We all know what autumn is. But what is “soft autumn”? And furthermore, what significance does it have when related to seasonal color palettes? To start answering these questions, let’s take a look at the digital palette below. Study the colors…what do they have in common? What characteristics do you see? What characteristics don’t you see?
Soft Autumn is one of those palettes that people often misunderstand because it doesn’t shout. It whispers. It’s gentle, blended, and earthy. It’s never loud, never icy, and never super saturated. The colors look like they’ve been filtered through a warm, hazy lens.
Think about the colors you’d typically associate with the autumn season. Golds, reds, browns, and oranges come to mind. These colors are the backbone of the entire Autumn season. And while they definitely have a “place” in the Soft Autumn palette, they don’t appear in their true forms. Why? Because Soft Autumn is, well…soft.
When we say “soft,” we’re talking about low chroma, which means the colors aren’t super bright or pure. Think of dusty olive, faded terracotta, warm taupe, and creamy mossy greens. The softness in these colors comes from the gray that’s subtly blended with them, but this gray isn’t an obvious thing. Instead, it appears as if the colors are dulled and mildly cooled down compared to the warmer, richer colors of Warm Autumn. This gray influence is the reason why Soft Autumn is a neutral-warm palette rather than fully warm. There’s enough gray added to dull the intensity of the colors while still hanging on to a small amount of that beautiful Autumn warmth.
A “soft” color has the following qualities:
- Low Saturation: Soft colors appear less vibrant or intense compared to highly saturated colors.
- Medium Depth: Soft colors are not overly dark or light.
- Subdued Appearance: Soft colors may appear somewhat muted or toned down, lacking harsh contrast.
Putting these concepts together, the Soft Autumn palette is comprised of autumn colors, but the colors aren’t bold or bright. Think of Soft Autumn as the watercolors of the Autumn family. They are the lightest and least saturated of any of the Autumn colors.
Who looks best in soft autumn colors? You won’t find a person with pale skin, jet black hair, and laser-blue eyes looking great in our palette. Their features would have a lot of natural contrast and need the bolder colors from perhaps one of the winter palettes. Instead, you’ll notice that Soft Autumns typically don’t have sharp contrast in their features. Their eyes, hair, and skin tend to live closer together in tone. That’s why brighter colors can feel too overpowering on us. We don’t have the intensity or contrast to support such boldness in our clothing.
One wonderful thing about this palette is that it’s always in style, always appropriate, and surprisingly versatile. We aren’t limited to just one type of look. Soft Autumn can be classic, bohemian, minimal, or a little edgy. Our gentle tones adapt beautifully to any style. It comes down to how you mix and match them to reflect your personality.
This palette can be a little tricky to determine at the outset, and finding colors that are an EXACT match can often be difficult as they need to be “just right”. But the hard work will pay off! Once you become familiar with all the nuances of the Soft Autumn palette, you’ll find that dressing in harmony with our season will be second nature…and you’ll look great doing it.
