Soft Autumn Color Palette

What Soft Autumn coloring looks like

Soft Autumn is the most gentle of the warm seasons. Its strongest trait is softness, which shows as low contrast and colors that seem blended rather than sharp. Warmth comes second. Soft Autumn is one of the most searched color seasons, because so many people have this blended, natural look.

Typical Soft Autumn coloring includes the following.

• Skin that is warm to neutral warm, from fair to medium deep, often with a soft beige, golden or olive cast.
• Hair in muted medium shades, such as dark blonde, light brown, soft golden brown or light auburn, often without strong shine.
• Eyes that are soft and blended, such as hazel, soft green, gray green, light brown or teal.
• Contrast that is low. Hair, skin and eyes sit close together, and nothing stands out sharply.

How to tell if you are a Soft Autumn

• Bright, clear colors look loud and seem to wear you.
• Muted colors that others call dull, such as sage, olive and dusty teal, look elegant on you.
• Stark black and white make you look tired, and the contrast feels too strong.
• Brushed gold and bronze look better than polished, shiny metals.

If warmer, richer earthy colors look better, you may be a True Autumn. If cool, dusty colors such as rose and slate look just as good, you may be a Soft Summer. Our free color analysis measures your contrast and warmth from one selfie.

How to wear the Soft Autumn palette

The Soft Autumn palette is muted and warm. It includes Antique rose, Spice, Clay, Cinnamon, Wheat, Old gold, Willow, Avocado, Soft jade, Dusty teal, Dusty blue, Chambray, Soft violet and Rosewood.

• Near your face, wear muted warm colors. Willow, Dusty teal and Antique rose make your skin look even and calm.
• For neutrals, choose Pearl, Ash, Stone and Warm gray for light and mid tones, and Granite and Seal instead of black.
• Keep contrast low. Tone on tone outfits, such as olive with sage or camel with cream, suit you better than strong color blocking.
• For prints, soft, blended prints such as watercolor florals, heathered knits and muted plaids.
• For accessories, brushed gold, bronze, rose gold and matte finishes, with stones such as jade, amber and smoky quartz.

A simple Soft Autumn capsule wardrobe

A small wardrobe in your colors means almost everything goes with everything else. Start with these pieces and add color from your palette over time.

• A Pearl shirt and an Ash or oatmeal knit.
• Taupe, olive and Warm gray trousers.
• A Willow or Dusty teal top for gentle color.
• An Antique rose or Soft jade dress.
• A camel or soft olive coat, never a stark black one.
• Taupe suede shoes, a soft brown bag and brushed gold jewelry.

Common Soft Autumn mistakes

• Bright, saturated colors that seem to wear you. Choose the dusty version of a color you love.
• Stark black and white together. Swap black for Granite or Seal.
• Sharp, dark makeup. Soft brown liner and warm rose lips look more natural.

Soft Autumn at every skin depth

People of every skin depth can be a Soft Autumn. The season describes how your coloring fits together, not how light or deep your skin is. Within the palette, though, skin depth still guides which tones look best right next to your face.

• If your skin is on the lighter side, lean on the lighter tone of each color family, such as Antique rose, Wheat, Dusty teal and Soft violet.
• If your skin is on the deeper side, the stronger tones carry more presence, such as Brick red, Old gold, Teal and Iris.

Either way, the test is the same. Hold the color under your chin in daylight and keep it if your skin looks smoother and your eyes look brighter.

Makeup for Soft Autumn

• Foundation with a warm or neutral warm undertone and a natural, skin like finish.
• Lips in warm rose, nude peach, soft brick and terracotta. Avoid very bright or very dark lips.
• Blush in soft peach, warm rose or muted apricot.
• Eyes in taupe, olive, soft bronze, warm gray and moss. Brown liner, smudged, looks softer than a sharp black line.
• Brows in soft ash brown or warm taupe.

Hair colors for Soft Autumn

Soft golden brown, honey, light auburn and warm bronde, a blend of brown and blonde, suit you well. Soft, blended highlights look better than chunky ones. Harsh black and very bright, flat colors raise your contrast and make your face look tired.

Soft Autumn compared with its neighbours

Soft Autumn sits between True Autumn and Soft Summer on the season wheel.

• Soft Autumn and True Autumn are both warm. True Autumn is warmer and richer, with more saturated rust and honey.
• Soft Autumn and Soft Summer are both soft first. Soft Autumn is warmer and Soft Summer is cooler. Many people sit right between the two, and can wear the most muted, neutral colors from both palettes.

The colors to avoid come from Bright Winter, the season furthest away. They are vivid, cool and clear, the opposite of soft and warm. If your undertone is hard to pin down, our guide to the neutral undertone may help.

Soft Autumn at a glance