely get a tan.  My undertones are very light and while I haven't been overly self-conscious about that, I've never been eager to embrace it.  When Kerry confirmed my Dark Winter season and said, "think Snow White", it was like I could finally relax and enjoy the authenticity of my pale skin instead of making excuses for it.

Being home all the time, it's tempting to avoid putting in an effort to look nice.  But since now my entire wardrobe suits me and my makeup complements that, I am inspired to protect my brand by showing up with confidence, which I communicate through what I wear and how I carry myself.  And how I carry myself (behave) is influenced by what I wear because when I feel good about how I look, I face the world with the best attitude.  I've always been driven by a call to serve but like many people, I've suffered from imposter syndrome from time to time.  Color harmony is an excellent antidote for that; it's hard to feel "less than" when your inside and outside beauty are so aligned.

 My color analysis had practical business benefits too.  For my first ever photo shoot, I was able to leverage the knowledge I gained from Kerry.  I was also more bold with my nail color than I otherwise would have been. In fact, I probably wouldn't even have worn color on my nails if it weren't for my refresher.  I brought my swatch book to the salon and chose an accent green that really paired well with my main outfits, even though they were so different.  I'm still getting used to "putting myself out there" so I was a bit nervous about the photo shoot. I can honestly say my color analysis put me at ease and enabled me to enjoy the process.

I'm a person who can't wait to share new knowledge I find useful and fascinating.  I share my color refresher story frequently, and proudly present my beautiful swatch book.  I'm especially deliberate about this to people who might buy me clothes or accessories!  I'm also trying to influence my daughters. They are both really into makeup and I find myself scrutinizing their color choices. They haven't been analyzed yet but I feel I've learned enough to have a sense of what does and doesn't work for them. If my youngest doesn't lay off the orange eye shadow, I'm going to throw it out!

The next step to round out my color harmony journey is to share what I've learned with my hair stylist. We have the same routine every time. He asks me what I want to do with my color and I always tell him to decide.  The only exception to that is sometimes I try to push him toward more red and he consistently resists.  Since I trust him, I follow his advice but I didn't really get why he didn't want to do the red.  Now I know why.  Snow White wears red on her lips, not her hair.

Stephanie Chiesi Reh is the founder and president of Accountability Evangelist, providing Personal Transformation Coaching, Leadership Coaching and Consulting services.

Stephanie helps her clients take charge of getting what they want most by identifying their goals, making a robust plan to achieve them, and executing that plan.  She believes that transformational success requires the elimination of unnecessary distraction caused by physical and mental clutter. 

for more about Stephanie,   accountabilityevangelist.com