Hi, I’m Victoria! I’m a plus sized woman living and loving my life as an Autumn Natural Romantic. I’m a wife and mom who has found her confidence again, and I’m learning that I’m creative, strong, and sensitive. I am living proof that color and style analysis can and will change your life!
My Road to Color Analysis
I have never had much confidence in myself, and I always doubted my looks, my abilities, and my brain. I looked different than my friends, even as a teen- I had bigger upper arms, bigger thighs, a bigger stomach, and I actually had breasts. All I wanted was to fit in. I wore the same styles my friends wore. I did my makeup the same way they did. From the outside I probably looked like the average teenage girl…but no one noticed that inside, I was struggling with my mental health so much that I wasn’t eating.
As I got older and life happened, I gained weight that just wouldn’t budge. I had our oldest young, and dropped a little bit of weight after that. I was at my lowest adult weight when Josh and I got married in 2017- 180 pounds. I got pregnant with our youngest a month after that, and the pregnancy weight never really fell off. I exercised and ate healthier food, but nothing ever changed. I hated how I looked and how I felt. I was really struggling with my mental health too; I had a newborn and a 4 year old. Thankfully I had a fantastic doctor, who asked me and I had ever been tested for ADHD. I brushed her off so she prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. She moved shortly after that and I kept struggling for years.
Fast forward to 2022: it turned out that she was right. I do have ADHD. I started medication and therapy for that, which helped with my mental health. I still hated my body because I hadn’t dropped the weight, but I was learning to give myself more grace. I hoped that if I stopped trying so hard it would happen. At this point both of my boys had started school full time. I had much more time on my hands and I was definitely not used to it. I hated it, honestly. I had too much time with my thoughts and to be unhappy with myself. I tried spending my time cleaning and cooking and baking, but my need for novelty made it difficult. So in 2023 I turned my attention to trying feel better in my body and my clothes. I overhauled my wardrobe and sold or donated anything that didn’t make me feel a dopamine rush…and I was down to a pair of jeans, 3 basic tees, some nicer tops, and a couple of dresses. I rotated through them for a while before I bought more, trying to figure out why I liked them. This was when I read about color analysis and House of Colour. I was obsessed. It became a fixation, and I had to know my best colors. I wasn’t willing to spend that much money on myself, so I tried DIYing it. I used apps and selfies to figure out what season I could be, but nothing ever felt right. I got discouraged and gave up for a while. I was feeling peak “ugly” that year with so much stress and change causing health issues, acne, and regression in my mental health.
For Mother’s Day 2024, all I wanted was some family photos where I felt like I looked like myself. Photos I wanted to put up and see every day that included me. Josh was excited that I wanted them and told me to book them with whoever I wanted, so I did…and then panicked a little over my outfit, hair, makeup, etc. It ended up working out that a House of Colour stylist two hours away had a Saturday appointment available before our photos. I decided it was fate, booked it, and I didn’t look back.
In April 2024 I was draped by House of Colour as an Autumn. My appointment was a lot of fun, and I fell head over heels for my season. I remember how I felt when I saw myself in the drapes for my season. I didn’t have any makeup on or have my contacts in, and I still saw the difference. Trying the bold lip colors and orangey blush scared me to death, but once they were on my face…wow. On the way home I was riding the high of seeing myself in the colors and makeup that honored my natural beauty, and I was so confident and excited to start diving in to the new world I was now a part of. I knew I had only one piece of clothing in my newfound colors, but I was looking forward to taking my new knowledge and applying it.
I also remember a few days later, when I felt the disappointment when I started searching Instagram. I found a gigantic lack of women who shopped in the same size ranges, stores, and budgets as me. I felt so unseen, and like I wasn’t truly a part of the color analysis community. I started my Instagram page with the intention of not only documenting my journey, but to give someone what I wished I had. Little did I know that I would be able to create and foster an inclusive, loving, and respectful space over on Instagram; and now on my blog. I hope you enjoy it- and the timeline photo gallery below!
It sounds cliche, but color analysis has truly changed my life. I saw the difference in my face when I was draped and fell in love with the results. I dove in to my colors. For the first time ever, I bought a different shade of blush, eyeliner, and mascara. I threw out my cool pink lipsticks. I shopped with my fan out, and didn’t care if anyone was looking at me…something that “old me” would have died from anxiety over. I gave my silver and white gold jewelry to my mom and bought gold tones instead. I started wearing bold lip colors and gold shimmery eye shadow. I started experimenting with bigger, bolder jewelry because I didn’t want to blend in anymore. And now, I’m happy that I don’t fit in- because I was born to stand out. We all are, and it’s a beautiful thing.
I am so grateful for the love and support you have all given me. Thank you all for being here! My inbox is always open- please reach out via Instagram or my contact form if there is anything I can help you with 🙂 ❤
Disclaimer: While I may make a small profit if you make a purchase from the links I share with you, I would never share links, products, advice, or anything else that I do not love and trust myself! That will never change.
The Plus Sized Autumn 