Color analysis has been gaining popularity on social media, but the concept of wearing colors that best complement your features actually originated in the 1980s. Among the four primary seasons in color analysis—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—Summer is known for its cool, muted, and soft tones.

I’m a Certified Color Analyst. In this article, I’m going to share everything you need to know about summer color analysis, its different subtypes, and how to find your colour palette.

What Is Summer Color Analysis?

Color analysis is a fashion method that allows you to figure out which colors harmonize best with your natural features, such as your skin tone, eye color, and hair color. When you know which colors intensify your natural beauty, it becomes much easier to figure out what to wear to look your best.

Summer is one of the primary seasons in color analysis, characterized by cool undertones and soft, muted shades.

The fashion industry has grown to huge proportions, and we discard 92 million tons of clothes-related waste each year. Knowing your colour season allows you to become more intentional with the clothes that you buy and only get pieces that truly complement your natural features and amplify your spirit.

What Is the Summer Color Analysis Palette?

The summer color analysis palette is made of cool and muted colors that reflect the beauty of the summer season. Think of colors like light blue, light grey, lavender purple, and pink. These hues are neither too bright nor too dark. Instead, they’re gentle and sophisticated.

The summer color analysis palette includes a range of pastel and light shades, as well as some medium tones that are subdued and not overly vibrant.

What Is the Summer Skin Tone, Eye, and Hair Color?

People with a Summer palette typically have cool undertones. Their skin can range from light to medium with pink, rosy, or beige undertones.

Summer eyes are often blue, grey, or soft green, with a tendency to appear light and soft. Hair color for Summers ranges from light blonde hair to medium brown, often with an ashy or cool undertone.

If you’re not sure what your color analysis season is, I offer color analysis consultations to help you find your hues!

The Color Analysis Summer Types

Within the Summer seasonal color analysis, there are several subtypes that help you further refine your colour palette.

These subtypes include Soft Summer, Cool Summer, True Summer, and Light Summer. Each subtype has unique characteristics and colors that fall within the overall Summer colour season.

Soft Summer Color Analysis

Soft Summer is characterized by a more muted and blended appearance.

People in this subtype typically have light, medium, and neutral skin tones with cool undertones, often with a slight pink or blue base. Their skintones are closer to the cool side of the spectrum, but they may have a little bit of warmth, too. 

Natural hair color for Soft Summers can range from ashy blonde to medium brown, often with an overall muted or cool quality. The eyes of a Soft Summer are usually soft and gentle, ranging in shades of grey, blue, grey hazel, or soft green. The overall appearance is gentle and delicate, with an emphasis on subtlety and low contrast.

Soft Summers look their best in colors that mirror their natural muted tones.

These colors include dusty rose, soft taupe, muted teal, slate blue, lavender, misty grey, sage green, and purple-pink. Stick to muted colours and avoid anything too bright or warm as well as dark colours. Saturated colors such as bright yellow will clash with your natural undertones and light hair.

Cool Summer Color Analysis

Cool Summer is a combination of the Summer and Winter palettes. It has cool undertones and a beautiful mix of soft and cool colors.

Cool Summers typically have fair skin with cool undertones that almost has a porcelaine-like quality. Their hair can range from ash blonde to dark brown, and their eyes are usually grey, green, or blue. 

Cool Summers look great in pastel colors, from cool blues to soft pinks.

What Colors Should Cool Summer Palette Avoid?

Cool Summers should avoid warm, bright, and overly dark colors. Shades like orange and warm yellows as well as darker colours like black create a high contrast and overwhelm the cool-toned appearance of Cool Summers. Sticking to soft, cool, and muted shades is the best approach.

True Summer Color Analysis

This subtype is the purest representation of the Summer palette with distinctly cool undertones. True Summers naturally have a refined and elegant appearance, with a higher contrast between their hair, eyes, and skin.

Overall, True Summers are cool and balanced with clear shades.

True Summers have fair skin with a cool undertone, often with a rosy or pinkish hue. Their skin can have a light beige quality. Hair colors for True Summers span from ash blonde to dark brown without any warm colours or golden undertones. They typically have grey, green, or blue eyes.

True Summers look their best in colors that reflect their natural coolness and contrast. 

Cool blues, pure greys, soft pinks, lavender, soft navy, and icy pastels with a blue or pink tinge are perfect for True Summers. They should avoid dark colors and anything too high contrast or warm. Stick with light neutrals instead!

Can True Summers Wear Black?

Black is often a tricky color for True Summers.

While black is a universal color, it can often look too harsh against the soft tones of True Summer’s natural coloring. Dark greys and navy are often better alternatives. They give you depth of color without overwhelming your delicate True Summer features.

Can True Summers Wear Red? 

True Summers can wear red, but it’s important to find the right shade because bright colors typically don’t work well for the Summer palette.

Look for cool blue-based reds rather than warm orange-based ones. Think of cranberry or raspberry instead of tomato red. These cooler shades of red complement your natural features without clashing!

Can True Summers Wear White? 

True Summers look best in soft whites rather than stark, pure white. Ivory, off-white, and light greyish whites work well, adding to your natural coolness without appearing too harsh. Consider working with a Certified Color Analyst to get more personalized recommendations!

Can True Summers Wear Green? 

Green can be a beautiful color for True Summers, especially if it has cool undertones. Mint, seafoam, and teal are excellent choices. Avoid wearing a warm green like olive or a bright green like lime because they can clash with the cool and muted tones of a True Summer’s palette.

Can True Summers Wear Gold? 

Gold is generally too warm for True Summers. Silver, platinum, and white gold are more flattering alternatives. These metal colors align better with the coolness of a True Summer without overpowering it with warm tones.

What Undertone Is True Summer?

True Summers have cool, blue undertones. This means their skin, eyes, and hair all have a blue-based quality. Colors that are also cool in nature, such as blues, cool pinks, and purples, are the most flattering for this colour analysis subtype.

Can True Summer Have Blonde Hair?

Yes, True Summers can have blonde hair, typically in shades that are cool and ashy rather than golden. Platinum, medium ash blonde, and cool beige blonde are common among True Summers. If your hair is bright blond or has yellow-gold undertones, it may be too warm to fit the muted tones of the True Summer palette.

Light Summer Color Analysis

Light Summers have the lightest and most delicate coloring within the Summer season. They have light or neutral skin with cool undertones and their hair colors range from light blonde to light brown with an ashy or neutral tone. Their eyes are usually blue, grey, or light green, and there’s low contrast between Light Summers’ natural features.

Light Summers look their best in colors that reflect their light, airy, and cool nature.

Look for clothes with soft and cool pinks, cool blues, soft lavender, cool greens, pastel yellows, light greys, and icy pastels. These colors will help you look balanced, fresh, and naturally beautiful!

Can Light Summer Wear White?

Light Summers can wear white, but you should look for clothes with softer whites rather than stark whites. Ivory, light grey, and soft white are more flattering for your naturally muted features.

If you want more personalized guidance but don’t want to see a color analyst in person, consider online color analysis!

Winter vs Summer Color Analysis

Winter and summer are both cool seasons in color analysis. That said, they’re still very different.

Winter colors are high contrast, deep, and vibrant. If you are a Winter, your natural features have rich and intense shades that stand out.

Winters typically have a higher contrast between their features, such as dark hair and light skin or bright eyes and dark hair.

Winters can wear strong, saturated colors that might overpower people in other seasons. Royal blue, emerald green, crimson red, and stark black all look great on Winters.

In contrast, Summer colors are softer, lighter, and more muted. Summers have less contrast in their features, so delicate pinks, pastel blues, lavender, and other softer colors look much better on them.

How Do You Tell If You Are Summer or Winter?

To figure out whether you’re a summer or a winter, look at your natural contrast levels and how your skin reacts to colors.

If you look better in high-contrast, deep, and vibrant colors, you might be a Winter. If your natural features stand out more wearing softer, lighter, and more muted tones, you are likely a Summer.

That said, it can be hard to figure out whether you’re a Summer or Winter on your own. Consult with a Certified Color Analyst for more accurate results.

Summer vs Spring Color Analysis

Summer and Spring are both light seasons, but Summer has cool undertones while Spring has warm undertones.

Springs typically have light to medium skin tones with a warm, golden, or peachy undertone. Their hair can range from light blonde to light brown and have a warm, golden hue. Their eyes are blue, green, or light brown. In contrast, Summer colors are cool, soft, and muted.

Peach, coral, light turquoise, warm beige, and warm yellow all look great on Springs. In turn, Summers should wear a cooler and softer color palette!

Am I Spring or Summer?

To answer this question, examine your undertones and how you look in warm versus cool colors. If warm hues look better on you, you are probably a Spring.

If your natural features seem to come alive when you’re wearing cooler and softer colors, you’re likely a Summer. Test different colors against your skin and consider booking a color analysis session with a professional.

Autumn vs Summer Color Analysis

Autumn and Summer are quite different from each other. Autumn’s rich and warm hues contrast sharply with Summer’s cool and airy shades.

Autumn skin has a warm, golden, or peachy undertone. Hair colors for Autumns range from golden blonde to deep brown, often with warm highlights. Their eyes are brown, green, or hazel, and Autumns’ overall appearance is earthy and rich. Summers, on the other hand, have a soft appearance with a cool undertone.

Examples of Summer Color Analysis

It’s often easier to see what different color analysis seasons look like with real-life examples. Here are some popular Summer color analysis celebrities.

Keep in mind that these are just possibilities. Accurate results can only be achieved in a dedicated color analysis session with a professional!

Summer Color Analysis Celebrities

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie has fair skin with cool undertones, ashy blonde hair, and blue eyes. As a Light Summer, she often shines in pastel hues, such as soft pinks, baby blues, and cool lavenders, which highlight her natural beauty without overpowering her delicate features.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett could be a Soft Summer. Her cool, muted blonde hair, soft blue eyes, and fair skin with cool undertones fit the Soft Summer palette beautifully.

Anna Kendrick

Not all Summers are blonde. With her cool undertones and dark brown hair, Anna Kendrick looks stunning in cool blues, soft pinks, and gentle greys as a True Summer.

How Do I Know My Season Color?

You need to examine your natural hair, eye, and skin tones to do color analysis. You need to determine whether you have warm or cool undertones and test how different colors add to or take away from your natural beauty.

It’s quite tricky to do color analysis on yourself. Consulting with a professional color analyst, online or in person, is the best way to get accurate results and learn how to apply your colour palette to your wardrobe.

Why Color Analysis Apps Get It Wrong

Color analysis apps often get it wrong because they can’t account for the nuances of individual coloring and the subtleties of undertones. Lighting conditions, screen color differences, and surface-level algorithms can all lead to inaccurate results.

I don’t recommend using color analysis apps because they can be quite confusing!

FAQs

What Colors Look Best on Summer Skin Tones?

Colors that look best on Summer skin tones are cool, soft, and muted shades. Pastel blues, soft pinks, lavender, and light greys are all good options because they bring out the natural beauty of Summers. Mint green, icy pastels, and soft rose tones can also be flattering.

What Summer Colors Look Good on Pale Skin?

If you are a Summer with pale skin, try wearing light and airy colors such as pastel pink, baby blue, and soft lavender. Avoid intense colors such as crimson reds and bright greens because they will overpower your natural features.

What Season Is Olive Skin Tone? 

Olive skin tones typically fit into either the Autumn or Winter seasons, depending on their undertones. They can also be a neutral sub-season. Winters have olive skin with cool undertones, and it pairs well with deep and vibrant colors like stark black and white. Olive skin with warm undertones is often best categorized as Autumn and works well with earthy colors such as burnt orange and deep gold.

Can Summers Have Dark Hair?

Yes, Summers can have darker hair but with cool and ashy undertones rather than warm hues. Dark brown hair with a cool base is common among True Summers and looks beautiful when paired with the light and soft colors of the Summer palette. The most important thing is that dark hair should not have overly warm or golden tones.

Can Summers Have Brown Eyes? 

Yes, Summers can have brown eyes, but they are usually the softer and cooler shades of brown. Common hues are hazel, light brown, and even a muted chocolate brown, all of which fit well within the cool, soft spectrum typical of Summers. As long as your eyes have cool undertones, you could be a Summer!

Can Summers Wear Black? 

Summers can wear black, but you should approach this color with caution because it can often look too harsh against your natural Summer coloring. Black is a classic color, but it can overpower the muted palette of Summers. Dark greys and navy blues are often better choices for a more flattering look.

Can Summers Wear Brown? 

Summers should generally avoid warm browns which clash with their cool undertones. However, cooler shades of brown, such as taupe, soft mushroom, and stone, can be very flattering. These cooler browns add depth and richness without overwhelming the gentle Summer look.

Can Summers Have Hazel Eyes? 

Yes, Summers can have hazel eyes, especially those with a softer blend of colors. If your hazel eyes lean towards cooler hues of blue, green, and grey rather than warm, golden tones, you may be a Summer.

Can Summers Have Black Hair? 

It’s less common but possible for Summers to have black hair, typically with cool undertones. Summers with black hair often have a lower contrast between their hair, skin, and eyes. If you have black hair, you may also be a Winter, especially if your features have a high contrast.

Can Summers Have Red Hair? 

Summers can have red hair, but it is usually a cooler, muted red such as strawberry blonde or light auburn. Bright, fiery reds are more characteristic of the Autumn season and can be too intense for Summers.

Book a Color Analysis Session with a Certified Analyst

Learning what your color analysis season is about more than just finding the right hues for you to wear. It allows you to step into your era of self-expression with more confidence and know right away which colors are right for you and which ones aren’t.

Here’s a direct link to my calendar to book your color analysis session!