Colorful Lives, Warm Spring Amy Coté

I am thrilled to introduce you to Warm Spring, Amy Coté. She is a trailblazing Legal and Risk Counselor and Founder of Think Out, who advocates for the people, ideas, and practices that help her clients avoid costly and unnecessary litigation, thereby eliminating waste and increasing revenue. Amy truly believes that when entities do better, we all do better.

Her golden eyes and warm red hair with a hint of freckles exemplifies the glowing nature of the Warm Spring. As a natural redhead, she has endured all the stereotypes about redheads but as it relates to tenacity, endurance, and professional prowess, she truly is a shining example of “kissed by the fire”.  She has also struggled through myth’s such as “redheads should never wear red” and more regarding her coloring.  

She has worked to find appropriate clothing for the courtroom without defaulting into the dark neutrals or muted colors that dim her sparkle and radiance.  White is a great alternative to black as a neutral for those with lighter coloring. Learn more about her journey with Warm Spring colors in this month’s colorful lives blog: 

I was first introduced to the idea of getting a color analysis by a friend whom I respect greatly for her beautiful spirit which shines out loud and is accentuated by her style and smile (she is a Bright Winter - and an absolute jewel inside and now, out). Walking into the analysis I was excited to learn something new (I am obsessively curious) and experience the luxury of doing something for myself (I have three kids, a husband, dogs, a home, a family, and a career), but I had no idea how impactful this would be for me emotionally. I have always been a confident problem solver, advocate, and workhorse, but never confident in my appearance. Never photogenic; always uncomfortable.

After working through Kerry’s process, I was shocked to learn that one of my best colors was RED! Me in red? Not possible. I am a redhead and my whole life I have avoided red. I blush easily, and I am often “tomato faced.” I never wore red, never. And so fair skinned that I never wore lighter tones because they “washed me out.” --W R O N G--

My “new-to-me” color palette also included salmon (no thank you) and worse, excluded black! In quick, animated fashion, I shared with Kerry how basically my entire wardrobe consisted of black (and green when available); there aren’t many choices for female suits around here, let alone redheads; and I didn’t look good in much else; and how was I ever going to eliminate black? LBDs abound; not red!

Kerry was calm and gently encouraged me to “try it out for a little while” and to “see how it felt”.  She also mentioned that spring was rounding the corner so the stores would have my colors now.

I walked out of there carrying my bad attitude like a brick and mumbling about how I was never going to be able find anything in “my” colors and under no circumstances was I ever wearing salmon! I thought that this was going to be an impossible task and that these colors were going to be excessively restrictive.   

Walking into the first store and avoiding the entire half of the store that was filled with black cloth, I suddenly realized I was free to explore the rest of the store. What is this new land of shades? How is this possible?

Permission, and a directive. The empowerment of choice to buy and wear something other than black was the most unexpected and invigorating experience!

The subsequent year included more compliments about my appearance than the combined total over my lifetime. Seriously. The following June I was walking from my vehicle in the basement garage of the Hall of Justice to argue a motion in court when a teenage girl stopped me. She said, “dammmnnn girl! You look BADASS! You are one badass woman!” I had never felt so complimented and so confident about my appearance in my entire life.

I was wearing a creamy white suit and red heels!

The truth is, I am badass. I’m a trailblazer; a fighter. I’ve always been, I just never felt badass about my appearance. And here I was: BADASS. In soft, creamy white. Noticeable enough that a teenager would say so.

I won that motion, and that girl has no idea the ways in which she endorsed my newly awarded empowerment.

With Kerry’s help, I have come to realize that our insides can be projected on our outsides, enhanced by what we wear and how our colors help to do it. I get it now.

 

Wishing someone had empowered me sooner, earlier this fall I brought my daughter to Kerry for her 16^th birthday surprise. She has slowly shed her layers of dark, teenage angst and traded them in for Bright, Light, and Warm. Now, her bright, funny spirit gets to shine through her clothes too. Kerry gave her permission to shine; permission to be the bright light in the room, because that’s who she is and who we all need her to be. We should all be so lucky at 16.

Ultimately, I did inherit a salmon jacket from my previously referenced Bright Winter friend who had no more use for her gorgeous, salmon blazer. And since my transformation, I have given many of my stunning LBDs and suits to those that can truly shine in them while I comfortably wear rich reds, bright blues, soft and warm pinks, and Badass, creamy white.

Amy also shows up in the community to make a real impact by gifting her time, energy, passion, and intellectual and financial capital to local institutions such as the Rochester Museum & Science Center, The Clark Manor House, and The Rochester Birding Association.