3 Things Colors are Teaching Me

A few months ago, I heard about Created Colorful while listening to a podcast. This virtual color consultation service helps identify the color palette that highlights your natural features and avoid colors that wash you out. My first thought? How is this a real thing people do!? Growing up, we wore what we found on sale racks, y punto. As an adult, my one personal style rule has been comfort. I love to admire fashion trends, but I always default back to what I'm comfortable in, and for the last decade, neutrals have been my comfort. Yet here I was, 30 minutes into this podcast episode, and I, the forever-in-neutrals girl, was curious about my knockout colors.

To my surprise and despite my aversion to change, I booked a consult. After submitting a questionnaire and a couple rounds of photos, I received my results. I held my breath, scrolled down, and read - Deep Autumn—Best Colors Mantra: Deep, Warm, and Earthy. Your colors will look like they can be found in nature. My palette consisted of blues, olive greens, browns, and red-oranges, and that felt like a homecoming. To the farm town girl in me, the one most at home surrounded by fields of orange groves, grape vines, and mountains, those colors were ones I already gravitated towards in other ways, jus not my wardrobe.

It may seem silly, but this color consultation experience became a conversation between God and me about how I've often avoided new things, second-guessed my gut, and counted myself out in more ways than just my wardrobe. Here are three things my colors are teaching me:

1.You Can be True to You and Try Something New

You can love what you love while challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone. I will still unashamedly rock a neutral outfit every now and then, and I will wear my knockout colors. In both instances, I will still be fully me. Beyond our closets, we can be content with our lives while simultaneously refusing to settle into conformity. We can love where we are and what we have while remaining expectant and open to the new thing. What a gift that we get to be confident in who we are and also, be free enough to change, grow and evolve.

2.Investment Requires Intention

It is not lost on me what a luxury a service like this is. Once I decided to book, I committed to following through and actually trying the colors I might have never considered before. The first two colors that stood out in my palette were red-orange and cobalt blue. The next time I went shopping, I was intentional about giving these a shot. If we are going to invest our time, money, or energy into something, we must be intentional about following through regardless of how uncomfortable it may feel. This can be in anything, therapy, relationships, or a new business, investment produces growth when it’s followed by continued intention.

3.There's No One Way to be a Vibrant Latina

For a long time, I'd see other mujeres around me slay bold and bright colors but it felt like something that was just not me. I remember someone saying to me once, "You don’t dress like a Latina." What nonsense.

There’s no one way to be a vibrant Latina.

Different experiences? Yes.

Different skin colors? Yes.

Different styles and preferences? Si.

Different levels of Latinadad? Absolutely not.

Whether you love the bold colors or prefer a white T, you are Latina enough. Whether you speak fluent Spanish or consider yourself a "no-sabo" kid, you are Latina enough. Our vibrancy is more to do with the boldness we walk with than with the clothes we are in.

Amiga, God's design in you is individual and intentional; WEAR IT PROUDLY.

Con Amor, Ivette