I got my first set of drapes made up in Singapore in 2005. I went along to Spotlight at Plaza Singapura, picked out fabric in the different seasonal categories and took them to my tailor to get them cut out and stitched up beautifully.
I still have that original set of drapes and they are still perfect after all these years. They have survived several house moves and even a move across the world.
I love them but I rarely use them these days. You see, somewhere along the way I figured out how to tell the colours that suit you without having to drape you.
So the question is, do you actually need drapes to do a colour analysis?
The simple answer is no. I do colour analysis consultations every day without a drape in sight. However, don’t forget that I have spent several years wielding drapes and learnt how to use them so that I could show clients what I was seeing. I could show them how the wrong colour caused every line, wrinkle and blemish to be more obvious, whereas the right colour cleared the skin, made them look younger and was like a mini facelift.
Even though I don’t use drapes anymore, I can see the drapes in my ‘minds eye’ and imagine the effect this will have on the client.
The drapes work really well for people who are visual but of course everyone is not a visual learner and many of my clients could not see what I was seeing when I draped them. I also see this in my 5 Weeks to Online Colour Expert Training Program. Several of the consultants in there who found the drapes just confused them, are perfectly capable of doing colour analysis without the drapes. Drapes are just one of the tools that can be used in a successful colour analysis.
Despite this, I still think that if you are starting out as a colour consultant, then a simple set of drapes is a good idea. It will train your eye and give you confidence to be able to do colour analysis while showing the client exactly what you see. Eventually you will probably not need the drapes but you may decide to continue to use them, just because you like to and because you like showing your client the difference.
You can learn all about drapes and the minimum you need to get started in my Colour Analysis Made Simple Training & Support Group. All the training in the group is recorded and you will have lifelong access.