warm undertone cool overtone

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.

SOFT AUTUMN: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YOUR COLOR PALETTE AND CAPSULE WARDROBE

Soft Autumn combines the warm, inviting undertones of autumn with the soft, understated qualities of summer, making it a distinctive category in the 12-season color analysis system. This seasonal blend is perfect for those who have an overall gentle warmth in their features, where no single element stands out prominently. If you find yourself drawn to soothing, neutral tones like beige and olive, and feel a sense of calm at the sight of a misty forest morning, Soft Autumn may be your ideal match.

This guide will explore the Soft Autumn profile in detail, including physical characteristics, makeup recommendations, and a tailored color palette. You’ll also discover essential wardrobe staples for Soft Autumns and learn how to create a custom palette that enhances your natural beauty. Keep reading to uncover how to fully embrace and elevate your Soft Autumn style.

THE 12 SEASONS OF COLOR ANALYSIS

Seasonal color analysis is a transformative tool that reveals which colors enhance your natural beauty and boost your confidence. By assessing the undertones of your skin, eyes, and hair, this system places you into one of 12 unique color categories, each offering a tailored palette that highlights your best features.

This approach is based on six key color elements: warm, cool, deep, light, soft, and bright. Within the warm spectrum, the Autumn color family is distinguished by its medium to dark, muted hues.

The Autumn palette includes:

  • Soft Autumn (your focus today)
  • Warm Autumn
  • Deep Autumn

In this guide, we’ll explore the Soft Autumn palette—a harmonious blend of warm undertones and subtle contrasts that creates a soothing, refined look.

SOFT AUTUMN IS WARM AND SOFT

Soft Summer is characterized by the following attributes: warm hue, medium value, and muted chroma.

Warm Hue: Soft Summer has a warm undertone, typically red, though it can sometimes appear cooler due to various pink or white overtones. This can make it challenging to differentiate between Soft Autumn and Soft Summer.

Medium Value: Soft Summer features medium-value colors. While Soft Autumn generally leans towards medium to dark values, Soft Summer colors may range from medium pinks and reds to deeper greens and blues, depending on the specific family.

Muted Chroma: The most defining trait of Soft Summer is its muted chroma. Unlike bright colors, Soft Summer colors are subdued and lack intense vibrancy. Bright hues are not suitable for this palette and can help distinguish it from Soft Autumn.

While Soft Autumn shares warmth with its seasonal counterparts, its defining characteristic is its muted gray undertone. This gives Soft Autumn a softer, more subtle appearance compared to the more vibrant Autumn types.

Skin: Soft Autumn skin often ranges from gentle beige to taupe. Skin tone may shift from a golden glow in the summer to an ashy warmth in winter due to sun exposure.

Eyes: Eyes in Soft Autumn are usually brown, green, or blue with a soft, opaque quality. Unique patterns, such as olive overlays and brown specks, are common.

Hair: Hair color in Soft Autumn is generally in the brown family, from light to medium or dark shades, and may include gold, red, or faint auburn highlights. Dark blonde and occasionally medium blonde hair are also seen. Hair color complements the overall muted, harmonious look of the Soft Autumn palette. Features are balanced and unassuming, coming to life when paired with the appropriate colors for the season.

MAKEUP FOR THE SOFT AUTUMN WOMAN

To enhance the Soft Autumn look, your makeup should reflect its warm and soft characteristics.

Eyes: Opt for light neutrals such as cream, blush, and copper, or rich tones like brown and olive. For accents, consider soft plum or warm teal to add subtle depth.

Cheeks: Choose neutral warm shades like sand, coral, and peach to create a natural, peachy glow that complements the Soft Autumn palette.

Lips: Nude shades, along with copper and caramel, work beautifully for everyday looks. For a bolder statement, try chestnut, mocha, or coral red.

Avoid cool tones such as pink or berry red lipsticks, cool blue or green eyeshadows, and soft pink blushes. Dark lip colors are also best avoided as they can overpower the Soft Autumn’s gentle aesthetic.

INSPIRATION: THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF SOFT AUTUMN

The Soft Autumn palette is renowned for its serene warmth and subtle elegance, beautifully reflected in the imagery of a fog-draped landscape. This season’s colors blend the warmth of browns, reds, oranges, yellows, and greens with a gentle hint of gray, creating a harmonious and muted visual experience.

Nature provides rich inspiration for Soft Autumn. Consider the soft transition of a leaf changing colors, where summer’s vibrant hues gradually give way to autumn’s deeper tones. Similarly, the tranquil beauty of a spring scene illuminated by a setting sun offers a glimpse of the warm teal blues that define this palette. These colors capture the essence of Soft Autumn, balancing warmth with softness.

VISUAL INSPIRATIONS:

Leaf Transition: Observe a leaf in mid-transition, where summer’s brightness subtly merges with autumn’s rich, muted colors, embodying the essence of Soft Autumn.

Marigold Glow: The soft, muted glow of marigold leaves under gentle lighting highlights Soft Autumn’s range, connecting deeply with the natural cycle of change.

Sunset Brilliance: The warm yellow hues of a cloudy sunset, blending seamlessly with ivory and taupe, illustrate Soft Autumn’s palette as it transitions from day to night, capturing the season’s tranquil beauty and warmth.

These natural scenes offer a visual guide to embracing the Soft Autumn palette, encouraging you to explore and incorporate these muted, warm colors into your wardrobe and personal style.

SOFT AUTUMN COLOR PALETTE

When creating a Soft Autumn palette, begin with neutral tones and then explore the major color families.

For Soft Autumn, black and white are too harsh, so replace black with brown and denim, and white with ivory. Essential neutral colors for this palette include olive, blush, and camel.

Soft Autumns benefit from rich, muted hues. Burgundy and squash are ideal soft tones. Given the blend with summer, there’s a wider range of pinks available, though warm pinks like blush are particularly suitable. Yellows in this palette can include soft brass, flax, and marzipan. Greens should be medium to light, while blues can be cool but should have a green undertone to fit the autumnal theme. Warm purples, especially those with red undertones, complete the palette.

While most colors can be adapted to fit any season, some may be challenging to match for Soft Autumn. Warm pinks often translate well into blush, but cooler reds and blues without green can be unsuitable. Opt for purples with a red base rather than blue.

Certain colors should be avoided by Soft Autumns. Stark black and white are too high-contrast, and bright, saturated colors can be overwhelming. Instead, focus on warm pastels and soft hues, particularly blush and olive, to complement your Soft Autumn palette.

CHOOSING PRINTS FOR SOFT AUTUMN

Choosing the right patterns can significantly enhance your Soft Autumn style. To ensure your patterns complement your color scheme and align with your scale and contrast preferences, follow these guidelines:

  • Color Consistency: Limit patterns to less than 10% of colors that fall outside your Soft Autumn palette. This keeps your look cohesive and harmonious.
  • Scale: Choose prints with a small to medium scale. Large, bold patterns can disrupt the gentle and soft aesthetic of Soft Autumn.
  • Contrast Level: Opt for low-contrast prints. Soft Autumn’s charm lies in its muted, blended appearance, and low-contrast patterns will emphasize this quality.

Adhering to these principles will help you refine your Soft Autumn wardrobe and boost your confidence in pattern selection. Browse our curated image collection below for examples that perfectly embody these guidelines.

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS FOR SOFT AND WARM COLORING

Regardless of your style or personal aesthetic, there are essential items every woman should have in her wardrobe.

Begin with neutrals, which form the foundation of any wardrobe. Opting for similar shades of the same color can create a sophisticated, cohesive look through layering.

If you prefer a more vibrant approach, the basics remain important, but you can add flair with fun and quirky accessories in yellow, orange, purple, and blue. These colorful accents will bring interest and personality to your outfits.

CONCLUSION

The Soft Autumn palette offers a harmonious blend of warm, muted tones that can complement a variety of skin tones and hair colors. By incorporating these colors into your capsule wardrobe, you can create timeless and versatile outfits that reflect your personal style.