Connect with us

Published

on

Like all good (just about) millennials, my Instagram algorithm knows me better than anyone else.

Who and what do I spend my scroll time with? Dogs, mainly. Celebs in the ’90s, holiday cabins that are all floor-to-ceiling glass and breathtaking views and eyewatering prices. More dogs.

But over the past few months, something else has crept in: bare faces with swatches of different coloured fabric draped across their chests like rainbow napkins, their features brightening or dulling as the bibs are changed with a flourish by a stylist.

Celebrities in their colour seasons (clockwise from top left): Kim Kardashian, winter; Beyonce, autumn; Taylor Swift, spring; Rihanna, summer. Pics: AP
Image:
Celebrities in their colour seasons (clockwise from top left): Kim Kardashian, winter; Beyonce, autumn; Taylor Swift, spring; Rihanna, summer. Pics: AP

Pictures of celebrities with rainbow borders framing their faces fill my feed, sometimes with before and digitally altered “after” images side-by-side, showing how different our favourite stars might look with, say, a slightly warmer blonde tone to their hair, or in a silver dress rather than gold.

Welcome to the world of colour analysis – the science, the stylists say, behind the clothes that make you look good.

Like Avon parties, shoulder pads and blancmange, knowing your colour season was de rigueur in the 1980s, before the 1990s ushered in a more laidback approach, followed by instructions on What Not To Wear and How To Look Good Naked, focusing on body shape, in the noughties.

But colour styling is back.

Kim Kardashian in 2019. Pic: RW/MediaPunch /IPX
Image:
Kim Kardashian is apparently a winter, which means she looks best in cool tones – and suits silver more than gold. Pic: RW/MediaPunch /IPX


In the past year or so, the trend has exploded on social media thanks to demand from millennials and Gen Zs who have discovered the power of knowing your season – search for #colouranalysis or #coloranalysis and you’ll find around 300,000 posts on Instagram alone, with similar numbers on TikTok.

Colour stylists say that not only is it a fun way to look at fashion, it’s also sustainable and a cost-saver – the idea being that if you know your colours, you’re not going to waste money on items that don’t optimise your looks.

What is colour styling?

Stylist Francesca Cairns says her followers have massively increased due to the rising popularity of colour analysis. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns
Image:
Stylist Francesca Cairns says her followers have massively increased due to the rising popularity of colour analysis. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns

The idea is that every single person’s features can be classified into a set of shades associated with spring, summer, autumn or winter – broken down further into 12 sub-seasons such as “true spring” or “bright winter” – and from this palette you can take guidance on the colours that suit you best, not just for clothing but also for make-up and hair.

Winters look great in jewel tones such as emerald green, or neon brights, while autumns suit the colours you associate with the season – mustard, cinnamon, dark moss green. Springs are warm, bright and clear, summers more soft and subtle. But your season is not just about how you look on the outside, and some might surprise you.

Watching the switching of colour drapes, or scrolling through the digital equivalent, can feel like a magic trick; a glow-up without a hint of highlighter or hair dye. Stylists assure this is #nofilter and there is no digital trickery going on here; the wrong colours will wash you out, but the right colour on the right person could well make your eye bags and wrinkles all but melt away.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

Having watched this content from various colour stylists over the past few months, I have learned a lot about seasons, palettes and contrast, and undertone v overtone, warm v cool, clear v muted. I have learned that you might share the same eye, skin and natural hair colour as someone else and still be in a different season. That your colour season is not about skin colour or even tone.

And that, apparently, despite black being a go-to or a comfort blanket for many, it’s only – brace yourselves – those in the winter palette who truly suit it.

So now, in the interest of journalism, I’m finding out for myself.

Anyone who knows me will know my wardrobe is on the brighter side. I think I’m a spring. I hope I’m a spring. Am I a spring?

Beyonce' accepts the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Monday, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Image:
Beyonce’s recent platinum look is a shift from the autumn season. Pic: AP/Chris Pizzello

Have I been wearing the ‘wrong’ colours all my life?

I have my colours done by Francesca Cairns, a UK stylist of 10 years who says she has seen her Instagram following grow from about 10,000 to 500,000 across two accounts in the past 12 months or so, all thanks to colour analysis.

“It’s boomed, especially in the last year,” she says. “Gen Z want to learn about what works for them so they can create wardrobes that are sustainable. People are obsessed with it, it’s everywhere.”

Francesca works online, with clients internationally as well as in the UK, so needs photos. No make-up, natural lighting, standing in front of a window. I take about a million selfies before I find a couple that are vaguely passable and send them over, along with older pictures of myself over the years and some information: natural hair colour, (dark blonde/ mousey), eye colour (grey-green, a bit non-descript), how easily I tan (not bad) and my jewellery preference (silver; but, if I’m honest, this could well be a legacy from my frugal youth).

Gemma Peplow spring colours. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns
Image:
Am I a spring? Or maybe autumn (below)? Pics: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns

Gemma Peplow autumn colours. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns

Rather than draping with material in person, she surrounds your face with colour digitally, the style equivalent of Tinder, swiping yes on the shades that work, relegating the ones that don’t, to see a pattern.

It’s mainly about undertone – not skin colour (overtone), she says. The tricky thing? You can’t necessarily see it.

“When I look at someone, I’m putting silver and gold next to them, or very warm versus cool colours,” Francesca says. “I’m seeing which looks best next to their features, which one’s not overpowering them.”

The aim of wearing your best colours is to see your face first, before everything else, she says. The right colour will enhance your features, bring out your eyes. “You don’t want a dress to wear you,” Francesca says. “When you walk into a room, you want people to see your face and your features before your outfit. You want it to all be in harmony rather than overpowering you.”

Her process usually takes 48 hours, but Francesca has my results over to me the next day.

I am, it seems, not a spring.

Gemma Peplow summer colours. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns
Image:
Francesca believes the summer season suits me best – and says winter (below) is too high contrast. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns

Gemma Peplow winter colours. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns
Image:
Gemma Peplow winter colours. Pic: @imageconsultantmaidenhead/ @styledbyfrancescacairns

According to Francesca’s workings, I am a soft summer, just like Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel McAdams. I have a neutral undertone which leans cool, she tells me, with muted and soft colouring, subtle rather than high contrast. Baby blue, pine green, lavender, sage and taupe are on the list of recommended clothing colours, while ash brown and cool blonde are suggested for my hair (not too far off, but my highlights are probably on the warmer side).

I do own a fair bit of light blue denim, which is good, but I’m looking at all the bright greens, oranges and pinks in my wardrobe. This isn’t about my favourites, though, it’s about the ones that harmonise with my features best.

“It’s colour science,” Francesca says. “If someone’s got a warm undertone, nine out of 10 times they’re probably going to be in the spring or autumn seasons because they look better with a lot of warm tones most of the time. But if you’re neutral, you can border both the seasons.” As I’m neutral, she says some of the spring colours would work – but winter is too high contrast and cool-toned.

Someone with a high contrast – pale skin, dark hair, bright eyes, for example – can pull off high contrast colours such as cobalt blue and fuchsia pink. “But they might overpower someone who’s got softer features,” she says.

Rachel McAdams arrives at the world premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick" on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the USS Midway in San Diego. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Image:
In good company: Rachel McAdams is also a soft summer, according to Francesca. Pic: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP


Celebs in – and out – of season

It’s important to note that colour analysts don’t always agree. Some put Margot Robbie as a summer, for example, while others, including Francesca, say she’s a spring. Some say you have to do the analysis in person to be certain, while others say photos taken in the right conditions are enough.

I take an online colour quiz for a second opinion and it puts me as a spring, but this is without photographic evidence; I can’t help but think the result is probably something to do with the questions being mainly about the colours I’m drawn to and how I see myself.

Taylor Swift arrives at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit Gala, celebrating the opening of "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" on Monday, May 2, 2016, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Image:
Taylor Swift moved away from her season in 2016. Pic: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Francesca is confident in my summer analysis, but says I can lean into the spring palette. And this isn’t about throwing away an entire wardrobe, but potentially making tweaks.

“Colour analysis isn’t about restriction,” she says. “I’m an autumn. People ask me all the time if I still wear black? Yes, because 90% of my wardrobe before I did this was black. I’ll always wear black, but I’ll make it work for me better by wearing my make-up in my colours, or accessories round my face, wear black lower down or with a lower neckline.

“If you love a colour that’s not in your season it doesn’t mean you can’t wear it, it just means that you wear your colours with it or make it work for you in a different way. And when I post celebrities against different [background] colours, it can be quite subjective.”

Because being groomed and beautiful means stars often look good against all sorts of different shades.

“People might prefer them in a different [colour to their season] and that’s their opinion. But when it comes down to the trained eye and you know what you’re looking for, you see straight away why one palette works better than another.”

More from Sky News:
Incredible close-up photos of bees go on display
Britney Spears says paramedics turned up ‘illegally’ after twisting her ankle

Kim Kardashian (winter), Kate Middleton (summer) and Hailey Bieber (autumn) are celebrities you will usually find wearing their colour palettes, she says.

But wearing colours out of your season can pack a punch – think Taylor Swift‘s platinum white hair and dark lipstick look during the height of the Kim and Kanye feud in 2016, or Beyonce‘s current platinum look for the release of Cowboy Carter. Swift is a spring, apparently, while Beyonce is autumn.

“But I’m always training my eye, even now after years,” says Francesca. “You’ll always find that someone’s colours will always surprise you. And there’s no rule book – it’s all about having fun.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Liam Gallagher hits out at Edinburgh council after Oasis fans branded ‘rowdy’

Published

on

By

Liam Gallagher hits out at  Edinburgh council after Oasis fans branded 'rowdy'

Liam Gallagher has criticised a Scottish council for suggesting Oasis fans were “drunk, middle-aged and fat”.

The remarks were revealed following a freedom of information request that was sent to Edinburgh council – ahead of the band’s three sold-out shows in Scotland this August.

The documents expressed concerns that the Oasis Live ’25 tour would clash with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the world’s largest performance arts festival.

Liam Gallagher (left) and Noel Gallagher (right). Pic: PA.
Image:
Liam Gallagher (left) and Noel Gallagher. Pic: PA

One note warned that there would be a “substantial amount of older fans”, and that because “middle-aged men take up more room”, age and size should be considered in crowd control planning.

Another note suggested “medium to high intoxication” should be expected at the concert.

An additional remark said there was some “concern about crowds of Oasis on weekends as they are already rowdy, and the tone of the band”.

The Fringe is considered one of the world's largest performance arts festivals, with millions of attendees expected in August. Pic: PA.
Image:
The Fringe is one of the world’s largest performance arts festivals. File pic: PA

It also expressed concern for the “safety” at the Edinburgh Fringe – including for its performers.

“Many performers are considering not attending for that weekend,” one note read.

Liam Gallagher was not impressed – and left the following message for the council on his social media.

“To the Edinburgh council I’ve heard what you said about Oasis fans and quite frankly your attitude f****** stinks I’d leave town that day if I was any of you lot.”

In a second post, he said: “I’d love to see a picture of all the people on the Edinburgh council bet there’s some real stunning individuals.”

Liam Gallagher. Pic: AP.
Image:
Liam Gallagher said the council’s attitude towards fans ‘stinks’. Pic: AP

David Walker, from the Oasis Collectors Group, has described the comments as “a nasty, sneering stereotype”.

“It’s a jaundiced view,” he added.

Local councillor Margaret Graham said that it is usual practice for the council to “prepare extensively” for major city events.

The culture and communities convener also said: “We’re very proud to host the biggest and best events in Edinburgh throughout the year, which bring in hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy and provide unparalleled entertainment for our residents and visitors.

“As with any major event which takes place in the city, we prepare extensively alongside our partners to ensure the safety and best possible experience of everyone involved – and Oasis are no different.”

Noel Gallagher (L) and Liam Gallagher (R) at Wembley Stadium in 2008. The brothers will be back in Wembley for their upcoming concerts.
Image:
Noel Gallagher (left) and Liam Gallagher at Wembley Stadium in 2008. Pic: PA

Around 210,000 fans are expected to attend the three Edinburgh gigs.

Oasis made their comeback announcement in August last year – ahead of the 30th anniversary of their debut album Definitely Maybe, released on 29 August 1994.

Read more on Sky News:
Explosions reported in central Tehran
How the conflict between Israel and Iran unfolded
Helicopter crashes in India, killing seven Hindu pilgrims

Liam and Noel Gallagher’s return also marks 15 years since the last time the brothers performed together before their infamous fallout – which was prompted by a backstage brawl before a Paris festival in August 2009.

Liam damaged one of his elder brother’s guitars, causing Noel to dramatically quit – ending the partnership that had propelled them to fame and fortune.

“It is with some sadness and great relief… I quit Oasis tonight,” Noel later said in a statement. “People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”

The feud continued over the years, with the pair exchanging insults publicly – Liam on social media, Noel more when asked about his brother in interviews – but reportedly never speaking in person.

When his documentary As It Was was released in 2019, Liam told Sky News he had wanted to “break [Noel’s] jaw” after he apparently refused permission for Oasis music to be featured in the film.

But after 15 years, they have now made amends – giving thousands of Oasis fans the chance to see them play live once again.

Their top hits include Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger, Stand By Me, Lyla and The Importance of Being Idle.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Video game actor strike ends in US – but AI described as ‘direct threat’ to UK industry

Published

on

By

Video game actor strike ends in US - but AI described as 'direct threat' to UK industry

Video game actors in the US have ended their strike after nearly a year of industrial action, over the use of artificial intelligence by game studios. 

More than 2,500 US performers were barred from working on games impacted by the strike while the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) negotiated a deal with studios.

Now, after more than 11 months of discussions, a “tentative” agreement has been reached.

“Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains,” said SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

Actors were banned from working with major game makers like Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa, Insomniac Games, Take 2 and WB Games.

Demonstrators at the picket line outside Warner Bros. Studios oin August 2024. File pic: AP
Image:
Demonstrators at the picket line outside Warner Bros Studios in August 2024. File pic: AP

Other studios were also impacted by the strike, as actors took industrial action in solidarity.

“We are pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games,” said Audrey Cooling, spokesperson for the video game producers, to Sky News.

More on Artificial Intelligence

“It delivers historic wage increases of over 24% for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading AI provisions requiring transparency, consent and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games.”

In the UK, actors protested in solidarity with their American counterparts, while Equity, the UK actors’ union, called for a similar wide-reaching agreement between UK studios and actors.

Earlier this week, the British Film Institute (BFI) released a report detailing the risks posed by AI to the UK screen sector, including video games, and described it as a “direct threat”.

Read more from Sky News:
Powerful new supercomputer to be built in government U-turn
‘Trump’s anti-migrant rhetoric boosting UK’s tech industry’
Number of Nintendo Switch 2s sold in four days revealed

The scripts of more than 130,000 films and TV shows, YouTube videos, and databases of pirated books have been used to train AI models, according to the report.

Equity members protest outside the BAFTA Games Awards 2025. Pic: Mark Thomas
Image:
Equity members protest outside the BAFTA Games Awards 2025. Pic: Mark Thomas


AI poses a particular threat to some video game voice actors, according to one expert, because of the nature of their work creating animal or monster sound effects.

“The generic stuff is the easiest thing for generative AI to replace,” Video Games Industry Memo author George Osborn told Sky News previously.

“Just saying to the model, ‘make 200 monster noises’ is much easier than convincingly [making AI] sound like it is having a conversation with someone,” he said.

Unlike the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike in 2023, which saw blockbusters like Deadpool 3 and Gladiator 2 delayed and entire TV series cancelled, huge delays to games were unlikely.

Games take years to make and any game already in development before September 2023 was exempt from the strike.

Tensions have risen in the game actor community since the industrial action began, as studios appeared to hire international actors to replace the striking US workers.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Sly Stone, pioneer of early funk music, dies after ‘prolonged’ battle with illness

Published

on

By

Sly Stone, pioneer of early funk music, dies after 'prolonged' battle with illness

Sly Stone, one of the pioneers of funk music, has died aged 82, his family have said.

As front man for his band Sly And The Family Stone, the musician fused soul, rock, psychedelia and gospel to take the sound that defined an era in the 1970s into new territory, second only to James Brown as the early founders of funk.

Several of the band’s seminal tracks became known to a wider audience when they were subsequently sampled by hip hop artists.

“Everyday People” was sampled by Arrested Development, while “Sing A Simple Song” was sampled by Public Enemy, De La Soul and Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Stone’s family has said in a statement he died after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health issues.

A statement issued by his publicist on behalf of Stone’s family said: “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly And The Family Stone.

“After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend, and his extended family.

More from Ents & Arts

“While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.

“Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music. His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable.

“In a testament to his enduring creative spirit, Sly recently completed the screenplay for his life story, a project we are eager to share with the world in due course, which follows a memoir published in 2024.

“We extend our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers during this difficult time. We wish peace and harmony to all who were touched by Sly’s life and his iconic music.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unwavering support.”

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in Texas, and his group were regulars on the US music charts in the late 1960s and 1970s, with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “I Want to Take You Higher,” “Family Affair,” “If You Want Me to Stay,” and “Hot Fun in the Summertime”.

He played a leading role in introducing funk, an Afrocentric style of music driven by grooves and syncopated rhythms, to a broader audience.

James Brown had forged the elements of funk before Stone founded his band in 1966, but Stone’s brand of funk drew new listeners.

It was celebratory, eclectic, psychedelic and rooted in the counterculture of the late 1960s.

However, Stone later fell on hard times and became addicted to cocaine, never staging a successful comeback.

His music became less joyous in the 1970s, reflecting the polarisation of the country after opposition to the Vietnam War and racial tensions triggered unrest on college campuses and in African-American neighbourhoods in big US cities.

In 1971, Sly and the Family Stone released “There’s a Riot Goin’ On,” which became the band’s only Number 1 album.

Critics said the album’s bleak tone and slurred vocals denoted the increasing hold of cocaine on Stone.

But some called the record a masterpiece, a eulogy to the 1960s.

In the early 1970s, Stone became erratic and missed shows. Some members left the band.

But the singer was still a big enough star in 1974 to attract a crowd of 21,000 for his wedding to actress and model Kathy Silva at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Ms Silva filed for divorce less than a year later.

Sly and the Family Stone’s album releases in the late 1970s and early 1980s flopped, as Stone racked up drug possession arrests.

The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and Stone was celebrated in an all-star tribute at the Grammy Awards in 2006.

He sauntered on stage with a blond mohawk haircut but bewildered the audience by leaving mid-song.

In 2011, after launching what would become a years-long legal battle to claim royalties he said were stolen, Stone was arrested for cocaine possession.

That year, media reported Stone was living in a recreational vehicle parked on a street in South Los Angeles.

Stone had a son, Sylvester, with Ms Silva.

He had two daughters, Novena Carmel, and Sylvette “Phunne” Stone, whose mother was bandmate Cynthia Robinson.

Continue Reading

Trending