Where the seasons come from
The idea of matching clothing colors to natural coloring goes back to color theory in art. The four-season system became popular through Carole Jackson’s 1980 book Color Me Beautiful. Later systems split each season into three, giving 12 seasons, and some use 16. The four seasons are still the easiest place to start.
The three questions behind your season
- Undertone: warm or cool? Warm points you to Spring or Autumn, cool to Summer or Winter. Not sure? Try the undertone test.
- Depth: light or deep? How light or dark your overall coloring is, across skin, hair and eyes.
- Contrast: high or low? Dark hair with light skin is high contrast. Hair, skin and eyes in similar shades is low contrast. High contrast suits clear, bold colors; low contrast suits softer, blended ones.
Spring: warm, light and clear
Springs have warm, fresh coloring, often golden or strawberry-blond hair and bright eyes. Clear, sunny colors bring out their glow; heavy, dark shades can overpower them.
- Neutrals: ivory, camel, warm taupe
- Accents: coral, peach, golden yellow, warm turquoise, leaf green
- Go easy on: black, icy gray, burgundy
Summer: cool, light and soft
Summers have cool, gentle coloring with low to medium contrast, often ash-toned hair and soft eye colors. Dusty, blue-based colors flatter them; bright oranges and golden tones can look harsh.
- Neutrals: soft white, rose taupe, slate navy
- Accents: dusty rose, powder blue, lavender, seafoam, raspberry
- Go easy on: orange, mustard, camel
Autumn: warm, deep and muted
Autumns have rich, warm coloring, often auburn, chestnut or deep golden-brown hair. Earthy, spiced colors make them look vibrant; icy pastels and stark brights can wash them out.
- Neutrals: cream, chocolate, olive khaki
- Accents: rust, mustard, olive, deep teal, terracotta
- Go easy on: icy pink, fuchsia, cool gray
Winter: cool, deep and clear
Winters have cool coloring with striking contrast, such as dark hair with fair skin, or deep skin with bright eye whites. Saturated jewel tones and crisp white suit them; muted earth tones can look dull.
- Neutrals: pure white, charcoal, true black
- Accents: royal blue, emerald, fuchsia, true red, icy lavender
- Go easy on: camel, pumpkin, dusty peach
How the color booth picks your season
The color booth measures your skin’s undertone and depth, then compares your skin with your hair and eyes to get a contrast level. Warm-leaning coloring becomes Spring if it’s light and not high contrast, otherwise Autumn. Cool-leaning coloring becomes Winter if it’s deep or high contrast, otherwise Summer.
It’s a quick starting point, not a professional draping session. Lighting, hair dye and makeup all affect the result, so use daylight and a bare face for the most consistent read.
4 seasons or 12?
The 12-season system splits each season by its strongest trait, for example Light Spring, Warm Spring and Clear Spring. It’s more precise, but harder to judge on your own. If you fall between two seasons, the four-season result plus a look at the neighbouring season’s palette usually gets you most of the way.
Questions
Can my season change?
Your natural coloring stays broadly the same, but dyed hair, a deep tan or gray hair can shift which colors look best. Many people re-check their season as their hair changes.
What season is dark hair with light skin?
Dark hair with light skin is high contrast. With a cool undertone that usually points to Winter; with a warm undertone it can read as a deep Autumn.
Do I have to avoid colors outside my season?
No. Wear them away from your face, in trousers, shoes or bags, and keep your best colors near your face.