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EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SOFT SUMMER

The “Soft Summer” is one of the twelve color seasons within the seasonal color analysis system, a tool used to determine which colors best harmonize with an individual’s natural coloring. It’s a palette of subtle, muted, and cool tones, designed to enhance the delicate beauty of those who fall within this category.  Unlike the vibrant hues of spring or the deep richness of winter, Soft Summer embraces a gentle, blended look.  If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by bright colors and found yourself drawn to dusty, diffused shades, you might just be a Soft Summer. This guide will delve into every aspect of this captivating season, from its defining characteristics and ideal color palette to makeup, hair, and wardrobe recommendations, helping you understand and embrace your natural Soft Summer beauty.  

CHARACTERISTICS

When determining if you are a Soft Summer, focus on your overall appearance rather than individual features. The key traits of this season are muted, cool-toned coloring with a soft, blended look.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A SOFT SUMMER

  • Primary Aspect: Muted – your coloring appears soft and toned down rather than bright or vibrant.
  • Secondary Aspect: Cool – cooler shades complement your complexion better than warm ones.
  • Overall Look: Your skin, eyes, and hair blend harmoniously, creating a low to medium contrast appearance.
  • Jewelry Preference: Silver flatters your skin more than gold.

SOFT SUMMER FEATURES

Eyes

Soft Summer eyes are always softly greyed, regardless of their color. They can be:

  • Grey, grey-blue, grey-green, or grey-hazel
  • Muted brown in deeper complexions
  • Often feature a crackled glass pattern typical of Summer eyes

Skin

Soft Summer skin has cool undertones with a soft, muted appearance. It may be:

  • Neutral, olive, or neutral-cool with ashy undertones
  • Fair to tan, always toned down rather than vibrant
  • Occasionally freckled

Hair

Soft Summer hair is muted and ashy, never bright or golden. It ranges from:

  • Medium ash blonde to light/medium ash brown
  • Often develops ash-blonde highlights in sunlight

CONTRAST LEVEL

Soft Summers have a low to medium contrast between their skin, eyes, and hair. The overall effect is blended and harmonious, without stark light or dark elements.

SOFT SUMMER VS. SOFT AUTUMN

Both Soft Summer and Soft Autumn are muted seasons, but the key difference lies in their undertones:

  • Soft Summer leans cool, with grey and olive tones.
  • Soft Autumn leans warm, with walnut and honey tones.

SIMPLE TEST

To determine whether you are a Soft Summer or Soft Autumn, hold a grey fabric near your face in natural light:

  • If your eyes appear more greyish (even if they contain hints of green or brown), you are likely a Soft Summer.
  • If your eyes remain green, hazel, or olive, you likely lean towards Soft Autumn.

This high concentration of grey pigments is what gives Soft Summers their signature cool and muted look.

The Colour Palette

Soft Summer is a season of soft, misty hues, reminiscent of cool summer rains and the gentle transition into autumn. Its colours are delicate and layered, blending both cool and warm tones into a harmonious, almost chameleon-like effect.

SOFT SUMMER COLOURS

True to its muted and cool nature, Soft Summer’s palette consists of desaturated, low-contrast shades that align with the season’s natural softness. The dominant colours are greys, pinks, purples, blues, and greens—each subtle and complex rather than bright or clear. Sitting on the border between Summer and Autumn, this palette is the deepest of the Summer family, with a slight brownish depth from Autumn’s influence.

COLOUR DIMENSIONS

  • Hue: Slightly cool—while not as icy as True Summer, Soft Summer’s colours contain more blue than yellow undertones, resulting in cooler pinks, blues, and greys with minimal yellow shades.
  • Value: Medium—neither overly light nor dark, the palette consists mostly of mid-range tones.
  • Chroma: Low—the colours are highly desaturated and muted, with a distinctive greyed-out softness.

SISTER PALETTES

Soft Summer is positioned between True Summer and Soft Autumn on the seasonal spectrum. While all three share a muted quality, the differences lie in temperature and depth:

  • Compared to True Summer, Soft Summer’s colours are warmer, slightly darker, and more subdued.
  • Compared to Soft Autumn, Soft Summer’s colours are cooler and more grey-toned, while both remain medium in value and muted.
  • Compared to Light Summer, the colours are deeper and more toned down, though both share a cool-neutral balance.

If you lean towards True Summer, you may borrow its softer shades, like Moonlite Mauve or Lichen Blue. If you have hints of Soft Autumn, you can incorporate its cooler hues, such as English Manor or Dusk Blue.

Styling for Soft Summer

NEUTRALS

Soft Summer’s muted and desaturated nature makes traditional black and white too harsh. Instead, opt for dark greyish browns as your dark neutrals and soft greys, muted sand tones, and gentle browns as light neutrals. These shades complement your natural softness without overpowering your features.

COLOURS TO AVOID

Since Soft Summer thrives on cool, muted tones, avoid bright and overly warm colours. Vibrant pinks, blues, and rich earthy hues, such as orange-based reds and warm browns, will clash with your soft colouring. Highly saturated shades can overwhelm your delicate balance.

COLOUR COMBINATIONS

Soft Summer is best suited to low-contrast, blended colour pairings that mirror its naturally soft appearance. The most flattering combinations include:

  • Monochromatic looks – Pairing different shades of the same hue, such as light and dark green, creates a cohesive and seamless effect.
  • Analogous hues – Colours close to each other on the spectrum, like lavender and soft blue, maintain a harmonious and balanced look.
  • Soft neutrals with accents – Combining a muted beige with a similarly toned soft yellow ensures a gentle, natural flow.

Avoid high-contrast combinations, especially complementary colours like blue and orange, as they create too much visual tension.

PATTERNS & PRINTS

Soft, delicate patterns best suit this season’s understated elegance. Consider:

✔ Watercolour textures, delicate floral prints, and natural elements like feathers and birds.
✔ Small, loosely arranged designs that blend rather than stand out.

✖ Avoid large, bold patterns, geometric shapes, and high-contrast prints, as they will feel too harsh and structured.

METALS & ACCESSORIES

Soft Summer can wear both warm and cool metals, but silver is the most flattering. If choosing gold, opt for soft, muted versions like light rose gold or brushed gold rather than deep, rich yellows.

The best finishes are matte, brushed, satin, or lightly hammered to complement Soft Summer’s subtlety. Bright and shiny metals can appear too stark. Pearls are a great choice, especially those with layered, soft colouring rather than stark white.

SOFT SUMMER: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Soft Summer is a distinctive seasonal blend that combines the cool undertones of summer with the soft, muted grace of autumn. As part of the 12-season color analysis system, it helps individuals discover the shades that truly enhance their natural beauty.

Do your features exhibit a gentle, understated coolness where no single trait stands out, yet everything works harmoniously? Are you drawn to soft, subtle colors that seem to elevate your look effortlessly? Perhaps the serene beauty of a misty morning over calm waters speaks to your soul?

If you’re nodding along, you might be a Soft Summer! This is your ultimate guide to understanding Soft Summer in the 12-season color system. From physical characteristics and ideal makeup to color palettes and wardrobe essentials, we’ve got everything you need to build your perfect Soft Summer wardrobe and create a personalized palette that suits you.

FEATURES OF SOFT SUMMER

DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS

Soft Summer is defined by three key traits: a cool hue, medium value, and muted chroma. Let’s break down each of these characteristics:

  • Cool Hue: Soft Summer’s undertone is always cool, meaning it has a blue base. However, overtones of beige or yellow can sometimes give a warmer or olive appearance, which may cause confusion when distinguishing Soft Summer from Soft Autumn.
  • Medium Value: Soft Summers generally fall in the middle of the value spectrum, from light to medium-dark. Some individuals may even have such dark features that they resemble Deep Winter. These darker Soft Summers should stick to the deeper, richer muted shades within the palette to stay aligned with their season.
  • Muted Chroma: The defining trait of Soft Summer is its muted chroma, which refers to the lack of intense, bright colors. Everything about Soft Summer is softened, with low contrast between features like skin, eyes, and hair. Bright or saturated hues should be avoided, as they overwhelm the subtle beauty of this season.

Soft Summer holds a unique place in the color spectrum with its cool blue undertones, often tempered by beige or yellow overtones, creating a neutral yet nuanced appearance.

Unlike other summer seasons, what truly sets Soft Summer apart is its muted chroma. This refers to the soft, low-saturation quality that characterizes the skin, eyes, and hair. The overall look is less about contrast and more about a harmonious, grayed softness.

In terms of value (lightness or darkness), Soft Summer offers one of the widest ranges within the Summer family. While some may lean towards lighter tones, most Soft Summers fall in the medium-dark range, making it the darkest of all summer seasons.

SOFT SUMMER FEATURES

  • Skin Tone: Soft Summer skin can vary from creamy beige or ivory to dark beige. For people of color, dark beige is common, and light-skinned Black women often fit within this season as well.
  • Eye Color: While soft blue, gray, or green eyes are frequently associated with Soft Summer, eye color can also include muted brown shades. The defining feature is the subdued quality, often showing patterns like crypts or autumnal flecks, giving the eyes depth without sharp contrast.
  • Hair Color: Hair tends to range from medium to dark brown, though lighter hair or even gray is also common. Soft Summer hair generally lacks warm highlights, often displaying an ashy, gray tone. Although hair color is less critical in determining one’s seasonal palette, it complements the overall soft, cool aesthetic of this season.

HARMONIOUS BALANCE

Soft Summer features are characterized by an overall harmony created by their muted chroma and the gentle, seamless contrast between skin, eyes, and hair. This balanced combination gives Soft Summers a soft, understated beauty that truly shines when they wear the right colors. Although their features may appear subtle or neutral at first glance, they become strikingly captivating when accentuated by the muted, cool tones that complement their natural palette.

MAKEUP FOR THE SOFT SUMMER WOMAN

To truly enhance Soft Summer features, your makeup should align with the season’s cool and muted color palette. The aim is not just to enhance beauty, but to create a seamless harmony with your natural tones. Soft, cool shades like dusty pinks, mauves, muted lavenders, and cool browns will complement your complexion and bring out your understated elegance without overpowering your features.

To enhance your Soft Summer look, choose light neutrals like icy pink, blush, and dusky blue for an effortless, everyday vibe. For more dramatic occasions, opt for rich shades such as charcoal or navy. If you want to add an unexpected pop of color, soft plum or warm teal are perfect accent hues.

When it comes to cheeks, neutral cool shades are your best friends. Look for soft hues like sand, soft pink, or rose to create a creamy, glowing complexion that aligns with the Soft Summer aesthetic.

For lips, nude tones work beautifully, along with blush pink and mauve. If you want to go bold, choose cooler shades like rose, berry, or plum.

Avoid warm tones that clash with your natural coloring, such as fiery reds, oranges, and yellows for your eyes, or bronze shades for the cheeks. Steer clear of overly dark lip colors, which can create a harsh contrast and disrupt your natural softness.

INSPIRATION: THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF SOFT SUMMER

Soft Summer is more than just a seasonal color type; it embodies an aesthetic deeply connected to the natural world. Its palette draws inspiration from the calming hues of misty mornings, serene oceans, and soft sunsets, showcasing the beauty created by the greatest Creator (Genesis 1:31).

Picture a foggy dawn over still waters—the cool grays and muted blues reflect Soft Summer’s essence. This color range includes gentle tones of gray, blue, purple, pink, and understated red.

Ocean Views: Soft Summer echoes the soft beauty of an island volcano veiled in pink and purple fog, blending seamlessly with the tranquil sea.

Mountain Scapes: A pink sunset fading into lavender mist over subdued green mountains captures the cool, muted vibe of this season.

Wintry Waters: A wintry lake scene, showcasing various muted blues, further illustrates Soft Summer’s peaceful, soft color profile.

Soft Summer’s palette is a reflection of the earth’s natural harmony, blending delicate, muted beauty with the tranquility of nature.

SOFT SUMMER COLOR PALETTE

When building a color palette for Soft Summer, start with versatile neutrals before exploring a range of colors.

Charcoal and denim are softer alternatives to harsh black, while a muted soft white works better than bright white. Add foundational shades like sage, blush, and dove gray to your wardrobe for a balanced look.

For reds, choose cool shades like ruby or soft red, and skip orange since it’s too warm. Stick to cooler yellows, such as corn or chiffon. Greens should have a touch of blue and stay in the medium range. Soft Summers can enjoy a variety of blues, from purple-blues to green-blues. Finish off with purples that have cool undertones.

Although every color may have a version that works for Soft Summer, some are harder to match. Cool pinks can sometimes look more like purples, many reds may appear too warm, and yellows without a green tint are often too warm. Blues and purples leaning more toward blue rather than red will flatter Soft Summers best.

It’s important to avoid certain colors, like stark black and white, which create harsh contrast. Bright, saturated shades can overwhelm Soft Summer’s natural softness. Medium pastel colors like rouge and steel blue are ideal choices.

Lastly, be cautious with colors from other seasonal palettes. Bright Spring, Bright Winter, and Warm Spring shades are often too vivid, warm, or high-contrast for Soft Summer, making them less harmonious with your natural tones. Stick to muted, cool shades for a balanced and flattering look.

CHOOSING PRINTS FOR SOFT SUMMER

Choosing the right prints is key to enhancing your Soft Summer look. To make sure your prints work with your color palette and personal style, consider the following:

  • Color Consistency: Ensure that at least 90% of the colors in your print come from the Soft Summer palette. This keeps your look cohesive and harmonious.
  • Scale: Opt for small to medium-sized prints. Large prints can feel overwhelming and take away from the soft, balanced nature of Soft Summer.
  • Contrast Level: Stick with low-contrast prints. Soft Summer looks best in muted, blended patterns that reflect its subtle and gentle charm.

Following these guidelines will help you choose prints that enhance your wardrobe and boost your confidence.

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS FOR SOFT AND COOL COLORING

No matter your style, there are a few key items every woman should have in her wardrobe.

Start with neutral basics, as they are the foundation of any outfit. Sticking to similar neutral shades creates a cohesive and polished look. Layering different tones of the same color adds depth and a luxurious feel.

If you prefer a more colorful style, neutrals are still essential, but you can bring in personality with vibrant accessories. Adding fun pieces in shades of pink, green, purple, or blue can give your outfits an exciting pop of color while still looking put together.

CONCLUSION

The Soft Summer color palette offers a refreshing and timeless aesthetic that suits a wide range of individuals. Its soft, muted tones create a harmonious and sophisticated look. By understanding your undertones and incorporating these colors into your wardrobe, you can enhance your natural beauty and radiate confidence. Don’t be afraid to mix and match different shades and textures to create your unique style. With a little creativity and confidence, you can effortlessly rock the Soft Summer look and feel your best.