Chapter 31: Hello 2026…Goals & Intentions.

Welcome to the 31st edition of Behind The Drapes, your exclusive, all-access pass to everything going on behind the scenes at My Authentic Colors. This isn’t just about fashion; it’s 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, I’m so glad you’re here.

🏡 Studio Updates

New Sponsor for Miss Fall River & Miss Bristol County.

I have always been a believer in the pageant industry. In fact, when creating my business plan a year ago, the Miss Massachusetts organization was in my top 5 organizations to partner with. I currently Sponsor Miss New Bedford/Teen, Miss Southeastern Massachusetts/Teen, & Miss Somerset/Teen. So I’m excited to announce that I am a NEW Sponsor for the Miss Fall River/Teen and Miss Bristol County/Teen. Maybe I’ll grow even more and get more involved in the Miss Massachusetts or Miss America Organization.

YWCA Partnership

We are also a partner with the YWCA! We offer 10% discounts to all YWCA Members!

Gift Cards Now Available

Preferred Partner Program

I have recently partnered up with some of my clients who own small businesses to offer My Authentic Colors clients exclusive deals to their businesses! Their clients get 15% off discounts to any of our services! Go check them out below.

Signature Style Packages

Thoughtfully designed to help you align your style with your truest self. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or ready for a complete transformation, there’s a package created just for you:

🔹 POP UP Color Analysis – $130
A quick dive into the hues that highlight your natural beauty.

🔹 MINI Color Analysis – $187
A quick and powerful session to uncover your most flattering shades.

🔹 FULL Color Analysis - My Authentic Colors – $397
A full color analysis experience to help you wear your hues with confidence.

🔹 Align My Style – $750
A combination of color and body shape analysis to help you dress in alignment with your natural beauty.

🔹 Curated Masterpiece – $2500
Includes color and body shape analysis + a full wardrobe audit to elevate what’s already in your closet.

🔹 My Authentic Closet – $5700
The full transformation: color, body shape, wardrobe audit, personal shopping, and a full wardrobe remix.

Important Update on Swatch Wallets & Pricing

I wanted to keep you in the loop and be open & honest. Due to recent tariff changes affecting imported materials, the cost of ordering the swatch wallets has increased. I have tried my absolute hardest to keep pricing as afforadable as possible but with the tariffs, shipping costs, and rise in costs for myself to purchase the wallets, I have had to make a tough business decision to raise the prices of the wallets. As a result, there will be a price adjustment starting 10/27.

Swatch Wallets: $100-110

These packages are more than services, they’re a gateway to confidence, clarity, and authenticity in how you show up every day. If you’ve already receieved a Color Analysis with me, the price will be reduced.

✨ New Travel Policy – Effective September 1st ✨

Beginning September 1st, all private house parties booked with My Authentic Colors will include a travel fee.

🔹 Mileage will be billed at $0.70 per mile (round trip).

🔹 A set travel fee will also apply based on the distance from the My Authentic Colors office to the event location

•    30 minutes or less → $50 travel fee + mileage

    •    30–60 minutes → $100 travel fee + mileage

    •    1–3 hours → $200 travel fee + mileage

    •    3+ hours → $350 travel fee + mileage

⚠️ Please note: All travel fees must be paid in full before our arrival to confirm your event.

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to bringing the full My Authentic Colors experience directly to you!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us in our DM’s or email info@myauthenticcolors.com

We’ve launched our Instagram Broadcast Channel! 🎉
Get exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes content, and first looks—straight from us to your inbox. Don’t miss a thing—join the channel now and stay in the loop! 🔗📲 www.instagram.com/my_authentic_colors

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.

📅 Upcoming Events

We will be doing MINI Color Analysis Consultations at this event.

Today’s Topic: Hello 2026…Goals & Intention.

The first week of a new year always carries a quiet kind of magic. It’s a pause between what has been and what’s possible. It’s the moments where we’re invited to reflect, realign, and choose how we want to show up moving forward.

At My Authentic Colors, we believe that goals aren’t just about what you want to do in the new year, but who you want to be. That journey begins with identity, intention, and the way we see ourselves through Color & Style.

So many New Year’s resolutions focus on external change: new habits, new routines, new achievements. While those are important, they’re most powerful when they’re rooted in self-understanding. When you truly understand yourself (your energy, your preferences, your natural features), you begin setting goals that actually fit you. Not goals inspired by trends, comparison, or pressure, but intentions that feel aligned and sustainable. That’s where Color Analysis and Personal Style come in.

Color Analysis isn’t just about looking good in photos or choosing the “right” clothes. It’s about clarity. When you know which colors harmonize with your natural coloring, getting dressed becomes easier, more confident, and more intentional. Your personal style works the same way. Style is a visual language, it communicates who you are before you ever say a word. When your wardrobe aligns with your identity, values, and lifestyle, you’re no longer dressing to fit in. You’re dressing to show up as yourself.

At My Authentic Colors, we see this transformation every day:

• Clients who stop second-guessing their choices

• Closets that finally feel cohesive

• Confidence that feels grounded, not forced

Whether it’s career growth, self-expression, or simply feeling more at home in your own skin, that’s the kind of clarity supports bigger life goals.

As we step into 2026, I invite you to consider a different approach to goal-setting. Instead of reinventing yourself, what if you revealed yourself? What if your intention this year was to:

• Dress in a way that reflects who you already are

• Choose colors that support your natural presence

• Build a wardrobe that works with your life, not against it

Style doesn’t have to be overwhelming or performative. When it’s authentic, it becomes supportive—an anchor you can rely on as you grow.

Being New Bedford’s first and only Color Analysis and Personal Styling studio is something we hold with deep pride. This community is built on individuality, creativity, and resilience. Your style should reflect that same authenticity.

As the year begins, we encourage you to set intentions that feel true. Intentions rooted in self-knowledge, confidence, and alignment. Because when you understand your colors and your style, you’re not just getting dressed—you’re stepping into your identity with purpose.

Here’s to a new year lived boldly, intentionally, and in your authentic colors.

The Weekly Style Note

The Weekly Style Note is a new series dedicated to simple, wearable color and style tips you can actually use. Each week, we’ll highlight one idea related to Color or Style. Whether it’s how to style a trending color, make the most of what’s already in your closet, or elevate an everyday outfit with small, thoughtful details. Think of it as a quick style refresh: practical, approachable, and designed to make getting dressed feel easier and more fun.

1-5-26 Style Note: Building an Outfit Around One Color

Choose one main color (preferrably in your authentic colors) and style the entire outfit around it using different shades, textures, and fabrics. This keeps outfits looking intentional without being complicated.

• Start with a neutral or soft color (cream, gray, navy, olive, or brown) if you’re new to monochrome looks.

• Mix light and dark shades of the same color to add depth (for example: light blue jeans with a deeper blue sweater).

• Play with texture: denim, knits, leather, or cotton help keep a single-color outfit from looking flat.

• Add subtle contrast through accessories (a belt, shoes, or bag in a slightly different tone or neutral).

• Keep patterns minimal so the color story stays clean.

Brand of the Week

Think of this as your Personal Style navigator. From brand breakdowns to seasonal essentials, I’ve got you covered. Everything you see here is available directly through my ShopMy Storefront, so you can grab your favorites in just a few clicks. Let’s make color your new best friend.

• A quick heads-up: this guide is based on what’s currently available on the brand’s website, combined with my take on seasonal color theory. Product photos can be edited, so colors may look slightly different in person—always double-check with your swatch wallet for the perfect match.

You might notice some seasons get more spotlight than others, or that only neutrals appear for certain palettes. That’s just a reflection of the brand’s current offerings, not a deliberate omission. Alright, with that out of the way, let’s dive into this week’s featured brand:

Burnt Toast

Burnt Toast is my go-to because it lives in that sweet spot between effortless and elevated. It’s where thoughtful design meets everyday wearability—pieces that feel lived-in, cool, and intentional without trying too hard. Nothing feels precious, and nothing feels boring.

In this guide, I’m highlighting a curated selection from Burnt Toast that works seamlessly across seasons. Think of it as a style framework rather than a rulebook: standout pieces that bring personality to your Flow Palette, paired with grounded essentials that anchor your home season. Every item is meant to mix, layer, and evolve with you.

Burnt Toast encourages experimentation while staying rooted in what actually works for your wardrobe. The result is clothing that feels authentic, flexible, and distinctly yours—built for real life, real style, and every color story in between.

SPRING – Fresh, Radiant, Uplifting

🍁 AUTUMN – Rich, Earthy, Grounded

🌊 SUMMER – Cool, Calm, Romantic

I could not find anything else other than these pants on their website at this time for you.

❄️ WINTER – Bold, Crisp, Dynamic

☀️ WARM – Radiant, Rich, Inviting.

🌊 COOL – Elegant, Fresh, Refined.

Nothing else for you at this time.

🌑 DEEP – Intense, Powerful, Grounded

Nothing for you at this time from here. Refer back to your home season!

☁️ LIGHT – Airy, Delicate, Soft

⚡ BRIGHT – Vivid, Energetic, Playful

🌫️ MUTED – Subtle, Calm, Understated

Nothing for you at this time. Refer back to the home season.

💸 Discount of the Week

Take 25% off the Align Your Style Package. Use code “ALIGN25” at checkout. This code expires January 18th at 11:59pm EST.

💌 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Thanks for spending time Behind The Drapes. I’ve got so much more in store, and I want your input! Do you have a burning-style question? A favorite color combo? A topic you’d love me to cover next? Email me your ideas at info@myauthenticcolors.com—I’m all ears (and full spectrum lighting).

If you haven’t followed me on Instagram yet, this is where I hang out the most! I’m pretty cool on there if I say so myself.

Until next time, keep shining in your authentic colors. 🌈

With color and care,
Mac Carvalho
CEO, My Authentic Colors