Color Me A Season: A Complete Guide to Finding Your Best Colors and How to Use Them Kindle Edition

Pleased with purchase.

Bernice Kentner is recognized as one of the early pioneers of color analysis. The original hardcover edition of “Color Me A Season” (CMAS) was copyrighted in 1978, and it was among the first published works on the subject, along with “Color: the Essence of You” by Suzanne Caygill (c1980) and “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson (c1980). Kentner’s vision was for society to embrace seasonal color analysis in many areas of living--not simply just clothing and cosmetics--and her list includes: “artist, cosmetologist, interior decorator, psychologist, buyers of clothing, accessories, perfumes, cosmetics, eye glasses, designers, fabric manufacturers, clothing manufacturers, etc. etc.” (CMAS, p. 3). Throughout this review, the abbreviation CMAS is used to designate the book as originally conceived in its 1st edition / 1st printing.There are essentially two editions of this book. The original hardcover was 134 pages of text plus some back matter including seasonal color bouquets and eye analysis charts. The publisher took the liberty to make some changes to the original edition between printings 2-8 without actually declaring a new edition on the copyright page. This includes various changes to the four seasonal color bouquets and the addition of notes at the end of some chapters, plus some changes to the text. The fifth printing (1983) added a revised preface, an addendum, plus some fashion pictures. It is imperative to pay close attention to the descriptive text provided on Amazon’s product page where it says that the kindle edition follows the text of the ninth printing (1991) expanded edition. Our family owns the expanded edition in both kindle and paperback. The paperback is 298 pages—roughly double the size of the original hardcover edition. Using a search engine, you may undoubtedly find places on the web making the claim of selling an expanded edition hardcover, but this reviewer cannot confirm its existence despite multiple attempts to procure one. Therefore, great caution is advised in purchasing a hardcover edition unless you can make absolutely certain of what you are getting—because it is imperative that you work from the expanded edition.The discrepancies that you will find in the reviews published on this site regarding this book are due to the fact that they are mixing reviews of the original hardcopy edition (printings 1-8) with reviews of the expanded edition (9th printing)—while making no distinction between them. Kentner’s system initially began with four seasons, and this is what the original hardcover edition contains. The expanded edition includes secondary seasons bringing her method up to a total of sixteen possible classifications instead of four. This will help clarify why some reviews flatly contradict other ones about this particular point, but in certain cases you cannot always tell what edition is being reviewed. It has also facilitated customers using rival systems to easily dismiss the original hardcover edition as being inadequate without ever likely having read the expanded edition. This is a real disservice to the author, as well as the customers who want accurate information about what they are purchasing.“Color Me Beautiful” is the most famous of the three books mentioned above. It’s an excellent and appealing presentation, but you’ll find through reading the reviews that it’s not a robust enough method for everyone. It worked very well for some, including one of our family members,--and that’s why they’ve stayed in business over the years--but the more difficult cases to analyze needed something more in depth. This is the reason why they have published a number of follow-up books throughout the decades since the original book was published. They learned through experience, and this is also true of Kentner’s method.In the revised preface to the fifth printing, Kentner said, “For each previous printing I have carefully scanned the pages to update any information that was not valid or correct. I have done the same this time and still find that the simplicity of the book is what helps the reader to more readily understand their own color design (Season)” (CMAS, 5th printing, p. vii). The addendum to the fifth printing also includes a “missing step” from the previous printings on p. 135. By this time, Kentner had also written two other books entitled “Tie Me Up with Rainbows” and “A Rainbow in Your Eyes,” and she felt that “all three of these books are needed to understand the fullness of this subject” (CMAS, 5th printing, p. vii).The original idea of the seasonal color bouquets was that one could cut them out to take shopping (CMAS, p. 41). As mentioned earlier, the color bouquets did undergo some changes between printings. The company has said, “Most of the Bouquet Colors, 15 of each Season, were found to be accurately placed in the drapes and swatches that I had been working with. The ones that were inaccurate were brought up to date” (“The Sixteen Elements of Seasonal Style Manual,” by Bernice Kentner, Kenkra Publishers, 1978-2012, p. 7). What they accomplished through these updates was to move their system onto a stronger foundation from a technical standpoint.An example will help serve to illustrate these points. Suppose you are a Summer man looking for a new suit. It lists “Summers’ grey brown” as the first basic color option recommended (CMAS, p. 103). The problem is that this is a color that has been updated. The change was not because of a fashion trend. No! It was updated because the author came to understand the undertones of brown better through time, experience and research. A suit is an expensive purchase, and money is going to change hands whenever you start buying clothes from this system, so it’s not good enough to use the hardcover edition even if you obtain it for free.In the fifth printing, the addendum points to the ultimate direction that the expanded edition would later articulate and more fully develop: namely, the existence of secondary influences that would allow for adjustments taking into consideration body harmony features, including eye and hair coloring. In order to accomplish this, it would now become necessary to use a color fan and a color selector that are available through separate purchase. This resulted in the 16 possible classifications that some reviews mention, but they really are terms of convenience. When learning to ride a bicycle, one begins with training wheels, but they are removed as soon as the rider is capable enough. In Kentner’s system, the initial determination is one of four basic seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer or Winter. Subsequently, the analysis is refined to include secondary influences, resulting in a classification with one of the 16 names such as Sunset Winter or Pastel Spring. But even this sells her system short, because the color fan is ultimately marked to match an individual’s body harmony if a complete and competent analysis is performed—and this is very exciting!The system laid out by the expanded edition has been very helpful in finding the proper colors for one of our family members that is considered to be a difficult case to analyze. Kentner left behind an excellent system, but you are strongly urged to get the expanded edition to begin with. Not only have the color bouquets been updated, but there is additional material added that makes it more comprehensive. One star is awarded to the hardcover printings 1-8, while five stars are awarded to the expanded edition, thus resulting in an overall rating of three stars. This is somewhat unfair, but it is necessary for this to be a critical review in order to point out to the reader that they need to make sure they begin their color journey with the expanded edition. Great respect is owed to Kentner for her work in this field. She wrote extensively on this subject, and a sincere, persistent and hard working reader can learn to perform their own color analysis through her writings.Note: this reviewer first became familiar with seasonal color analysis in the early eighties after being analyzed by a consultant from Beauty for All Seasons, obtaining a short pamphlet on the subject plus some color swatches. Subsequently, this reviewer has read and owns the following books on this subject: “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson; “Color for Men” by Carole Jackson, “Color Me Beautiful’s Looking Your Best” by Mary Spillane and Christine Sherlock; “Always In Style with Color Me Beautiful” by Doris Pooser; “Color: the Essence of You” by Suzanne Caygill; “Color Wonderful” by Joan Nicholson; “Color Your Style” by David Zyla; and “Everyone is Someone in Color” by Jean Wood Mumford. Also, this reviewer has read the following books by Bernice Kentner of Color Me a Season: “A Rainbow in Your Eyes,” “Tie Me Up with Rainbows,” “The Fan and Selector Thesis,” “The Sixteen Elements of Seasonal Style”, “The Magnificent Eye” and “Yin and Yang.” The reviewer owns all of the Seasonal Color Fans and Seasonal Color Selectors offered by Color Me a Season through Amazon, plus the chin boards.

I have read many books on seasonal color pallets for men and women. This book, by far explains how to discover ones own colors. I now know I am a snow frost winter beyond a shadow of a doubt and I have been tested and confused over this issue for 15 years or so.

I love books on seasonal color. This is an old book, but had good information in it.

I have read MANY books on color seasonal theory, but could never fit myself in any category since I have traits from three different seasons ( a thing that isn't supposed to happen), but this book by Bernice Kentner hit the target in her explanation of her "Firelight Winter";Angela.The drawing was me, as was the written explanation.According to Carole Jackson's "Color Me Beautiful" says blonde Winter's are very rare (so I assumed I couldn't be one),and also according to Ms.Jackson, I have Spring eyes,and Summer hair,(and Winter skin = porcelain).Color Me A Season is a breakthrough books in seasonal color theory as far as I am concerned.

There are lots of color the theories out there. She has done the research. Her sub-categories make the most sense. I have shifted my wardrobe and make-up. I have just finished painting my rooms in my colors. I finally feel like myself. I love my surroundings now. This book will help you figure out your colors, especially if you are a blended season.

Interesting, and perhaps gaving actual swatches for your season helps. However, I have been color matched previously and know that some of the books recommendations are way off base. I certainly do not recommend this as a first read!

It was a great book. It clarified information that Dressing your Truth didn't. I strongly recommend this book. If you are interested in knowing what colors look best on you and those around you this is a great book. It was clear and straight forward. This book had it all in it including the colors that fit every type. Plus it talks about children and men.

I think this is one of the most complete book about color analysis. Even if I don't use that method of analysis I still found the book very interesting and useful, there are many tips that can be used even if you use another method. I loved how detailed it was and how she wrote about other disciplines that are very complementary when it comes to harmony of colours. Really liked this book, I recommend it!

It's ok. Just a couple of lines about people of African origin which I disagreed with so I sold mine on the marketplace. Try David Kibbe's book. It's much better.