What is Soft
Autumn?

Of course, the best way to know for sure is to get a professional color analysis. But there are a few colors you can test on your own to possibly get you in the ballpark. How do you look in olive green vs. a cooler, sage green? Do you look better in a soft brick red or a berry red? How about soft mustard vs. lemon yellow? Camel vs. taupe? Then look at how you respond to the intensity of colors. Do you favor more intense colors? How about dark colors? Or do you do better with medium-depth, dusty colors? If you find that you favor the neutral-warm, medium-depth, muted colors, you very well may be a Soft Autumn.

The short is answer is “probably not”. As we age, our natural intensity dulls a bit. While our undertone will never change, it is possible that we will need to re-examine the depth and brightness of our colors as our features change. You would never change home seasons (e.g. go from Autumn to Winter), but your subseason may change. If you were initially draped as a Warm Autumn, you may find that Soft Autumn colors suit you better later in life.

Soft Autumn and Soft Summer are both muted seasons, meaning their colors are soft and low in contrast. The key difference is temperature: Soft Autumn leans warm with earthy, slightly golden undertones, while Soft Summer leans cool with dusty, bluish tones. Soft Autumn colors include olive, muted brick, and chocolate brown. Soft Summer colors include mauve, taupe, and sage.

Soft colors are low in intensity and are the opposite of bright or bold. They are characterized as more gentle and muted. These colors often look a bit dusty or toned down, like they’ve been mixed with a touch of gray or brown. Soft colors feel calm and understated, and they’re easy on the eyes compared to more vivid shades. In clothing, think of items that perhaps started out more intense but look like they were washed many times or slightly bleached by the sun.

Yes! I am a certified color analyst and offer both in-person and virtual color analysis services. I would be very happy to help you find your best colors. You can learn more on my professional website: Twelve Season Studio

Yes! Color fans can be a VERY valuable tool when purchasing clothing and/or makeup. Something to consider though is that a color fan isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list of every color from your palette. Rather, it serves to define the bounds of your palette so you can see color harmony. If you are comparing a color to your color fan and see that the color is drastically lighter/darker or bolder/softer that the fan colors or looks like it would clash with the fan colors if worn together, you’ve probably found a color that is NOT in your palette.