Seasonal color analysis is a concept that originated in the beauty and fashion industry to help individuals identify colors that harmonize with their physical features.
In seasonal color analysis, people are categorized into four seasonal categoriesโ spring, summer, autumn or fall, and winter. Three main factorsโ eye color, skin undertones, and hair colorโ determine a personโs season. Every season has a corresponding color scheme that complements the unique features of individuals in a particular group.
This practice picked up steam in the 1980s when Suzanne Caygill, an American color theorist, merged color psychology with seasonal palette theory.
Caygillโs model gained popularity among color professionals to such an extent that Carole Jackson, a psychologist, was inspired to write the book โColor Me Beautiful.โ In her book, Carole described that each woman has her own season, and each season has its own colors. Jackson, in her book, assigned one of the four seasons to her clients with their own โthirty special colors.โย
In this article, weโll discuss the four seasonal color palettes and share tips to help you embrace them.
1. Spring Seasonal Color Palette
The spring color palette of the seasonal color analysis is characterized by warm and bright shades.
Spring colors suit people with warm undertones, such as golden or peachy skin. These people also tend to have lighter eyes and hair, but dark features arenโt uncommon. Quite surprisingly, dark features blend in well with warm undertones rather than standing out.
Daffodil yellow, tangerine orange, and poppy red are colors that mirror the brightness and freshness of the season. Some of the neutral spring colors, Color Guru observes, include cream, ivory, camel, and clearer browns.
How to Embrace Spring Color Palette
Spring individuals must choose clothes in soft pastel shades like lavender, mint green, baby blue, and light pink. These colors compliment warm undertones exceptionally well. Clothes in colors like vibrant turquoise, coral red, or sunny yellow also look great.
In regard to makeup, opt for natural and soft tones like warm or bronze eyeshadows, light pink lip colors, and soft and rosy blushes. These will highlight your features while maintaining a fresh and youthful appearance.
Warm metals like yellow gold or rose gold look best on spring season individuals, so go for them.
2. Summer Seasonal Color Palette
Cool, light, and muted shades that reflect the gentle, misty vibe of the summer season represent the summer season color palette. Cool-toned skin people with pink or blue undertones and lighter hair and eyes often fall in this category.
Soft colors like pastels and neutral colors like taupe, navy, charcoal gray, and soft white best suit summer tones. Some rich colors, such as plum, evergreen, and cranberry, are also flattering on people with a summer profile.
How to Embrace Summer Color Palette
Clothes in cool neutrals like taupe, cool beige, and dove gray are a good choice for summer season individuals. Shades of cool blue, including periwinkle and powder blue, also look great on people with a summer profile.
When it comes to makeup, avoid overly warm or heavy makeup. It will overpower your elegance. Instead, soft and natural makeup like nude lip colors and rosy blushes will look good on you.
For summers, delicate and dainty pieces of jewelry work well. Both gold and silver metal complement cool undertones, so you can go for whichever you like.
3. Autumn Seasonal Color Palette
Warm and earthy hues that mirror warmth and richness are associated with the autumn seasonal color palette.
The people belonging to this season have fair, light, medium, tan, or dark skin tones. Their hair is typically darker than medium brown. But hair in pinkish, reddish, and golden colors are also common.
The eyes of autumn season people are dark and warm in colors like golden brown, amber, hazel, olive green, and occasionally dark chocolate brown.
Warm colors like pumpkin orange, eggplant purple, and mustard yellow look stunning on people belonging to this season. A number of neutral autumn colors like brown, olive green, khaki, cream, and ivory complement autumn season people well.
How to Embrace Autumn Color Palette
Clothes of rich earth tones like deep reds and burnt orange, rich blues like royal blue, navy, and teal, and golden yellow hues like saffron complement the warm undertones of the autumn season people well.ย Fall dresses are one of my favorite thing to shop for.
As far as makeup is concerned, opt for brick-red or terracotta lip shades and bronzy blushes. Warm metallic tone jewelry, such as copper, brass, or gold, looks best on autumn season people.
4. Winter Seasonal Color Palette
Colors that reflect the crisp iciness of the winter season feature this seasonal color palette.
Typically, people with a bluish or pinkish undertone are part of this palette. Winter season people have medium to dark eyes like dark brown, black, brown, icy hazel, and blue. Hair colors like black, black-brown, and dark brown fall in this category.
Cool-based jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue, and ruby red suit winter season people well. These people also look good in navy, crisp white, and black shades.
How to Embrace Winter Color Palette
Opt for charcoal black, icy gray, and pure white color clothes, as they will look elegant on you. Clear and cool reds such as cherry red or true also look stunning.
You can experiment with high-impact and intense makeup looks. Thus, you need not think twice before adding classic red lipstick, silvery-gray or shimmery white eyeshadows, or rosy blushes. Choose jewelry pieces that are sleek and delicate, as they will add a sophisticated touch to your look. As for metals, both gold and silver complement cool undertones beautifully.
To sum things up, there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to fashion. But, some colors flatter specific skin tones better than others.
You need to identify your seasonal color palette to determine which colors will look best on you. You can do so by taking quizzes online or consulting a professional color guru. Opting for the latter will be the best bet, as there will be no room for errors. Once you identify your seasonal color palette, add those colors to your wardrobeโ we bet youโll look darn good in them.
