The 12 Color Seasons: Your Complete Guide to Seasonal Color Analysis
Color analysis is the art of finding the shades that naturally harmonize with your unique coloring: your skin, hair, and eyes. When you wear your best colors, your complexion looks clearer, your features pop, and you radiate confidence without trying. This guide covers the science, the history, and every one of the 12 color seasons so you can find yours.
What Is Seasonal Color Analysis?
Seasonal color analysis is a system that matches your natural coloring to a palette of clothing, makeup, and accessory shades that make you look your absolute best. The concept traces back to Swiss painter and color theorist Johannes Itten, who in the 1920s noticed that his students' art improved when they used colors that complemented their own appearance.
The idea went mainstream in 1980 when Carole Jackson published Color Me Beautiful, introducing the four-season framework: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Since then, analysts have refined the system into 12 sub-seasons (three per parent season) to capture the full spectrum of human coloring with much greater precision.
Each season is defined by three qualities: undertone (warm vs. cool), value (light vs. dark), and chroma (muted vs. bright). Your unique combination of these three characteristics determines which of the 12 seasons you belong to, and which colors will look most flattering on you.
How Does Color Analysis Work?
Color analysis evaluates three dimensions of your coloring:
- Undertone (Warm vs. Cool): The golden or rosy hue beneath your skin's surface. Warm undertones pair best with yellows, oranges, and greens. Cool undertones shine in blues, pinks, and purples.
- Value (Light vs. Dark): The overall lightness or depth of your hair, skin, and eyes combined. Light-value individuals glow in pastels; dark-value types command attention in rich, deep shades.
- Chroma (Bright vs. Muted): How clear or soft your coloring appears. High-chroma people look best in vivid, saturated hues; low-chroma individuals are flattered by dusty, toned-down palettes.
Professional color analysts use a technique called draping: holding colored fabrics near your face under controlled lighting to observe how each shade interacts with your skin. The right colors make dark circles vanish, skin tone even out, and eyes brighten. The wrong colors do the opposite: they can make you look tired, washed-out, or sallow.
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The 12 seasons flow in harmony: from the warm brightness of Spring, through the cool softness of Summer, into the earthy richness of Autumn, and on to the dramatic clarity of Winter. Read on for a deep dive into each one.
Spring Seasons: Warm, Bright & Fresh
Spring coloring is full of warmth and energy. If you're a Spring, your skin has a golden or peachy glow, your eyes are clear and bright, and your hair carries warm tones. Springs look best in colors that echo the freshness of the season: think coral, warm yellow, aqua, and peach.
Bright Spring
Bright + Warm
Clear, sparkling eyes (green, topaz, turquoise), warm-toned skin with a healthy glow, and hair ranging from golden blonde to medium brown.
Common Eye Colors
Bright Blue 
Soft Green 
Light Brown Best Metals
gold 
rose gold Gold and rose gold enhance your bright, warm coloring. Yellow gold especially complements your vibrant, high-contrast features.
Wear These
Vivid coral, warm red, bright aqua, electric blue, hot pink, sunflower yellow.
Skip These
Muted earth tones, dusty pastels, and anything overly dark or dull.
Celebrity Inspo
Emma Stone, Mila Kunis
True Spring
Warm + Bright
Golden undertones throughout: peachy or ivory skin, warm brown or strawberry blonde hair, and hazel or warm brown eyes.
Common Eye Colors
Hazel Brown Light Brown Soft Green Best Metals
gold rose gold Gold and rose gold enhance your warm, bright coloring. Yellow gold especially complements your sunny, vibrant features.
Wear These
Peach, warm salmon, golden yellow, grass green, light orange, turquoise.
Skip These
Cool grays, icy blues, black, and anything with a silver undertone.
Celebrity Inspo
Amy Adams, Taylor Swift
Light Spring
Light + Warm
Delicate and fair with low contrast: light blonde or light brown hair, light eyes (blue, green, light hazel), and porcelain or peachy skin.
Common Eye Colors
Light Blue Soft Green Hazel Brown Best Metals
gold rose gold Gold and rose gold enhance your light, warm coloring. Avoid heavy silver jewelry that can overwhelm your delicate features.
Wear These
Soft peach, light coral, mint green, butter yellow, powder blue, lavender pink.
Skip These
Heavy, dark colors like black or charcoal; anything neon or overly saturated.
Celebrity Inspo
Cate Blanchett, Scarlett Johansson
Summer Seasons: Cool, Light & Gentle
Summer coloring is calm and elegant. If you're a Summer, your skin has cool pink or neutral undertones, your eyes are soft (blue, gray, or muted green), and your hair leans ashy. Summers are flattered by cool, muted shades: lavender, powder blue, soft rose, and dove gray.
Light Summer
Light + Cool
Very fair and delicate with cool undertones: ash blonde or light brown hair, blue or gray-blue eyes, pink or neutral-cool skin.
Common Eye Colors
Light Blue 
Gray Blue Best Metals
silver 
white gold Silver and white gold enhance your light, delicate features. Avoid heavy yellow gold jewelry that can overwhelm your gentle coloring.
Wear These
Powder blue, soft lavender, rose pink, light sage, dove gray, periwinkle.
Skip These
Harsh warm tones like orange, rust, and mustard; heavy black.
Celebrity Inspo
Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts
True Summer
Cool + Muted
Distinctly cool with a soft, powdery quality: ash brown or mousy blonde hair, cool blue or gray eyes, pink-toned skin.
Common Eye Colors
Gray Blue Soft Green Bright Blue Best Metals
silver white gold Silver and white gold complement your cool, soft coloring. Avoid yellow gold as it can look harsh against your gentle features.
Wear These
Dusty rose, soft teal, cocoa, raspberry, blue-gray, mauve.
Skip These
Warm yellows, oranges, and earthy browns; extremely vivid neons.
Celebrity Inspo
Jennifer Aniston, Kate Middleton
Soft Summer
Muted + Cool
Low contrast and blended: medium ash brown hair, muted gray-green or gray-blue eyes, neutral-cool skin that can tan olive.
Common Eye Colors
Gray Blue Soft Green Hazel Brown Best Metals
silver rose gold Silver works best with your soft, cool coloring. Rose gold can also complement your gentle features beautifully.
Wear These
Sage green, dusty blue, soft plum, mushroom, old rose, slate.
Skip These
Bright, vivid colors; stark black-and-white contrasts.
Celebrity Inspo
Sarah Jessica Parker, Gisele Bundchen
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Autumn Seasons: Warm, Rich & Earthy
Autumn coloring is warm and grounded. If you're an Autumn, your skin has golden or olive undertones, your eyes are warm (brown, hazel, green), and your hair ranges from auburn to deep brown. Autumns glow in rich, earthy tones: rust, olive, camel, and burgundy.
Soft Autumn
Muted + Warm
Warm but muted: golden-brown or dark blonde hair, hazel or olive-green eyes, warm beige skin with a subtle golden glow.
Common Eye Colors
Hazel Brown 
Olive Green Best Metals
gold rose gold Gold and rose gold complement your soft, warm coloring. Avoid bright silver as it can look too harsh against your gentle features.
Wear These
Camel, warm taupe, dusty rose, muted teal, olive green, soft terracotta.
Skip These
Icy pastels, neon brights, and cool blue-based colors.
Celebrity Inspo
Drew Barrymore, Gigi Hadid
True Autumn
Warm + Muted
Rich golden warmth: auburn, chestnut, or dark brown hair, warm brown or green eyes, warm ivory to bronze skin.
Common Eye Colors
Olive Green Hazel Brown Light Brown Best Metals
gold rose gold Gold and rose gold enhance your warm, golden undertones beautifully. Avoid silver as it can look harsh against your warm coloring.
Wear These
Burnt orange, olive green, rust, deep gold, warm brown, teal.
Skip These
Cool pinks, icy blues, stark white, and anything with a silver cast.
Celebrity Inspo
Julia Roberts, Jessica Alba
Dark Autumn
Dark + Warm
High contrast with warmth: dark brown or black hair, deep brown or dark hazel eyes, olive to dark bronze skin.
Common Eye Colors
Deep Brown Hazel Brown Olive Green Best Metals
gold rose gold Gold and rose gold enhance your deep, warm coloring. Bronze and copper can also work beautifully with your rich undertones.
Wear These
Chocolate brown, deep olive, burgundy, burnt sienna, dark teal, bronze.
Skip These
Pastel shades, cool lavenders, and anything washed-out or icy.
Celebrity Inspo
Eva Mendes, Penelope Cruz
Winter Seasons: Cool, Bright & Dramatic
Winter coloring is striking and high-contrast. If you're a Winter, your skin has cool or neutral-cool undertones, your eyes are intense (dark brown, deep blue, or vivid green), and your hair is typically dark. Winters command attention in bold, saturated colors: true red, emerald, cobalt, and jet black.
Dark Winter
Dark + Cool
Striking contrast: very dark brown or black hair, deep brown or dark cool eyes, porcelain to deep olive skin with cool undertones.
Common Eye Colors
Deep Brown 
Deep Blue Best Metals
silver white gold Silver and white gold are your best metals due to your neutral-cool coloring. Dark gold can work if not too yellow. Ruby, sapphire, emerald, and saturated violet stones complement your deep, rich coloring beautifully.
Wear These
Black, true red, emerald green, dark navy, ice pink, deep purple.
Skip These
Warm oranges, muted earthy tones, and beige.
Celebrity Inspo
Lupita Nyong'o, Anne Hathaway
True Winter
Cool + Bright
Frosty and brilliant: dark hair contrasted against fair cool skin, vivid cool eyes (icy blue, dark brown), clear and sharp features.
Common Eye Colors
Deep Blue Deep Brown Best Metals
silver white gold Silver and white gold enhance your cool undertones beautifully. Avoid yellow gold as it can clash with your cool coloring.
Wear These
Icy pink, true blue, hot magenta, emerald, pure white, lemon yellow.
Skip These
Warm muted tones, golden-browns, and anything dusty or earthy.
Celebrity Inspo
Zooey Deschanel, Katy Perry
Bright Winter
Bright + Cool
Vivid and high-contrast: dark hair with striking light eyes, clear and bright skin, an overall "wow" factor.
Common Eye Colors
Bright Blue Deep Brown Soft Green Best Metals
silver white gold Silver and white gold enhance your bright, cool features. Platinum is also an excellent choice for your high-contrast look.
Wear These
Electric blue, hot pink, bright turquoise, cherry red, vivid violet, lime green.
Skip These
Muted, dusty shades; warm earth tones; anything beige.
Celebrity Inspo
Megan Fox, Courteney Cox
How to Find Your Color Season
There are three main ways to discover your season:
Professional Draping
A trained analyst holds colored fabrics near your face under controlled lighting. The gold standard for accuracy, but costs $150–$300 and requires an in-person appointment.
DIY at Home
Hold warm (gold/orange) and cool (silver/blue) fabrics near your face in natural light and observe which makes your skin glow. Free but difficult to self-assess accurately.
AI Color Analysis
Take a selfie and let AI evaluate your undertone, value, and chroma in seconds. Free, instant, and surprisingly accurate: perfect for a quick starting point.
Whichever method you choose, the goal is the same: identify which of the 12 sub-seasons your coloring falls into so you can build a wardrobe palette that makes you look and feel amazing every single day.
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