Color analysis is a fabulous fashion and personal styling tool to help you find the best colors for your natural features. There are four seasonal color palettes – Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter – but some people can be a variation within one palette or a blend of two seasons. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the autumn color analysis and autumn color combinations!

What Is Autumn Color Analysis?

Autumn color analysis identifies people whose natural coloring harmonizes with the warm, earthy tones of the autumn season. According to Forbes, 95% of employers factor in an applicant’s appearance when making hiring decisions. Understanding your best colors can help you make a better first impression in both your personal and professional lives!

Autumns typically have warm and rich hair colors, such as warm brown, auburn, golden blonde, copper, and dark brown to black with warm undertones. Their eye colors are often warm and earthy, including hazel, warm green, brown, and occasionally warm blue shades like teal or turquoise. Autumn skin tone ranges from fair to deep, with golden, peachy, or warm olive undertones. Autumns may also have freckles that complement their warmth!

What Is the Autumn Color Analysis Palette?

The Autumn palette is full of deep, warm, and muted colors. Autumn colors can include shades like olive green, burnt orange, rust, deep brown, golden brown, medium brown, light brown, warm greens, warm mustard yellows, warm browns, dark greens, light hazel, sage green, rose gold, and other color combinations. These colors allow for the natural warmth of Autumns to shine through.

The Different Types of Autumn Color Analysis

Within the Autumn category, there are four main subtypes: Soft Autumn, Deep Autumn (also known as Dark Autumn), Warm Autumn, and True Autumn. Each subtype has its own unique characteristics and specific color recommendations.

Soft Autumn Color Analysis

Soft Autumns have a more muted and blended appearance compared to the other Autumn subtypes. Their features are typically softer, with less contrast between their hair, skin, and eye color. Soft Autumns often have a combination of light brown or dark blonde hair, hazel or green eyes, and fair to medium skin tones with a warm undertone.

Can Soft Autumn Wear Grey?

While grey is generally associated with cooler palettes, Soft Autumns can wear warmer, softer shades of grey, such as mushroom grey or taupe. These shades work well for their muted and warm features. The key is to avoid overly dark or cool-toned greys, which can look too stark on Soft Autumns.

Deep Autumn Color Analysis (Dark Autumn)

Deep Autumns, or Dark Autumns, are a neutral palette leaning warm. Their palette is created by combining Autumn and Winter.

Deep Autumns have a striking and rich appearance with a high level of contrast in their features. They typically have dark hair ranging from dark brown to black, deep brown or dark hazel eyes, and warm skin tones that can vary from fair to deep.

The colors that best suit Deep Autumns are rich and intense, such as deep teal, chocolate brown, and dark olive. These colors make the depth and richness of their natural coloring even more intense!

Can Deep Autumn Wear Bright Red?

Bright red can be overpowering for Deep Autumns, as it often clashes with their rich and earthy natural palette. Instead, Deep Autumns should opt for deeper and warmer reds, such as brick red, mahogany, or rust, which complement their natural coloring.

These deeper reds have a richness that goes well with the deep and warm characteristics of Deep Autumns, making them appear even more naturally beautiful.

Warm Autumn Color Analysis 

Warm Autumns are the Autumn palettes that combine Spring and Autumn but lean closer to Autumn.

They usually have a real warmth to their features with red or auburn tones in their hair, warm green, blue, or hazel eyes, and skin tones that range from fair to medium with a golden undertone.

The colors that best suit Warm Autumns are the warmest and most golden of the Autumn palette, such as golden yellow, burnt orange, dark golden brown, and warm terracotta. These colors bring out the golden warmth in Warm Autumns’ features.

Can Warm Autumns Wear Black?

33% of consumers prefer the color black to other colors, but black is generally too harsh for Warm Autumns and can wash out their warm features. Instead, Warm Autumns should choose dark browns, deep greens, or navy as their go-to dark neutrals, which will compliment their warm undertones. These colors provide the necessary depth and contrast without clashing with their vibrant Autumn color palette.

True Autumn Color Analysis 

True Autumn palettes embody the quintessential warm and golden undertones. They usually have warm brown or auburn hair, warm green or hazel eyes, and skin tones that range from medium to deeper with a golden undertone.

The colors that best suit True Autumns are the standard colors of the Autumn palette, such as mustard yellow, rust orange, amber, and mossy green. These colors bring out the warmth and softness in True Autumns’ features.

Can True Autumn Wear White?

Pure white is too stark for True Autumns. If you’re a True Autumn, you should opt for warmer off-whites like ivory, cream, or ecru, which will go together better with your warmer undertones. These warm whites complement the golden tones in your True Autumns’ skin!

Autumn vs Spring Color Analysis

Both Autumn and Spring color palettes are warm, but they differ in intensity and clarity. Spring colors are brighter, clearer, and more vibrant, while Autumn colors are deeper, muted, and earthy.

Spring palettes include colors like bright coral, clear turquoise, and sunny yellow, which have a fresh and lively quality. In contrast, Autumn types include colors like mustard yellow, olive green, and rust, which have a rich and grounded quality.

How Do You Tell If You’re a Spring or an Autumn?

To determine if you’re a Spring or an Autumn, consider the clarity and intensity of colors that suit you best. If you look better in bright, clear, and vibrant colors, you’re likely a Spring. If muted, deep, and earthy tones suit your appearance, you’re likely an Autumn.

It’s often challenging to do an accurate color analysis on yourself. I’m a certified color analyst, and I offer color analysis sessions as a part of my personal stylist services!

Winter vs Autumn Color Analysis

Winter and Autumn palettes are quite different, despite the fact that both of them include deep and dark colors.

Winter colors are cool, bright, and high in contrast, while Autumn colors are warm, muted, and earthy. Winter palettes include colors like true black, pure white, and icy blue, which have a crisp and stark quality. In contrast, Autumn palettes include colors like deep brown, warm taupe, and olive green. The Autumn color palette is warmer and more grounded.

Autumn vs Summer Color Analysis

Summer palettes are cool, soft, and muted, with a pastel quality. They contrast with the warm, deep, and earthy tones of Autumn. Summers look best in cool, blue-based colors, such as soft lavender, powder blue, and cool pink. In turn, Autumns shine in warm, golden-based colors, such as mustard yellow, burnt orange, and deep olive.

Finding your unique color palette is a way to merge your inner self with your outer self and embrace authentic self-expression. You can learn more about using fashion and personal styling in an aligned way in my book We Don’t Do ‘Just Okay’ Anymore!

Why Color Analysis Apps Get It Wrong

Color analysis apps often lack the nuanced understanding of undertones and the subtle differences in personal coloring that a trained color analyst has. Online apps often use surface-level algorithms that don’t account for the complexity of human features. As a result, people often get assigned an inaccurate color palette, which can be highly confusing! Moreover, lighting conditions and the quality of the photos you use will affect the accuracy of your color analysis.

If you want to do online color analysis, the better alternative is to do a virtual session with a certified color analyst. You’ll get much more accurate and personalized results!

FAQs

What Colors Look Best on Autumn Skin Tones?

Autumn skin tones look best in warm and earthy colors such as olive green, mustard yellow, burnt orange, rust, deep browns, and warm taupes. These colors go together well with the natural warmth and depth of their features. Other complementary colors are golden yellows, warm reds, and rich greens. The key is to choose colors with a warm and muted quality and to avoid overly bright and cool-toned shades.

Should Autumn Wear Gold or Silver?

Gold is generally more suited for Autumns because of its warm undertones. Silver, being cool-toned, can often clash with the natural warmth of Autumns. For jewelry and accessories, Autumns should choose gold, bronze, and copper materials, which look better on them than silver ones.

Am I Soft or True in Autumn?

To determine if you’re a Soft or True Autumn, compare the level of contrast and the intensity of the colors that suit you. Soft Autumns look best in muted and blended colors with a bit of a cool, smokey influence. True Autumns shine in the warmest and richest colors of the Autumn palette. 

Overall, Soft Autumns have a more gentle and understated appearance with a neutral skin tone, while True Autumns have a more vibrant and golden look that is exclusively warm.

What Hair Color Is Best for Autumn Color Analysis?

For Autumns, hair colors that have a warm and rich quality are the most appealing. Shades like golden brown, auburn, copper, and warm chestnut complement their natural coloring. Highlights in warm tones, such as caramel or honey, can also look fabulous on you!

Can Autumn Wear Pink?

Autumns can wear pink, but it should be a warm and earthy shade of pink, such as coral, salmon, or peach, to complement their Autumn palette. Cool or bright pinks, such as fuchsia or bubblegum pink, are generally not appealing for Autumns and can clash with their natural coloring.

Is Autumn Warm or Cool-Toned?

Autumn is definitively warm-toned. If you’re an Autumn, you likely have warm undertones in your skin, hair, and eyes. If you have cool undertones in your complexion, such as blue or pinkish undertones, you may have a Summer palette or a Winter palette. If you’re not sure what your color analysis season is, consider booking a color analysis session with me!

Can Autumn Skin Tones Wear Black?

Black is generally not the best color for Autumn skin tones. It can be too harsh and may wash out the natural warmth of your features. Instead of black, Autumns look better in dark neutrals like deep browns, rich olives, and navy. If you like wearing darker colors, these alternatives still carry the depth and sophistication of black but work better with the natural richness of Autumn skin tones!

Can an Autumn Have Blue Eyes?

It’s possible for an Autumn palette to have blue eyes, but it’s less common than other eye colors such as hazel, brown, or warm green. When Autumns do have blue eyes, the shade often leans towards a warm, teal, or turquoise rather than a cool, icy blue. It’s important to remember that color analysis is not one-size-fits-all. People have diverse features, and you may even be a blend of two seasons! Consider working with a professional color analyst to figure out your season.

Book Your Online Color Analysis Session

If you have an Autumn color palette, wearing colors that complement your natural features can make you look magnetic!

If you’re not sure what season you are yet, I offer one-hour sessions to help you finally figure out what colors will accentuate your natural beauty. After we wrap up, you’ll have a solid understanding of what your color analysis season is and how to incorporate your colors into your wardrobe. It’s time to reimagine how you see yourself. Here’s a direct link to my calendar to book your color analysis session!