Colour conversation with Cheray Gant - 'living life colourfully in Texas'

Let’s start the new year as we mean to go on – with a Colour Conversation with the fabulously colourful and uplifting Cheray Gant from Texas. Cheray’s imaginative Spring colour combinations in our Facebook group, the Kettlewell Colour Club, have been a constant source of delight and inspiration for many. We couldn’t wait to hear more about her life, colour journey and famous cowboy boot collection…

Welcome, Cheray… thank you for taking part in our Colour Conversation. Can we start by asking you about your colour journey and when you first had your colours done?

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story! I had my colours done in January 2020 with a House of Colour Dallas consultant. It was truly a life-changing event.

My mother scheduled a consultation to have her colours done back in the early 1990s and when I expressed an interest, the consultant quickly said, ‘Let me save you some money; you’re an Autumn. There isn’t anything else you could be.’ I had always assumed I was an Autumn myself and didn’t pursue it further.

While I had always dressed in the more muted, tonal shades for as long as I could remember I had always felt a disconnect in the tones and couldn’t understand why. I would see other redheads looking amazing in those shades but felt like they looked ‘blah’ on me. Now I’m able to embrace wearing red (a ‘wow shade’ – who knew?), my favourite shades of pink, purple and nearly every rainbow shade in between. I’ve always been told I have a bubbly personality and now I finally feel like my outside matches my inside.

Have you always had a love of colour? 

Yes, from as long as I can remember. As a child I adored getting a new box of crayons just so that I could stare at all the beautiful shades. My earliest colour memory is around the age of three when I asked for a pair of red patent Mary Jane shoes to go with a dress whose colours included yellow, cobalt blue and red. This was apparently an omen in my Paintbox future!

We love how you take nature as the inspiration for your amazing colour combinations. What comes first, the outfit or the photograph?

I have always loved nature and after my colour analysis I started looking more closely at all of the amazing colours. I focused on birds, butterflies and flowers as they literally came in every shade, and I was mesmerised. These beautiful pictures became my go-to when I was needing some fresh inspiration. I would say in the beginning the pictures came first, but sometimes now it’s the other way around.

What is your favourite colour combination currently? Do you choose different colours to reflect your mood?

I think my favourite colour combination will always be pink and green – a love affair that started in my early teens and has carried on for 30-plus years. I do use colour to reflect my mood. I always reach for my beloved pink (my favourite colour) when I’m needing to raise my spirits and go to my ‘happy place’ and refocus. Pink is a colour I wasn’t able to fully embrace before I had my colours done but I enthusiastically welcome it in my wardrobe now.

Can you paint a picture of your life in Texas and what do you do for a living?

Ahhh... I know that Texas conjures up some bold images but, truth be told, my life may seem quite boring to some! I have been a medical assistant for the past 21 years to a female dermatologist in Ft Worth. I was a make-up artist before that and I enjoy being able to combine my love of make-up and skincare with my desire to work in the medical field. I have an aunt who is a retired OR nurse, and I always admired her career. It’s been a great fit, although I would love to explore an opportunity to work with my love (obsession!) of colour in the future. I don’t have many hobbies due to my work schedule, but shopping rates at the top of the list, along with spending time in our beloved Colour Club! I’m always fascinated to read about people’s colour journey and how life-changing it can be. Their excitement is palpable and contagious.

Can you tell us more about your career as a make-up artist and favourite products?

It started at the age 17 when I became a beauty adviser at Estée Lauder, and later for Clinique. I had always loved make-up (my beloved grandmother worked there for years before she retired), and at Estée Lauder beauty school I was taught about make-up application and how to give makeovers (this was the late 1980s when make-up was still very colourful, before the whole neutral trend).

My favourite make-up products include MAC Orb eyeshadow; L’Oreal liquid brown eyeliner pen for my famous cat eye; and House of Colour Bright Peach Blusher, number B12. Make-up is an obsession of mine and I enjoy watching YouTube tutorials.

Do you find people responsive to colour in the US?

I would say it depends where one lives. I know in New York that black still reigns but personally, having been raised in Texas and Oklahoma, colourful clothing has always been a part of the landscape. I feel that Dallas is quite bold concerning colour and style, and I draw much of my influence locally. The rodeo/western culture is quite strong here and has seemingly started to penetrate high fashion, e.g, cowboy boots, fringe jackets and bolder accessories. That tends to be the norm here especially during rodeo season, but it’s fun seeing other people discover and enjoy our well-kept secrets.

We hear you’ve got a great collection of cowboy boots. Tell us more…

Ah yes, my boot collection! I believe I’m at 18 pairs currently. I started collecting them about 12 years ago after purchasing a pair of black brightly embroidered cowboy booties. I had never seen anything like them and was smitten. They remain my favourite pair to this day and ironically the embroidery is done in the brightest Spring colours. They are truly works of art and get a lot of attention wherever I go. My office allows us to wear jeans on Friday and in the fall/winter, so I’m normally found in a pair of cowboy boots to the delight of my patients. Many of them say they book their appointments specifically on Friday to see what boots I’m wearing!

How does your love of colour penetrate into other aspects of your life, e.g., your home?

My bathroom is painted a sentimental shade of neutral pink. My grandmother had a pink bathroom, and I remember sitting at her feet as a child while she applied her make-up. Her house was built in 1956, so it was that original 1950s pink, and I adored it. She was such a strong influence in my life, and my pink bathroom is a tribute to her.

How did you first hear about Kettlewell?

Back in the fall of 2019 I saw an advertisement for House of Colour. It got me thinking about having my colours done again as I had basically become a colour orphan, feeling like I didn’t belong anywhere. I had strayed from my typical Autumn shades out of sheer frustration. While I was on the House of Colour website, I saw something mentioned about Kettlewell, and my curiosity was piqued. I visited the website and, lo and behold, they had just started shipping to the USA. I immediately ordered two Silky Roll Necks in Autumn shades, of course, and the love affair began.

I set up a consultation appointment for January 2020 with House of Colour Dallas and proceeded to count down the days. Honestly, it never occurred to me that I could be anything other than an Autumn (the previous consultant’s words ringing loudly in my head), but I wanted to see the drapes for myself. After the analysis I was a bit shell shocked being diagnosed as a Spring, and that is when Kettlewell proceeded to be a lifeline for me. I was completely unfamiliar with the Spring palette, and I was able to go online and purchase clothing with complete confidence. Not only that, it was the dead of winter, and only dark shades were to be found.

What are your favourite Kettlewell pieces and why?

I think my favourite pieces are the Chloe and Rachel jackets, the Short Tie Wraps and the Silky Roll Necks. I have always loved biker-style jackets and the design of the Rachel resonates with me, and to be able to buy them in a rainbow of colours is the best part. I love the Short Tie Wrap because it is such a unique piece. I was never a ‘wrap’ person because I don't feel comfortable in flowy pieces, but to be able to add an extra lightweight layer in a fitted style is a dream come true. I’m able to wear them year-round here in Texas, and that is a bonus. The Silky Roll Neck is a favourite because I have always loved higher neck tops. My style consultant described my neck as long and elegant and the Silky Roll Neck works perfectly for me. Truth be told, it’s hard to narrow down a favourite, but I’d say those are my top three.

Rachel Jacket in Provence | Silky Roll Neck in Coral | Short Tie Wrap in Bright Apricot

Tell us about your impression of the Kettlewell Colour Club. You’ve certainly inspired us all. What have you gained being a part of it?

Thank you, I’ve gained so much. Probably the most significant thing I’ve gained is friendship. It’s a loving community of like-minded women who help encourage one another along their colour journeys. I’ve met some of the most amazing women from all over the world, and to know we share our passion for colour is so exciting. I was a member from the very beginning and while I had been an avid commenter, it took me a few months to post a picture. I was made fun of as a child, for my red hair and fair skin, so I wasn't sure if I was comfortable putting myself ‘out there’, so to speak. After some gentle encouragement, I finally posted a picture. Everyone was so lovely, which I will be forever grateful for. I gained more confidence and have been posting regularly ever since.

As much as I despise the word ‘selfie’, seeing myself in those photographs has provided an invaluable insight to what works for me and what doesn’t. It has helped train my eye on what colour combinations work and the scale and size of accessories that look best. The pictures are much more telling than a mirror could ever be! The Colour Club has also given me the wonderful opportunity to get to know Melissa, Jo, Diane and many members of Kettlewell HQ. It’s amazing having that kind of personal relationship with a company and knowing that they actually listen to their customers and try to implement their requests. I love what Kettlewell stands for and will be a customer for life.

The Kettlewell Colour Club is our wonderful Facebook group. If you would like to join founder Melissa, our in-house colour expert Jo, and over 9000 other colourful members to share styling tips and colour combinations, ask for advice and much, much more, you can find us here.