Chapter 8: Dressing for the Life You Want, Not Just the One You Have.
Welcome to the eighth edition of Behind The Drapesāyour exclusive, all-access pass to everything going on behind the scenes at My Authentic Colors. This isnāt just about fashion; itās about uncovering who you are and expressing that with confidence and joy. Whether you're a longtime color enthusiast or just beginning your style journey, Iām so glad youāre here.
š” Studio Updates
⨠GIFT CARDS NOW AVAILABLE! You can now purchase Gift Certificates on the website! Hereās some directions on how you can purchase Gift Certificates
Head to my website www.myauthenticcolors.com
Click on the Top Right Hand Corner and click on āColor Analysis Consultationsā
Click on āBook an In-Person Color Analysis Consultationā
Scroll to the bottom where you will find Gift Certificates under āProducts & Packagesā
We only have Gift Certificates for the full amount of our Full 3 Hour and Mini (60) minute Color Analysis Consultations at this time.
Did you know that I was a guest on the Wake Up New Bedford Podcast? I talk about my journey from being a fitness professional to talking about how I started the journey as a Color Analyst. My episode is broken into two parts and you can watch and listen to them down below.
Did you know that you can host a Private Party with me? This is a fabulous event to do for your employees if you own a business or for a fun girlās (or guys) day! Email info@myauthenticcolors.com for more information.
I had my first ever House Party this past Sunday which was amazing! Thank you so much to the hosts for making me feel so welcomed and appreciated!
I will be O.O.O from 9/27/25 - 10/7/25 for a work/fun related vacation to Canada and Chicago. Please plan to book your appointments accordingly!
Milton, MA area, I may be coming your way in the futureā¦stay tuned!
⨠MINI Appointments: Did you know that I started offering 60-minute Consultations every Tuesday and Friday based on your requests? More time, more insights, more YOU.
š Upcoming Events
Hereās where you can catch me nextāand yes, Iām bringing the full-color energy:
The Residences of Cedar Dell (Private)
š North Dartmouth, MA | šļø July 11th | ā° 2PM-5PM
Summer Jam Pop Up at Westend Grill
š New Bedford, MA | šļø July 12th | ā° 3PMā7PM
Diversity Consignment
š Jamaica Plain, MA | šļø July 26th | ā° 11:30pm-7:30pm
Boutique on the BuyWay
š Falmouth, MA | šļø July 31st | ā° 4PM - 7PM
Back To School Event at Westend Grill
š New Bedford, MA | šļø August 16th | ā° 3PMā7PM
Gloria & Co NEW
š Marion, MA | šļø October 11th | ā° 10AM-3PM
Halloween Extravagnza at Westend Grill
š New Bedford, MA | šļø October 18th | ā° 3PMā7PM
Community Perk: As part of my vibrant community, you can book a 30-minute Color Analysis Consultation for 20% off with a special discount code āBTD20āāfor any of my 30-minute Color Analysis Pop-Ups! Physical Products included in my 3-hour Consultation are not included in my Mini Appointments and can be purchased separately.
Donāt miss your chance to get draped and dazzled at a discount!
Todayās Topic: Dressing for the Life You Want, Not Just the One You Have.
We mentioned this discussion in our last Swatch This/Scratch That that we needed to expand on this topic in more detail. Thereās a quiet but powerful transformation that happens when we begin to dress not just for our current routines, but for our future selves ā the ones weāre working toward, dreaming about, becoming.
You may have heard the phrase āDress for the job you want, not the one you have,ā but letās stretch that further. This is about more than just your career. Itās about identity, self-worth, and the subtle energy shifts that clothing can bring into our everyday lives.
My Story: More Than One Identity
For over 13 years, Iāve been a fitness professional. Movement has been the language of my work, my healing, and my power. Iām proud of that chapter ā it's still part of who I am. But Iāve also felt the pull of something more.
Style has always lived quietly beside me, and in recent years, itās been getting louder ā not just as a passion, but as a calling. Iāve stepped into my power as a stylist and color analyst, not because I left fitness behind, but because I realized I didnāt have to stay in one lane to be valid and be seen.
This shift didnāt happen overnight. It started with small choices. Putting on outfits that felt more āmeā before I had a title for what I was becoming. I missed the art of getting dressed and not just being in athleisure 24/7. I was getting too comfortable with wearing only comfortable clothing. I know in my heart of hearts that I needed to see this shift for my own mental health and allowing myself to be visible in a new way ā not just strong, but expressive. Not just capable, but seen as the person I aspire to be.
Who Are You Becoming?
Maybe you're working a desk job but dreaming of opening your own design studio. Maybe you're in between chapters ā outgrowing something, stepping into something else, even if itās not fully clear what that is. Wherever you are, your wardrobe can be both anchor and compass. It reminds you where you've been, but it can also quietly nudge you forward.
What happens when you start showing up like the person you want to be?
You may find yourself walking with more ease. Making bolder decisions. Saying yes (or no) more intentionally. Thatās not vanity ā thatās alignment. Thatās claiming space.
Clothes as Conversation Starters (with Yourself)
When you get dressed in the morning, ask yourself:
What does this outfit say about my intentions today?
Am I choosing comfort over expression? Or fear over visibility?
What small shift could I make to dress a little closer to the life Iām moving toward?
This doesnāt mean blowing your budget on luxury items or dressing in costume. It means thoughtful additions. One tailored blazer that makes you feel grounded. A color youāve always admired but never dared to wear. Jewelry that feels like it carries a message ā even if only you can hear it.
Letting Your Clothes Tell the Story Before You Do
You donāt need permission to start dressing for the life youāre building. You donāt need a new job title or business card to show up as your future self. All you need is the willingness to ask: What am I stepping into? And then dress accordingly.
That could look like:
Wearing bold color even when you're working from your couch.
Letting go of pieces that keep you tied to old versions of yourself.
Investing in items that support who you're becoming ā not who you were trying to be or once were.
This isnāt about faking it. Itās about faithing it. About using your wardrobe as a quiet, steady declaration: I know where Iām headed.
Clothes as Self-Leadership
Every time you choose an outfit with intention, youāre leading yourself forward. Style becomes your daily reminder that your identity is not fixed ā itās fluid, evolving, and expansive.
For me, honoring my stylist side meant dressing like the man who would one day analyze palettes, build wardrobes, and help others feel seen and stunning in their skin. I wasnāt āthereā yet ā but my style got me there first.
Take a moment to check in with your closet. Are you dressing for the role youāve outgrown ā or the one youāre claiming? What piece of clothing makes you feel just a little more like the next version of you? Wear it. Let it lead. Every outfit is an invitation. Itās a way of saying, āI believe in who Iām becoming.ā
So maybe today isnāt the big launch or the dream job or the life-changing moment. But the way you carry yourself ā the way youāve chosen to show up in your clothes ā says youāre already on your way.
And that counts for everything.
š Swatch This/Scratch That
Welcome to Swatch This / Scratch That. Your weekly scroll through the glossy, the gaudy, and everything in between. Iām serving a mood board of whatās making the cut⦠and whatās getting cut out. Letās dive in.
Swatch This:
šØ Color being a Shortcut to Authenticity
You know that moment when you put on a color and everyone says, āWow, you look amazing!āābut they canāt quite put their finger on why? Thatās what happens when you wear your true colors. Color analysis isnāt just about what looks āpretty.ā Itās about finding the hues that naturally reflect who you areāyour energy, your vibe, your presence. Itās less about rules, and more about resonance. When the colors are right, you shine firstāthe outfit comes second.
⨠Wearing Color Intentionally (Even If You're a Neutral Lover)
Neutrals are timeless, yesābut what happens when your entire wardrobe is beige, black, and gray, and none of them actually align with your undertone? (Hint: you feel kinda blah.) The magic of color analysis isnāt about turning you into a walking rainbowāitās about precision. Unless you want to be a walking rainbow then hey, Iām all for it! But maybe your best neutral is a soft camel instead of stark black. Or maybe itās charcoal instead of cool gray. Wearing color with intention doesnāt mean wearing moreāit just means wearing right.
āļø No More āI Just Need to Lose 10 lbs Firstā
Color has zero opinion on your weight. I love that. You donāt have to shrink to look incredibleāyou just have to shift into alignment. Color honors you, not some future version of you.
Scratch That:
ā Wearing Black Because Itās āSlimmingā
Letās unpack this lie. Black isn't universally flatteringāitās just safe. The only palette that can truly pull off Black is the True Winter Palette. Even all the varying subgroups of the Winter Palette do not get True Black, they get variations of Black. So unless you are a True Winter, hiding in black not only makes you invisible, it makes you forgettable. If itās not in your palette, itās not doing what you think itās doing. Confidence is the best contour. Color can shape and lift so much better than a black outfit ever could.
š¦ Dressing Like the Version of You Thatās Just... on Pause
Your closet shouldnāt look like a holding tank for a life youāre not living. Style should move with you, not wait for some perfect moment. If your wardrobe is full of āsomedayā outfits but youāve got nothing that fits your now, your closet needs a color + reality check. Basically, the point of this entire blog today.
š§± Using Neutrals as a Wall Instead of a Foundation
Listen, I love a good neutral look just like the rest of you, but neutrals are meant to support, not smother. If your wardrobe is 90% gray and beige because youāre scared of standing out, youāre not playing it safeāyouāre playing it small. Your authentic color palette has your best neutrals because they glow on you, not ghost you. But color brings an energy, a confidence, and a swagger to not only your wardrobe but to your self-esteem!
šØ The Color Connection
This week, weāre diving into the serene strength of the most trusted hue on the color wheelāblue. If green hums with harmony, then blue whispers with depth, clarity, and calm. Itās the color of open skies and still watersāvast, timeless, and deeply reflective.
Hereās what makes blue so magnetic: it holds both softness and authority. Whether youāre a cool-toned Summer or a deep-toned Winter, thereās a blue in your palette that brings out your natural elegance, presence, and peace.
Letās explore blue not just as a classic color, but as an emotional anchorāexpressive, expansive, and endlessly wearable. š
šØ Color Theory: Blue
Primary Color: One of the three primaries, unmixed and pure.
Color Temperature: Naturally cool, though warmer variations exist (periwinkle, teal).
Visual Characteristics: Soothing, trustworthy, and expansive. Blue is perceived as calm, honest, and clear.
Complementary Color: Orange. This contrast is vibrant and dynamic (think a coral top against navy trousers).
Tint (Blue + White): Baby blue, powder blueālight, airy, and fresh.
Shade (Blue + Black): Navy, midnightādeep, grounded, and powerful.
Tone (Blue + Gray): Steel blue, slateāsubtle, modern, and sophisticated.
š§ Psychology of Blue
Emotional Associations:
Calm & Serenity: Evokes stillness, relaxation, and quiet strength.
Trust & Loyalty: The most āreliableā color emotionally and culturally.
Wisdom & Reflection: Tied to introspection, thoughtfulness, and maturity.
Physiological Effects:
Lowers heart rate and blood pressure.
Promotes focus and mental clarity.
Can suppress appetite due to its rarity in food.
Cultural Significance:
Western Cultures: Symbolizes trust, tradition, and professionalism.
Middle Eastern Cultures: Represents protection and spirituality.
Eastern Cultures: Varies, but often tied to immortality or healing.
Marketing & Branding:
Common in tech, finance, and healthcare (e.g., Facebook, PayPal, IBM).
Used to convey security, reliability, and calm.
š Whatās Every Seasonās Best Blue?
Blue is one of the most universally flattering colors. From powdery pastels to moody depths, it brings a sense of serenity and authority to any wardrobe.
True Spring: Robinās Egg
True Autumn: Teal
True Summer: Powder Blue
True Winter: Cobalt
Warm Spring/Autumn: Cyan
Cool Summer/Winter: Lapis Lazuli
Bright Winter/Spring: Blue Crystal
Deep Autumn/Winter: Indigo
Light Spring/Summer: Sky Blue
Soft Summer/Autumn: Chambray
Blue is a color of emotional depth, quiet strength, and timeless grace. Whether you're channeling it through a breezy blouse or a structured blazer, thereās a blue that grounds your energy and elevates your presence.
Up next in our Color Connection series: Purple ā a hue of mystery, creativity, and quiet luxury that bridges the gap between warmth and coolness, and speaks to the bold and the intuitive alike. š
šø Discount of the Week
š This Weekās Code: COLORCONFIDENT
Take $55 OFF your Color Analysis Consultation and start showing up in the hues that actually see you. This is your invitation to align, glow, and dress like you mean it. šāāļøāØ
Offer valid through July 6th, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST.
š Letās Keep the Conversation Going
Thanks for spending time Behind The Drapes. Iāve got so much more in store, and I want your input! Do you have a burning-style question? A favorite color combo? A topic youād love me to cover next? Email me your ideas at info@myauthenticcolors.comāIām all ears (and full spectrum lighting).
If you havenāt followed me on Instagram yet, this is where I hang out the most! Iām pretty cool on there if I say so myself.
Until next time, keep shining in your authentic colors. š
With color and care,
Mac Carvalho
CEO, My Authentic Colors









