Soft Summer color palette

What is Soft Summer?

Soft Summer is the most muted summer season. Its colors are soft first and cool second: every color looks as if it has been mixed with a little gray. Soft Summer borders Soft Autumn, which shares the same muted quality with a warmer lean, and True Summer, which is cooler and clearer.

The Soft Summer color palette

Medium, grayed, cool-leaning colors: dusty rose, mauve, soft raspberry, plum, lavender-gray, denim and slate blue, soft teal, blue-green, sage and eucalyptus. Every color below links to its own page with hex, RGB and OKLCH values, shades and matching colors.

Best neutrals for Soft Summer

Soft white, oyster, mushroom, rose-brown, cool taupe, gray-blue, charcoal and navy-gray. These are the backbone of a Soft Summer wardrobe.

Colors Soft Summer should avoid

Bright saturated colors, orange, golden yellow, stark black and pure white. High contrast pairings look harsh against soft coloring.

The colors below come from Bright Spring, the season with the opposite traits. They are the least flattering on Soft Summer coloring.

How to tell if you are a Soft Summer

• Skin: Neutral-cool: beige, rosy-beige or olive-leaning, rarely very pink or very golden.
• Hair: Ash blonde to medium ash brown, often described as "mousy". Highlights are soft, not golden.
• Eyes: Soft and blended: gray-blue, gray-green, soft hazel or soft cool brown.
• Contrast: Low to medium. Color that is too bright stands apart from you.

Coloring is a tendency, not a checklist. The surest test is to hold colors from this palette and from True Summer and Soft Autumn under your chin in daylight and see which make your skin look clear and even. The color analysis quiz narrows it down in a few questions.

Soft Summer outfits and wardrobe

Build a Soft Summer wardrobe on two or three neutrals, then add medium tones for most of your tops and save the strongest colors for accents near the face. Four starting combinations from this palette:

Soft Summer makeup, hair color and jewelry

• Lips: Dusty rose, mauve, soft berry and rosy nude.
• Cheeks: Soft rose, dusty pink and mauve.
• Eyes: Taupe, gray, soft plum, slate and charcoal-brown liner.
• Hair color: Ash blondes, mushroom browns and soft ash browns. Avoid brassy gold and jet black.
• Jewelry and metals: Brushed silver, pewter, white gold and rose gold. Matte finishes look better than high shine.

Soft Summer vs True Summer and Soft Autumn

If several Soft Summer colors look slightly off on you, try the neighbor that shares your strongest trait. Medium tones such as Rosy Brown, Heather and Cool Gray are the easiest way to compare.

All 12 color seasons

• Light SpringLight, warm and clear: peach, warm pink, buttercream, mint and aqua.
• True SpringWarm and clear: coral, poppy, golden yellow, grass green and warm turquoise.
• Bright SpringSaturated and warm-leaning: hot coral, poppy red, lime, turquoise and violet.
• Light SummerLight, cool and soft: powder blue, lavender, rose pink, mint and soft gray.
• True SummerCool and softly muted: rose, raspberry, cool blue, periwinkle, lavender and blue-green.
• Soft AutumnMuted and warm: sage, camel, terracotta, soft olive, muted teal and salmon.
• True AutumnWarm and rich: rust, pumpkin, mustard, olive, forest green and teal.
• Deep AutumnDeep and warm: chocolate, brick, rust, olive, forest green, deep teal and aubergine.
• Deep WinterDeep and cool: black, burgundy, emerald, sapphire, plum and deep teal.
• True WinterCool and vivid: true red, fuchsia, royal blue, emerald, icy pink, black and white.
• Bright WinterVivid and cool-leaning: hot pink, true red, electric blue, emerald, violet and icy tints.

Frequently asked questions