You know those moments that seem like no big deal, but somehow, they end up flipping your whole world upside down?

For me, that moment was when I found out which colours actually suited me best.

I was twenty and studying Fashion Design at RMIT. Back then, I thought style was all about what was trending, gorgeous fabrics, and making cool clothes. Colour? Just another box to tick.

At the same time, I’d developed a massive crush on this guy who wore a pastel pink shirt with so much confidence that I couldn’t look away. Of course, I wanted to impress him, so I picked out my favourite outfit for when we met.

I was feeling pretty good about myself—until I met his flatmate.

She worked for a Canadian colour analysis company called Your Colours. After looking me up and down, she said, in what I remember as a sympathetic but slightly condescending tone,

“You’re not wearing your most flattering colours.”

Cue instant embarrassment.

But I’ll admit, I was curious too.

My Colour Analysis

Within days, I booked a colour consultation.

Let’s just say, the results were not what I expected.

I discovered that many of the colours I wore were not ideal for me. Without realising it, I had adopted the colours my older sister wore because I admired her style.

Then something unexpected happened.

I looked around my bedroom.

The colours I had instinctively chosen for my walls, furnishings, and personal space were almost entirely my best colours.

Turns out, my instincts were way ahead of my wardrobe.

The Moment Everything Changed

Watching my face change, right there in the mirror, was fascinating.

The right colours made my complexion appear brighter, my eyes clearer, and my features more defined. Colours I had loved suddenly made me look tired, while others brought me to life.

It’s the kind of thing you never forget.

Yet despite what I had seen, I dismissed colour analysis as a career.

At twenty, I thought I was meant for way “bigger” things.

I wanted to work in fashion.

And I did.

Looking Back Now

After graduating, I spent years working in the fashion industry before eventually moving to London.

In 1995, I trained professionally in colour analysis at the House of Colour and began working as a personal stylist.

Funny enough, the job I once brushed off has turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Now I get that colour is about so much more than just how you look.

It influences first impressions.

It can make us look healthier, more energetic, more approachable, even more confident.

It helps communicate personality before we say a single word.

The right colours don’t magically turn you into someone else.

They just help people see the real you.

Colour Is Personal

One of the best parts of my job is seeing someone look in the mirror and see themselves in a whole new way.

Often, they have spent years wearing colours chosen because they were fashionable, because a family member wore them, or because they simply never questioned whether another palette might suit them better.

Then they see themselves in colours that harmonise with their natural colouring.

Their skin appears brighter.

Their eyes become more noticeable.

You can literally see their confidence rise.

The change happens fast, but the impact can last for years.

Sometimes the Smallest Moments Shape Our Future

Looking back, I can’t help but smile at my twenty-year-old self.

She thought colour analysis was a small part of fashion.

Today, I know it is one of the foundations of personal style.

Sometimes, it’s the moments that embarrass us—or make us rethink everything—that end up shaping our whole future.

For me, it all started with one offhand comment.

“You’re not wearing your most flattering colours.”

I’m very glad she said it.