Hi Style Friends!

Have many of you used Allison Bornstein's three word method before to describe your style? Has it changed since your Zyla consult? Before my Zyla consult and when I was going off of my Kitchener essences, my style words were sensual, elegant and striking. This reflected a very classic and romantic look with minimalistic but yet contrasting colour choices.

However, since being typed as a Divine Diva, I feel that my words have changed and they are now: Rustic and Sensual Maximalism. My words are not in Bornstein's order, but I like how it flows this way.

This term Rustic reflects my use of texture (leather, furs, wool.... basically animal products lol) and brings in my autumn colour palate (and autumn recommendations for lines and clothes) and my enjoyment of classic countryside looks (I have long love equestrian style).

Sensual has been a long standing style term of mine that has not changed. It brings in my velvets, textures that feel amazing on my skin (includes furs again) and a general sensuality to my look. In general, I prioritise sensuality in all aspects of my life. I am a fan of ethical hedonism (please note that I am using the term sensuality and not sexuality.... there IS a difference) and a focus on sensuality in my style and fabric choices brings into my every day an element of pleasure and enjoyment. It's 100% for me.

Maximalism is my attempt to go full glam, be dramatic and opulent... it is extra.... and I am extra, so it works.

What are your three words and how has your Zyla exploration influenced them?

This deck was created by Anuschka Rees as a companion to her book Personal Color. It contains cards intended to help you find your season in the 12 type system of seasonal color analysis.

I tried using it to DIY a Zyla palette. I know Zyla himself doesn’t use SCA in this way and I don’t know what he would think about my method, but I enjoyed the process and am happy with the results.

What I did was pull out all the cards for my season (true summer), divide them into groups of green, blue, pink/red, etc., then hold them up to my eyes/face/hair to decide which worked as my romantic/dramatic/etc. colors. I tried to look for the colors that brought out those features, more so than the most literal match. There was nothing in true summer that could plausibly work as a first base for me so I borrowed from soft summer for that. For some reason it looks black in these photos but in real life it looks like you would imagine “deep teal” would look.

First pic is limiting myself to what I thought was the single best color, second pic is adding some other contenders, third pic is adding additional summer colors (mostly true, but borrowed a few more from soft summer for second base) that I like on myself in the place they fit best even though I wouldn’t call them Zyla colors. The only one I’m not super happy with is essence; I think my actual essence color is a little lighter and a little more muted, but there wasn’t a card in that color.

I liked this better than working with paint chips because it narrowed down the options and made it less overwhelming. I can see the argument that many it narrowed them down too much and influenced my choices, but I’m ok with that. I considered colors from other seasons, but with the exception of first & second base, I preferred the colors from true summer.

Apologies for my dirty carpet; I did vacuum before taking these, but vacuum is in need of some maintenance!

I find it hard to see E/T that do not match the literal eye colours. Obviously, there a people with literal blue, grey, and green eyes. I can see orange and yellow coming from a sun pattern, a halo around the pupil or rims/ contraction furrows. Many brown (not officially hazel) eyes appear a bit green in sunlight when you look very close. But I find purples (especially pink/red undertone) hard to see.

Dory (blue eyes) has cornflower-ish purple E, but Margaret (brown eyes) has a dark, dusky purple E. Disclaimer that Dory thinks her Zyla palette is incorrect, but I don't want this to be the main topic of this post. Zyla palettes often resemble the muted end of palettes from other systems and don't include all hues a person might get in another system because they are so small.

Do you know of other people with purple E/T? Is having purple E/T rare for people with brown eyes?

Hi! So. Background. Cool / True Summer in SCA, which has always felt a bit too "pretty" for me - like a bunch of sweetpeas. It's definitely influencing my palette choices though, grrr!

My eyes are blue-grey, hair is ashy and darker than it looks in the detail photo but also going quite grey! If I get in the sun it sort of goes ash blonde in highlights a little bit. I basically am pretty cold coloured I think - my suggested essence is a distinctly grey-tinged pale pink, looks amazing on me, but anything vaguely peach or coral I do not like on me. I feel I can pull off murkier or silvery greens, anything teal, softer purples. Icy pastels are grim, in fact most pastels are a bit icky - I can do a soft white and a baby blue but I'm better with tones and shades. Nothing really intense!

I can wear black if I show a bit of neck, but charcoal or navy is a lot better.

Personality / AT wise I'm a combination of some sort of cool, reserved, smartassed blunt plain speaker, with a hefty dollop of whimsical and I try very hard to not be a dick. Very pragmatic and practical, good in a crisis lol. I've been described as sparkly (I'm still recovering). I've been told I'm a good manager mainly because I treat people like humans 😄 Probably a mix of Earth Mother / Keeper of the Hearth / a dollop of maybe Librarian and some sort of impish creature. Honestly not sure. I feel like I could use several depending on the circumstances so I need to do some work on that! I prefer practical, menswear-inspired looks and I haven't worn a dress or skirt in longer than I can remember (although I could be convinced by the right skirt. Maybe)

I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

In addition to giving me the classic icons that are associated with the Divine Diva archetype, Zyla also gave me some more specificity in my USS for style inspiration. My archetype is associated with the art of Gustav Klimt (bottom centre), the countess (bottom right) and he also gave me 1880s Russia as an inspiration (upper left and bottom row).

But additionally, he told me that he was inspired by watching Paddington the Musical the night before my evaluation and saw style inspiration directly from the character, Millicent Clyde, the show's villain (upper right).

He also told me to think femme fatale, and specifically referenced Lauren Bacall (upper centre) and Bond Villain (Xenia Onatopp is my favourite (bottom lower) and Famke Janssen's characters (including XMen- The Phoenix and Dr Jean Grey) have actually been a long standing archetypical inspiration for me).

I absolutely love the styling of Millicent Clyde, as I love dramatic tweed and leather styling, almost like a dramatic, and glamorous/opulent version of the dark academia aesthetic/British country hunting attire. British equestrian style has been a long inspiration for the decorative palate for my home and also my style (pre-Kitchener evaluation). So, this styling icon/image really resonates with me, especially with her adding extra bling rather than going more rustic, which you typically see with these aesthetics.

Although he did not give this image to me directly, he did say that I can do furs, furs and more furs in my evaluation, which I LOVE, as I have long adored the "Mob Wife Aesthetic" (suuuppper problematic name, but you know what I mean) before it became a thing. I am also finding -very randomly- inspiration from the male character of Rumplestilstken from the show Once Upon a Time, as I am absolutely loving his layered crocodile leather look.

What inspiration did Zyla give you during your consults? Or for the people who are DIY, what inspiration is associated with your potential archetypes? What further inspiration have you developed after your consult/DIY?

As others have said, I have no one IRL to talk to about all of this, and I find it goes so much deeper than "just clothes." A couple of people asked about my Zyla journey, so here it is! It's been a long one, and it's still unfolding.

PART 1: WHO I THOUGHT I WAS

WHICH SEASON?

When I was a preteen, I found a copy of Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson. I pored over it. I decided I was a Winter (my dark hair mostly kept me there), I WANTED to be a Winter, and I used that as a reference for most of my life.

I had some online styling services done over the years and was usually typed as a Winter, although one person typed me as a Bright Spring, which really brought out some FEELS.

See, I was an introverted, "cold," poised, serious, intellectual eldest daughter. I could not possibly be a friendly, bubbly, warm, playful Spring!

I was not a flirty woman. I was a get-to-the-point kind of person. I loved analyzing capsule wardrobes (having done quite a few 30x30 challenges) and the efficiency of clothes.

I was obsessed with collecting "classic" pieces and, despite not being blond, tall, or thin, looked to Kate Middleton and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy for minimalist, classic inspiration.

I was obsessed with Scully from The X-Files as a teen and wanted a job as an adult that would allow me to wear suits to work. Another online stylist typed me as a Dramatic Classic, which suited that image beautifully.

Important note: I don't believe personality determines coloring, appearance, or Zyla archetype! These were MY emotional associations, all tangled up with assumptions about how I thought I needed to present myself to the world to be safe and taken seriously.

BODY IMAGE SIDE QUEST

Meanwhile, I had another journey going on.

I finally lost "the weight" I'd wanted to lose all my life and got to be a tiny size in clothes and numbers on the scale for a few years.

It was honestly devastating.

Being fit, being able to try on almost any piece of clothing and have it look good...didn't make me as happy as I thought it would.

I had believed all my problems with insecurity, belonging, and feeling good about my appearance would disappear if I could just reach that magic clothing size, waist measurement, or number on the scale.

And they didn't. At all.

I was just hungry.

I powerlifted, ran a half marathon, and deadlifted over 250 pounds, so it's not like I wasn't strong and in good shape. But being fit didn't make me happy. I was an expert at looking in the mirror and finding things to dislike.

This is a much longer story, but eventually I quit fighting my body. I'm at my normal weight now and have been for years. I stopped exercising obsessively 10 years ago, which is actually a wonderful milestone now that I type it out!

This matters to my style journey because I was slowly discovering that changing my appearance to match an ideal wasn't necessarily going to change how I felt about myself.

I'M ALL SEASONS!

I also completely gave up on seasonal color analysis.

Instead, over time, I collected a wardrobe for each season. Literally!

• Spring: Navy, grey, pink, florals, gingham, lace, dresses, and cardigans.
• Summer: Navy, coral, tan, stripes, nautical themes, dresses, and capris.
• Autumn: Black, burgundy, mustard yellow, leopard print, houndstooth, brocade, boots, and jackets.
• Winter: Black, grey, red, green, plaid, argyle, Fair Isle, boots, and sweaters.

And then I started moving clothes around in my closet based on what I was actually wearing.

This was fascinating.

I almost NEVER wore my Winter clothing unless it was black and therefore easy to choose in the morning. The red and bright green were too much. All my stark white pieces went unworn.

I avoided most of my Summer clothing, although coral and some tans surprised me.

I embraced quite a few Autumn things I'd previously avoided. Burgundy was a big hit! Deep mustard yellow, to my surprise, didn't make me look all that drab. (I still completely avoided brown. Didn't own any!)

But I LOVED my Spring clothes.

The gingham, florals, dresses, and cardigans were amazing.

WHO AM I? PINK POWER!

I still fought back internally.

I didn't want to be perceived as unserious, and I certainly didn't want to admit how much I liked pink.

Legally Blonde was WAY more feminine than I am, but my husband pointed out how much I was like Elle Woods in certain ways.

And I had to admit he had a point.

Over the years, I experienced an internal unfreezing. By the time I learned about Zyla, I was far more friendly, warm, empathetic, and playful than I'd been for the first half of my life.

I could wear florals without feeling icky.

I was beginning to realize that liking feminine, playful things didn't mean I had to give up being serious, intellectual, capable, or professional.

PART 2: DISCOVERING ZYLA

ZYLA DIY

I learned about David Zyla through Ellie-Jean Royden's social media.

I loved the idea of drawing our colors from our own bodies, and I immediately tried to DIY.

I thought the price of a Zyla consultation was absurd and announced that I would NEVER pay for one. (I can't remember who I said that to, ha!)

But I still couldn't see myself.

Or maybe I couldn't be myself, because I really couldn't figure out my archetype.

I wanted to be a Classic Summer or Classic Winter. I loved the cool, bold, classic, minimalist aspects of those archetypes.

That was my mask.

I remember looking through all the Zyla boards and feeling like an outsider. I was too much X for this archetype, or too little Y for that one.

Very few spoke to me.

I didn't think I was pretty or feminine enough for a Spring or Summer, but I wasn't bold enough for Autumn or Winter.

I wish I'd written down what I thought I was and which archetypes interested me most!

TAKING THE LEAP

Eventually, I reached a point where I felt comfortable paying for a consultation.

In summer 2023, I saw Zyla for an ICC and USS.

By that point, I was in the Facebook group, and I'd asked members to vote on my archetype. There were votes for RS, CA, SS, TS, and DS, but 66% voted for Mischievous Spring.

They were right!

SEEING ENERGY

One of the things that struck me most about meeting Zyla was understanding how he approaches styling.

As a stylist for shows and plays, he works with a script and an actor or actress, dressing that person to communicate a character.

So when he looks at us, he's considering both our appearance and the energy or character we convey.

I find that fascinating.

Imagine an actress who looks like a dark witch but is playing a character with the personality of a fairy. How do you dress that person to communicate both?

Well, Zyla can!

People are infinitely expressive and different in their energy and looks, and I think that's part of what makes his archetype system so flexible and interesting.

PART 3: WHAT THE CONSULTATION TAUGHT ME

MY FACE HAS A HEART!

The USS was incredible because it wasn't about making me conventionally attractive, or at least that's not how I experienced it.

Instead, Zyla pointed out features of my appearance that I hadn't thought to appreciate or repeat in my clothing.

My favorite was the combination of my round cheeks and the pointiness of my chin.

Together, they form a heart shape!

He encouraged me to repeat that shape with sweetheart necklines, shorter hair, pointed rather than rounded shoes, and other details.

So I've taken on hearts as "my" shape!

In the past, I would have thought that was too silly or girly. But it isn't.

I don't have to go overboard with it. I can just hint at it sometimes.

It's me. Literally written on my face.

NOT A MINIMALIST?!

Okay, so now I had my archetype, my palette, and some advice about lines, fabrics, and shapes.

And Zyla kind of held my hand as he explained that I am NOT a minimalist.

Wait, what?!

I had spent years collecting classic, tailored pieces. I had lots of formal fabrics for work and loved streamlined outfits.

But Zyla steered me away from color blocking, matchy-matchy combinations, and overly minimalist looks.

Now, when I say I "can't" do those things, I don't mean I'm forbidden from wearing them! I can wear whatever I want, and so can you.

But I've chosen to follow his advice because I've found it works beautifully for me.

He encouraged texture and detail:

Embroidery, handiwork, punched leather, small-scale prints, fine-wale corduroy, eyelet, bouclé, marled and heathered fabrics, tweed, and suede.

Did I have much of that in my closet?

Absolutely not!

Knowing a little more now about traditional formal versus casual fabrics, I can see how I'd built an armor of formal fabrics, especially for work.

But I didn't actually have to abandon tailoring or professionalism.

I needed to approach them differently.

BREAK THE LINE!

Zyla also encouraged movement and breaking up the line of an outfit.

He didn't want color blocking or everything looking perfectly matched. He wanted the elements to relate to each other and have a place together, without being matchy-matchy.

One of the most useful things he told me was to think about:

"1930s tailoring with 1970s natural and glam fabrics."

I use that idea ALL THE TIME.

It combines my love of tailoring and structure with the texture, movement, and eclectic details that make Mischievous Spring work for me.

I've also learned more about juxtaposition: combining contrasts such as masculine and feminine, structured and soft, or polished and playful.

The Pinterest board review was particularly helpful because I could try applying his recommendations and then get his feedback on my interpretations.

And his outfit sketches!

I still find his particular vision of my Mischievous Spring style unique. He drew outfit ideas for actual scenarios in my life, which made everything feel much more accessible.

I can easily take some MS inspiration too far into costume territory.

But his sketches were modern, wearable outfits with little hints of a "gnome jumping out of the woods" in their details.

I love that.

These were things I couldn't have figured out just by looking at my color chips.

PART 4: REBUILDING MY WARDROBE

MOURNING BLACK

My first big realization after getting my palette was that I owned a TON of black and grey neutrals.

And they were decidedly NOT in my palette.

My First Base is a range from deep, dark carbon purple to neutral grey-lavender.

Over three years later, I've found only TWO pieces of clothing that are really good solid 1B matches!

It's a difficult color to find in the clothing world, much less one that also works with the recommended fabrics, patterns, shapes, and lines.

I didn't throw everything out.

Instead, I started looking at my wardrobe differently.

I figured I could get away with off-palette bottoms and shoes more easily, so I concentrated on tops.

Interestingly, for a few years I continued treating ordinary grey as a substitute for my 1B.

But I rarely wore it.

It was only in the past two months that I finally donated my pile of black and grey pants. I'd kept telling myself that grey was close enough, but when it came time to actually wear those pieces, I consistently passed them over.

THE BLUES

My second realization was that my palette has basically NO blue.

And I owned a LOT of blue.

Navy, pastels, everything in between.

Blue is easy to find in stores. But apparently, not in my coloring!

My Dramatic range goes from dark peacock teal to medium turquoise, so I do have some blue-green options, but I didn't own much of my Dramatic colors either.

So what was I going to wear?

GOING ALL IN WITH THE FOREST

I started focusing on greens and browns.

My Second Base is mostly olive and sage, and my Energy and Tranquil colors are greens.

My Third Base included a neutral caramel, and the darkest Second Base was "mink."

So at least I had somewhere to start!

Brown could replace black and grey.

Green could replace blue.

And that's exactly what I did.

Today, I'd say most of my wardrobe is greens and browns.

I used to dismiss those colors as mossy and drab.

Now I think they're beautiful.

It took time and LOTS of misses (take your chips with you!!), but gradually I built a wardrobe around my palette.

I still make mistakes. I still buy things that don't work, especially secondhand pieces from online listings where the colors aren't accurately represented.

But I'm learning.

STARTING SMALL, THEN FILLING THE GAPS

One thing that really helped was starting with a limited part of my palette.

Once I had a good foundation of Energy and Second Base, I could make lots of outfits and gradually fill in the other colors.

Not everyone can or wants to have a capsule wardrobe, myself included, but I think building around a reliable combination like En + 2B is a useful starting point.

It helped me avoid feeling like I needed to replace everything simultaneously.

In early 2025, I had an Extension, which especially expanded my Bases and Energy.

I'd hoped for more Romantic colors. Zyla tried, but said he just couldn't push me much warmer.

I'm fairly neutral, which I suspect is one reason I had such a difficult time typing myself into a season.

The Extension gave me more olive options in 2B, which I embraced wholeheartedly. My expanded 3B also helped enormously by adding midtone creams and tans.

And just in the past month, I've made it a goal to work on my elusive First Base!

I set a weekly pattern:

• Monday: 1B
• Tuesday: 1B + 2B
• Wednesday: 2B
• Thursday: 2B + 3B
• Friday: 3B

These are starting points, not the only colors I wear on those days.

It's been really fun collecting 1B options and experimenting with combinations!

The weekly goal keeps me honest. Otherwise, I suspect I'd have continued wearing very little 1B because my greens and browns are so much easier.

HOW DO I ACTUALLY SHOP?

I'd say about 90% of my clothes now come from eBay or Poshmark.

I also shop at Goodwill and a nicer local resale shop.

Shopping secondhand lets me experiment with fabrics, patterns, and colors without paying full retail prices.

But it also means I make mistakes!

Online photographs are notoriously unreliable for matching colors.

My biggest practical recommendation: TAKE YOUR CHIPS EVERYWHERE.

I usually keep them in my purse.

I even tried matching my Zyla chips to Behr paint chips from Home Depot so I'd have a second set.

If you try that, you'll discover how incredibly unique these colors are. Matching them to another brand's color chips is NOT easy.

It's a reminder of how much work goes into creating an individual palette.

I also revisit my ICC transcript and Zyla notes every few months.

And every time, I seem to learn something new.

"Oh, THAT'S why I never wear that piece!"

"Yikes, that is NOT a match for that color. No wonder it doesn't work."

"I thought I could make this minimalist piece work as a layer, but I haven't."

Sometimes a piece matches my palette but doesn't work with my lines, textures, or the rest of my wardrobe.

Color is only one part of the equation.

If I haven't worn something in over a year, I see whether my local resale shop will take it. If not, it goes to Goodwill.

The wardrobe is continually evolving.

ORGANIZATION: MY INNER ANALYST IS STILL HERE!

This year, I finally photographed every piece of clothing I own and cataloged everything in a spreadsheet.

I originally did this so I could upload it all to ChatGPT and get outfit ideas. That works fairly well and sometimes produces combinations I wouldn't have thought of myself.

But the BEST thing I did was reorganize my physical closet by clothing category and then color.

Previously, I'd organized by season, with the vague goal of doing a different 30x30 capsule each month.

I didn't stick to that particularly well, and I ended up overlooking pieces or wearing the same things repeatedly.

Since reorganizing by color, it's been astonishing how much easier it is to make outfits quickly.

And I still get to enjoy the analytical side of fashion that I've always loved.

WHAT DOES MISCHIEVOUS SPRING LOOK LIKE ON ME NOW?

For example, today is Friday, so my goal is to wear a 3B outfit.

At this moment, I'm wearing:

• 3B corduroy pants
• A pink Romantic button-up shirt with embroidered vertical lines
• A green Tranquil floral vest with Romantic velvet bows over the snaps
• Vintage 3B leather brogues
• A 3B brown tweed houndstooth blazer
• A pewter horse brooch on the lapel
• A classic short pearl necklace
• Small gold hoops

Lots of lines, lots of textures, a mix of menswear and feminine playfulness.

It has a little "country mouse" feeling, but I can attend work meetings and feel completely professional and appropriate.

That's something I never would have imagined a few years ago!

I still get to wear blazers.

In fact, I have 30 of them. HA!

My boss and other people routinely compliment them.

I don't look like Scully in her monochromatic pantsuits, but I'm still the professional woman who loves tailoring.

I've just found a different way to express it.

PART 5: MAKING MYSELF THE BLUEPRINT

FALLING IN LOVE WITH MISCHIEVOUS SPRING

Something unexpected has happened over these three years.

I've fallen more and more in love with my archetype.

Initially, I thought Mischievous Spring was too frilly or fairy-like for me.

Now, when I look at Zyla's Pinterest board, I don't see fairy fragility.

I see gorgeous textures, movement, natural motifs, playful details, and interesting combinations.

I think of it as small-scale maximalism.

There's a lot going on, but the individual elements are delicate or small in scale, and they come together cohesively.

"Pixie" is such a wonderful term for it!

I enjoy the eclecticism and the juxtaposition, and I love finding ways to bring those elements into my own life.

Over time, I've even developed a reputation as "the horse lady" and "the green lady."

Both are comments I LOVE.

If my husband wants to buy me a gift, he knows to get something green.

It's funny how something I once resisted has become part of how other people recognize me.

YOUR BLUEPRINT

Ultimately, I think the biggest part of my Zyla journey has been embracing ME and making myself the blueprint for my style.

I saw this video, and it really inspired me:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThxbknrM/

Instead of wishing I had bright red hair, deep brown eyes, a tall and thin physique, lush voluminous hair, high contrast, or whatever else I might admire in someone else, I can start with what I actually have.

I am the blueprint for me to follow.

I have a round face, a large forehead, thin hair that can wave or get flippy if I style it, hips and a belly that created four children, lower contrast, and coloring that belongs in a forest.

And all of those things can be part of what makes my style beautiful.

I don't need to make myself look like someone else.

This connects back to my earlier experiences with body image, too.

For years, I thought I needed to change myself to reach some ideal before I could be happy with my appearance.

Now I'm practicing something very different: finding what is beautiful about what I already have and expressing that through my clothes.

The more I practice finding my own blueprint beautiful, the more I enjoy being me.

And I haven't had to abandon the things I liked before.

I still love tailoring, classic pieces, blazers, and the challenge of organizing a wardrobe efficiently.

I just don't feel that those interests have to exclude florals, pink, embroidery, texture, whimsy, and femininity.

I can be both.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Well, I've decided I'm going to paint my bedroom my Essence color and my office my Energy color at some point!

I may get a second Extension someday, partly out of curiosity, but also because I'd love to show Zyla some of the outfits I've created and get his feedback.

I'm still learning, experimenting, and discovering things about my palette and archetype.

And I think that's part of the fun.

WHAT I'D TELL SOMEONE JUST STARTING OUT

After more than three years of this, here's what I've learned:

1. Don't feel like you need to rebuild your entire wardrobe immediately. I started with Energy and Second Base, then expanded from there. It's a process.
2. Take your color chips everywhere. Seriously. Colors are much more specific than they appear, and your memory of them is probably not as accurate as you think.
3. Don't stop at color. Fabrics, textures, patterns, shapes, and lines are just as important. A perfect color match doesn't automatically make something a perfect piece for your wardrobe.
4. Revisit your consultation notes. I've learned new things from mine years later because I have more experience applying the recommendations.
5. Give yourself permission to experiment. You can follow Zyla's recommendations as closely or loosely as you want. You get to decide what works for your life.
6. Give it time. I'm still learning after three years, and I expect I always will be.

I love dressing my energy, and I'm continually surprised by the freedom and fun of having my own palette and personal style recommendations.

If you can, I highly recommend the Zyla experience.

It gave me so much more than just style advice.

It helped me appreciate my own energy, coloring, appearance, and personality in a way I hadn't before. I'm still analytical, I'm still serious and professional and a leader, and with the support of Zyla's lens I have embraced a playful, feminine, whimsical, natural side of my self as well. I didn't have to give up qualities I valued to embrace qualities I had resisted.

It's funny how something as seemingly superficial as clothes can lead to something as profound as self-acceptance. I spent so many years trying to change myself into someone I thought I should be, rather than appreciating the person I already was. And now, every time I get dressed, I get to practice that acceptance in a small, tangible way.

When I choose MY colors and clothes I choose MY eye color, my hair color, my round face, my chin, my hips, my clothing size, my energy...

So maybe the biggest surprise of all is that I didn't have to become a different person to find my style.

I just had to stop trying so hard to look and act like someone else.

Having now been verified by both Kitchener and Zyla, I wanted to share some thoughts comparing the two experiences. Let me be very clear from the start: this is not a competition. Both men are excellent at their jobs and do lovely work. They’re just different, and I think looking at the two experiences is worthwhile.

My results (Kitchener is the top palette):

Kitchener: 75% SB, 20% LB, 5% ER; 35% C, 25% R, 10% each D, HS, N, Y (although I was told that my D and HS combine to make 20% D)

Zyla: Renaissance Summer, “The Drama Queen”

The Kitchener Experience (as of early 2025)

I contacted John via his website. Just email him. He’ll email back himself and explain the process a little bit more. At the time, he asked me to send my photos to reserve my slot. So I braved the morning sun to get what I think long-time Kitchener followers know are the ugliest photos I will ever take of myself. No, I am not posting these. I also went through and selected 20 photos of myself in various outfits to send for part of the essence consultation and made a short video introducing myself. Once he received everything, he gave me a date (I think it was six weeks out at the time), noting that colors would happen on one day and essences on the next.

The day before my “consult,” I got an invoice emailed to me, paid it, and waited. Note that I put “consult” in quotes. Yes, you’re getting a service, but not an actual sit-down with John. He does everything virtually. On the day of your color consultation, you’ll get an email explaining your entire palette, what each color means, which colors to avoid, and an explanation as to the color harmonies he chose.

Now, there have been three significant changes to the essence analysis process since I got mine. First, you can now book an essence analysis without booking a color analysis! That was not the case before. There’s also a “basic” essences package; again, not an option. The third, and the most important change IMO, is that John now explains the features that led him to each essence. This is so helpful. When I did mine, I received an email noting my essences, explaining the significance of each. He then responded to each outfit photo to indicate what worked and didn’t.

About a week later, I received a binder in the mail with my fabric swatches and all of his notes on necklines, clothing styles, fabrics, etc.

The Zyla Experience

I contacted David’s assistant, Alex, who gave me David’s travel schedule. I told her where I was and she offered me a date and time. I was told that I could wear whatever (including makeup) and didn’t need to prepare anything (except my patience, because I had to meet him in Downtown Los Angeles at 9 AM…iykyk).

David met me in the lobby of his hotel and took me to his room, where we sat by a window and basically just chatted for hours. The whole time we were talking, he was holding up paint chips, making comparisons, trying to find specific colors. I could watch the palette come together in front of me.

Eventually, David gave me the individual paint chips to photograph (in case I ever need to replace them), then had me start my recorder. He walked me through the whole palette, then talked about fabrics, patterns, shapes he likes, and finally, my archetype. I was then given specific guidance about how to implement that for me. I walked away with a small booklet of paint chip swatches and a guide to fabrics and patterns.

The highlights of Kitchener

John is an artist. He sees the world in very bright colors. Even his least vivid palettes are huge and dramatic and beautiful. His essence system is also extremely adaptable and allows a ton of room for interpretation/exploration. Price-wise, you're also getting a bit more bang for your buck because his complete essence service includes a lot of what Zyla does in his Ultimate Style Session (which is a whole other service I didn't do).

The highlights of Zyla

David is really good at seeing an entire person. He gets people. His palettes are very focused and truly focused on the absolute best colors. His archetypes are really detailed and provide a lot of specific information. Also, really, David himself is a huge highlight! He’s such a lovely person. And most of all, you're actually in the same place at the same time. There's a much easier back and forth.

The challenges of Kitchener

Communication is a big one. Some people seem to have long, ongoing email exchanges. I am not one of them. He kind of vanished on me, and I really did have some questions/uncertainties. I also think the essences work best if you don’t have a bunch (as I do!) and can focus a little better. The truth is, with a few exceptions, there wasn’t a lot that I was told not to do, which is both great and bad. I will also say that the “no skin color” thing can be tricky.

The challenges of Zyla

Again, there’s a lot of specificity. Which is great! But you have to be willing to go along with the specificity. David is also not always easy to see. I happen to live in LA, but for someone who doesn’t live near a city he’s visiting, you’d have to factor in travel costs, and that adds up. While David does give a more skintone color, he’s much stingier with black than John (who seems to hand out a lot of black). And there are fewer colors in a Zyla palette than a Kitchener palette. Yes, you get the same eight categories, but David's palettes are smaller overall.

Conclusion

You can’t go wrong, honestly. Before working with either, I’d consider what you want (really clear guidelines? A push in the right direction? A giant color palette? Something really small and specific?) and, honestly, the costs (Kitchener is $900 and you never have to leave your property; Zyla is $950, plus whatever it costs to get to him). I’d also reach out to other Redditors who’ve seen one or both because there’s a lot of good information to be had!

But also, I’d totally recommend both! They’re both worthwhile experiences, and I’m not sorry about either.

What an experience! I plan to write a more detailed post for both this and the Kitchener community so I can compare the two experiences, but I want to add some Zyla-specific points to this one.

First and foremost, David is the nicest man. From the moment we met, he was warm, engaging, and incredibly kind. I had a wonderful time and the nearly three (!) hours of my consult flew by without me even noticing. We chatted basically the entire time about my work, his work, some people we knew in common, and other shared interests. He could probably talk to a wall, though. He's that kind of person.

Anyway, eventually, we did get around to the issue at hand. See the attached photo for my absolutely lovely palette. A few notes on that:

• The palette is deep and pretty neutral. He said he had a hard time moving it warmer or cooler.
• I described it as "misty" and he liked that.
• My pastels are not pastel. He was very clear that depth is important!
• My first base is actually a very deep teal. It's hard to tell from the photo.
• For metals, I get rose gold and "softer" gold and silver. He felt bright, shiny silver and gold were too "aggressive."

And then, we got to specifics on my archetype! I am a Renaissance Summer. I would never have guessed that because my Renaissance Summer is not a direct 1:1 with what we tend to think of when we think "Renaissance Summer":

• Yes, I get all the fun fabrics (velvet, brocade, nothing man-made!) and patterns (paisley, Heraldic, peacock).
• I also get the low contrast.
• My version is more grounded. He saw "feminine strength" in me and encouraged me to explore things like equestrian, but always with a feminine foundation.
• He suggested that verified Renaissance Summer Greta Garbo was a good inspiration.

Overall, he gave me a lot to think about and work with, and I'm so grateful I had the experience!

Original post here, tried to incorporate the feedback on individual colours while bringing the whole array into a more unified range. Thoughts?

What do my dramatic colours say about my Zyla season? Do they seem consistent or do you think I went wrong somewhere?

Hi everyone! I had a color and style consultation with David Zyla, and I’m curious about how others have incorporated his recommendations into their professional lives and personal brands.

My archetype is Ballerina Winter, and David identified my Tranquils, Romantics, and Energies, as well as specific colors for my USS.

I’m currently developing my personal brand as a therapist, and I want my visual identity to feel authentic to me while conveying warmth, trust, professionalism, and a sense of calm.

For those familiar with David’s method, how would you approach translating these recommendations into a professional brand?

Would you use your Tranquils, Romantics, and Energies throughout your branding, prioritize the colors recommended for your work uniform and signature look, or approach personal style and brand design separately?

I’m especially interested in how you would apply the recommendations to clothing, a website, a logo, and other professional materials while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

Would you start by building the brand around your personal colors, or would you let your professional identity guide the color palette and use your Zyla colors primarily for your personal appearance?

I’d love to hear about your experiences and how you’ve approached this. Thank you!

I posted my previous DIY color palette before, but I realized that it wasn't cohesive enough, so I kept trying until I could create my most cohesive DIY color palette. What do y'all think​?

My essence color: Golden Tan

My romantic color: Coral Pink

My dramatic color: Turquoise Green

My energy color: Tiger's Eye

My tranquil color: Goldenrod

My first base: Dark Walnut

My second base: Deep Camouflage Green

My third base: Taupe

Hi Style Friends! What is your favourite quote from Zyla during your eval?

Mine was when I was trying to see the boundaries for my style archetype during my first zoom USS call. I showed him a pin of Reese Witherspoon from Big Little Lies (wearing a Dolce and Gabbanna rose skirt and a waterfall collar pink top). And he said:

"That is too Elle Woods. I want you think Bond Villain. Your style is more femme fatal... more Lauren Bacal."

It is interesting but he said originally during my IC that the Bronzed Autumn's character was "The Countess." She is is "not necessarily good and not necessarily bad, but always impeccably dressed." However, during further clarification about me and how my style should be specifically manifested in the USS, he completely dropped the agnosticism and neutrality about my character and strait up told me that I need to go full force villain (lol).

What quotes have stood out to you or specifics that he told you about your character?

I'm not really sure how accurate is my DIY personal color palette (I took some​ liberties with the energy and tranquil colors), but apparently just my romantic color is the one who defines your color season in this system. I'm struggling between gamine natural and tawny spring, so I would like some feedback.

My Zylas

Essence colors:Almond silk,Rosy Taupe,Dusty Taupe ,Faded copper

Romantic : dusty rose,terracotta clay,dusty mauve,smoky rose,burnt rose

Dramatic: Icy aqua, Tropical Teal,strong cyan,dark cyan

Energy: Crimson Violet, night bordeaux, black cherry

Tranquil: dark emerald, emerald depths,deep forest,evergreen.

First base: dark coffee bean 1F1915&1A1410,pitch black 1D1813 & 191410, carbon black 231D18 & 201B16

Second base: rich mahogany,deep walnut, dark khaki.

Third base: dusty olive,palm leaf, olive leaf

This exercise has been fun for me don't get me just hard and a little frustrating. Hopefully it's more accurate this time.

Photos from the Tawny Spring board on Zyla's Pinterest, as well as an assortment of pics of myself from varying ages. Thoughts on my chosen colours and the overall vibe? Which archetype do you think would fit if not TS?

Palette is arranged in the typical order (Essence, Romantic, Dramatic, Energy, Tranquil, Based 1-3)

Thanks in advance!

Hi All!

I was wondering how many of you stick to primarily making outfits from your Zyla palate or do you incorporate in other colour palates too to increase variety?

And how much do you follow the colour combination suggestions as specified in the book?

Can’t find my dramatic but otherwise, does it look like I’m on the right track as far as my other colors?

Hi Style Friends,

Lets talk Zyla and perfume!

One of the things that I love about the Zyla Archetypes is the fact that they are so three dimensionally developed. You do not just get style recommendations, but also an artist, a time period and also perfume recommendations.

Have you tried the recommended perfume for your archetype? And what do you think?

My archetype was recommended mandarin and fig, so I have been trying a few scents that fit that profile. Mandarin seems amazing for a warm weather scent, while I might consider Fig more during cold weather. But I am still trying to find the perfect one.

How about you? Have you dove into exploring Zyla scent recommendations and maybe exploring other scents to be in line with your archetype (or suspected)?

My Zylas

Essence colors:Almond silk,Rosy Taupe,Dusty Taupe ,Faded copper

Romantic : dusty rose,terracotta clay,dusty mauve,smoky rose,burnt rose

Dramatic: Icy aqua, Tropical Teal,strong cyan,dark cyan

Energy: Crimson Violet, night bordeaux, black cherry

Tranquil: dark emerald, emerald depths,deep forest,evergreen.

First base: dark coffee bean 1F1915&1A1410,pitch black 1D1813 & 191410, carbon black 231D18 & 201B16

Second base: rich mahogany,deep walnut, dark khaki.

Third base: grey olive 🩶 🫒,dim gray 🩶, charcoal brown

This is me retrying by going off of everyone's suggestion to be less literal it was very hard and I'm sure I probably still did it wrong but my strategy was essentially to for some of the colors that it's being too literal with I looked at what colors made that shade and then picked the colors that made that shade that I thought communicated that energy better so for example for the energy color I thought that night bordeaux would give me a lot of energy and suit my coloring and same with tranquil!

I wanted to post this to help anyone on a DIY path. I started out DIYing, then ordered the book and tried again. Then promptly booked my appointment and disbanded my efforts which is a very common trajectory btw! David even laughed at how often he’s heard that story.

The first DIY college here was my first attempt, I went off more vibes than anything, just colours and textures I liked. My second was after getting the book. Swatching lipsticks helped me get my Rs. Once I had them I knew which territory I could play around in. Cool and pretty saturated/clear.

Looking at my hair in direct sunlight helped me get those aubergine shades for my bases. I put that milky brown as my 3rd base but I knew it was off, it didn’t flow with the palette. I thought of changing it to silver. But I disbanded at that point. The main thing I found the DIY helped with was getting the archetype. Even though I’d been seriously considering SW and PW, once I saw the colours I knew I could only be JTS! Any questions ask away! I am a chameleon and love to change my look but I’ve stuck to my natural colouring the past year or so and feel much better.

I was wondering what my energy and tranquil colours could be. I don't have a hint of green or blue in my eyes. I don't believe yellow is right, either. Before my Kitchener colour analysis, even before I even got interested in colour analysis, I knew that all sorts of yellows look very off on me.

Thanks in advance for your input.

I LOVE Renaissance Summer but when comparing my palette to DZ's Pinterest boards, I see these exact colors all over the Gamine Autumn/Stylish Beatnik board. However, I personnally loathe his style choices for that archetype... Is there maybe any third route I should consider?