30 years ago I had a colour analysis and was prescribed a Soft Summer colour palate to wear. I don’t remember what motivated me to do this at the time, but the experience was fascinating.

I think one reason stems from childhood summers. Spent visiting little known relations in Wales and Glasgow. Relations who barely know children struggle to find appropriate topics of conversation. My appearance, curly haired, glasses and bookish was remarked upon. Possibly not completely kindly. My grandmother’s generation in Wales would suggest that more pink in my wardrobe would be advantageous. Then the familial road show would rumble on to Glasgow where the pink fashion advice would be repeated but in the far harsher tones of the city dwelling, Glaswegian Older Generation. Delivered one word at a time.

” That.Child.Needs.More.Pink”

“She.Is.Such.A.Pink.Person”

To discover I was Soft Summer, 30 years later was somewhat of a bittersweet moment. Some pink was involved. Because of or despite the older womens colour advice I have always felt timorous around pink only really embracing it recently since going full on grey.

I have long since lost the precious colour chart but all the other advice sticks with me.  I just did an online analysis and discovered I have slipped into Autumn. Oh goodness not much pink in autumn, I may have almost  missed the pink boat that I was destined to board at the age of 5. Autumn shades? How very age appropriate.

Thank the goddess of Colour Analysis that I did not plunge myself into the colours of Deep Winter today. If my lifespan is measured by my colour analysis, I have two whole seasons to go . That is rather fabulous. I shall wear pink though as an act of rebellion and then,of course, it will be purple. I am certain purple will feature in a deep winter colour chart.

Warning

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

---

Jenny Joseph

from Warning:When I am an Old Woman I shall wear purple (Profile 2021)
© Jenny Joseph, reproduced with permission of Johnson & Alcock Ltd

For now though the yard will have to wear both red and the purple.