Meet Helen

Ever since my first set of Derwent pencils at age six, I’ve been obsessed with colour. It used to drive my family crazy.

“That’s not purple,” I’d pontificate. “It’s fuchsia.” Or magenta. Or mauve.

It didn’t help my shopping skills. Over the years I have told myself a lot of stories desperately trying to believe clothes into suiting me.

Curiosity about why I made so many mistakes led me to the 12-Tone colour system.

These days I understand why colours have such fascinating diversity. Exploring this world has been an adventure in science, art, history and psychology. Living all over the world has given me insight into how different cultures interpret and use colour. A career in marketing taught me the importance of colour in consumer behaviour, advertising and controlling a message.

I like to think I’m environmentally minded and appreciate the value of things but before I discovered the 12-Tone colour system, I wasted thousands of dollars on clothes I hardly wore, and bought a lot of low-standard fast fashion that I seemed to donate as quickly as purchase. These choices were unsustainable and made me feel guilty.

Now I’m a very different kind of shopper. I’m empowered and invulnerable to retail persuasion. I know exactly what suits me and never feel disappointed if I come home empty-handed. I have a smaller wardrobe of quality items that mix and match effortlessly and get worn all the time.

In 2017, I formalised my knowledge and become a certified 12-Tone Colour Analyst under the guidance of colour maven Amelia Butler at True Colour International.

My goal is to assist others navigate the treacherous world of shopping and find an alternative path towards looking and feeling great - one that respects the unique beauty inherent in each and every one of us.

Learning about colour introduced a sense of fun, practicality and creativity into my everyday styling.

Now it is one of the most joyful aspects of my life.