You may have heard that you’re a “summer” or an “autumn”. Or maybe you’ve come across terms like “soft summer” or “deep winter” online. So how many colour seasons are there really, and what’s the difference between the systems?
The four classic seasons
Seasonal colour analysis started with four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season has its own character:
- Spring: warm, light and clear
- Summer: cool, light and soft
- Autumn: warm, deep and muted
- Winter: cool, deep and clear
The four seasons are a great starting point. But in practice, many people sit somewhere in between. You might have the warmth of an autumn, but be quite light. Or you’re a summer, but look lovely in slightly clearer colours.
Why more refined systems exist
That’s why more refined systems were developed, with 12 or 16 seasons (and sometimes more). They divide each classic season further, based on the characteristic that stands out most in your colouring: is it the warmth, the depth, the softness or the clarity?
A “soft summer”, for example, is mainly defined by softness, while a “light summer” is mainly defined by lightness. Both are summers, yet their best colours are noticeably different.
Is more always better?
Not necessarily. More seasons simply means more nuance. What matters most is that your palette really fits you, and that you understand why certain colours work. If you know that softness is your key characteristic, for example, you can recognise your colours in any shop, even without your palette card.
How I work
In my sessions I work with 21 colour types based on the four classic seasons. We first look at your undertone, depth, clarity and contrast, and from there we find the colour type and palette that suit you best. So you don’t just get a label, you get a palette that fits you much more precisely than a basic season would.
And if your favourite colour isn’t in your season?
Then you can still wear it. Your season isn’t a set of rules, it’s knowledge. I’ll show you how to make a colour work, for example by wearing it further away from your face, or by combining it with make-up and accessories in your best shades.
Curious which colours suit you? Have a look at my sessions & prices, or send me a WhatsApp if you’d like to talk it through first.