What’s Your Power Color
New Billings business helps you answer that question
What’s your go-to color that you pull from your closet? Is it one that flatters? Is it one that gives your confidence a boost? If you’re not quite sure the answer to those questions, there’s a new business in town that’s helping people find their power colors. Kaitlyn Bolotas is a stylist for House of Colour, a franchise that specializes in color analysis. She recently sat down for a little Q&A on how we can all tap into our own personal power colors.
Q. Tell me a little about yourself. Have you always been interested in fashion?
A. I grew up here in Billings, moved away for college, and then I came back almost 10 years ago and have been here ever since. I am married and we have a wild 2-year-old son who is just the best! I was never into fashion growing up. My "fashion" was a pair of jeans and a T-shirt or my volleyball gear. It's funny that now I own a House of Colour franchise that is all about fashion and style. I'm so passionate about helping women look and feel their best. It just goes to show how much my own color and style analysis changed my life.
Q. Why is color analysis important?
A. Everyone can relate to the confidence boost we feel when we're wearing clothes that make us look and feel good. House of Colour shows you how to incorporate colors and styles into your wardrobe in a way that feels authentic to your own personality. During a color analysis, we determine your season, which essentially means we find the colors that harmonize best with your skin, complementing your natural beauty, and making you shine!
Q. What should people expect from their consultation?
A. Above all, I tell people to allow themselves to be excited about what is about to happen! Your appointment will take around two hours and you will leave with all the knowledge and tools you need to move forward. We go over clothing colors, your best metals, hair color and your season's best denim. You get to leave with a color fan and book which both make your color journey easier.
Q. How does makeup play into the House of Colour?
A. When you're wearing the right colors, you can actually wear less makeup! While the color analysis process is based on your undertones, your makeup is matched to your overtones. During your appointment, after we determine your season, we find your best shades of makeup. All of our makeup is categorized by season so that you can be extremely confident you are wearing colors that harmonize with your skin. Our quick 90-second makeup routine consists of our dual mineral foundation, finding your signature blush, mascara and your season's three points of red with lipstick. Most women tell me they have always struggled finding a good blush color. Knowing your season takes all the guess work out of that.
Q. What is your favorite part of the consultation?
A. My favorite part is when we try on the different lipstick colors. Women are either terrified of a lip color (I know I was) or they are used to wearing something, just not the right colors. When we match the lipstick to the corresponding drape and they get to see how beautiful they are. It is such a fun thing to observe.
Q. What are the hottest trends and how they can be related to your color palette?
A. Pink is totally in right now and I love it. There's something about wearing pink that makes a woman feel empowered — but it must be the right shade of pink! When I was in the process of opening my franchise, my grandma told me a story of when she was working, years ago. She bought an expensive pink pant suit but never wore it because when she got it home, she didn't like the way it looked on her. A while later she had her colors done and she realized she didn't like it because it was the wrong shade of pink. So pink is great and all but if you're not wearing your best pink, it may not have the same effect on you as the right one will.
Going the opposite direction from pink, lots of girlies are in their neutral era. Monochromatic looks in neutral colors are a big trend. But did you know every single neutral color has a specific undertone? Each color season has 10 to 15 neutrals, so even if you want to live your best neutral life, let's find your best ones! You will shine in your best neutrals because they will harmonize with your natural coloring.
Q. How did you get started with House of Colour?
A. I had my colors done in November 2022 and style in February of this year. After I knew it was something I wanted to pursue, it was a quick turnaround for funding, setting up a studio, paying the franchise fee, and going to training. I was able to open the doors to my studio at the end of May and have not once looked back.
Q. What motivated you to open House of Colour ?
A. When I opened my franchise, the closest gal was about six hours away. I knew House of Colour was something Billings desperately needed and not everyone has the time and ability to travel that far. And because of how life changing color and style analysis was for me, I knew I had to provide that same experience for the women on Billings. A big goal I have is I want to open a retail store front where we can have our studio for appointments and also be able feature local vendors who sell products, like jewelry for example, that can be categorized by season.
TO HAVE YOUR COLOR & STYLE ANALYSIS done, you can book your consultation at hocwestbillings.com. If you mention YVW in the booking notes, you’ll get a $10 rebate.
PHOTO CAPTION: Because there are so many shades of “Barbie” pink, I found mine in the winter palette with shades of deep fuchsia and raspberry.
WHAT HUE IS YOUR YOU?
A look at the four color seasons:
Winter: Cool, bright & high contrast
Summer: Cool, smoky & soft
Autumn: Warm, rich & earthy
Spring: Warm, bright, & splashy
