Soft Autumn: The Complete Guide
The Soft Autumn color palette is characterized by its soft, gentle, calm, and natural tones. This palette is known for its "softness," which complements those whose hair, skin, and eyes blend softly together. Enjoy this comprehensive guide which covers examples of Soft Autumns, outfit ideas, make-up, hair, denim, jewelry, and more!
Are you a Soft Autumn?
When you look in the mirror, you’ll see that your hair, skin, and eyes blend together softly, without sharp contrasts. Your natural colors are softly blended rather than bright. Warm colors, like brown and beige, will suit you better than cooler tones such white or gray. You might be a soft autumn if you have these features:
Hair: Brown, golden brown, soft auburn, or golden blonde.
Skin: You have warm/neutral undertones.
Eyes: Your eyes may be hazel, gray-green, brown, or gray-blue.
Soft Autumn Examples
Here’s a selection of Soft Autumns with their natural hair color from my in-person color analysis consultations. Also, here’s examples of Soft Autumn celebrities.
Were you analyzed correctly?
To ensure you were correctly identified as a Soft Autumn, here are some helpful tips to verify your results.
Photo Comparison: Do you see similarities with your coloring and the examples above? Does your personal coloring match the description? My Soft Autumn clients with blue eyes usually have a blue-gray, soft, or cloudy tones, but none have bright or light blue eyes.
Compliments: Do you often receive compliments when wearing Soft Autumn colors?
Bright Colors: Do bright colors or vibrant lipsticks tend to overpower your natural coloring?
Soft Autumn colors are gentle, like the shades of an autumn harvest—think olive greens, terracottas, and soft corals. These colors aren’t too cool or too warm; they strike a perfect balance. This makes them very versatile and flattering for those with a Soft Autumn complexion. Unlike the bright oranges of Warm (True) Autumn or the deep tones of Dark (Deep) Autumn, Soft Autumn’s palette is more subtle, giving a rich yet calm feeling.
Color Dimensions
Soft Autumn colors have these characteristics:
Hue: this palette leans towards warmth, with colors that have a slight yellow undertone.
Value: this palette has a medium value, meaning it’s not too light or too dark. Most colors are comfortably in the middle, offering a balanced and cohesive look.
Chroma: the key feature of this palette is its low chroma. These colors are soft and muted, avoiding any brightness. This creates a soothing, calm effect that matches the natural softness of a Soft Autumn’s coloring.
Soft Autumn and Soft Summer are similar and can often look alike. Both have a muted, toned-down palette, but the key difference is in their undertones:
Soft Autumn: Warm with soft, earthy hues like walnut brown and terracotta.
Soft Summer: Cool with powdery, smoky, cloudy shades, and more emphasis on grey and cool tones.
While both seasons feature gentle, soft colors, Soft Autumn’s warmth contrasts with Soft Summer’s cooler, grey tones.
To determine if you’re a Soft Autumn or Soft Summer, consider the following:
Soft Summer: If your natural coloring has more cool tones and you look beautiful in gray and silver, you’re likely a Soft Summer.
Soft Autumn: If your natural coloring leans towards these warm, golden hues and you find that cooler grays don’t complement you as well, you’re probably this palette.
While both Soft Autumn and Warm Autumn fall within the Autumn palette, their color profiles have distinct differences:
Soft Autumn features soft, gentle tones with a balance of warmth and softness.
Warm Autumn embraces richer hues with a pronounced warmth. Think of colors like deep, golden browns, mustard yellow, rich amber, and warm, earthy brick reds. This palette has a more intense, bold warmth compared to the softer, more subdued tones of Soft Autumn.
To figure out if you’re a Soft Autumn or Warm Autumn, keep these key differences in mind:
Soft Autumn: your natural coloring has a gentle warmth and your best colors are those with a subtle, softened appearance.
Warm Autumn: your natural coloring shows medium contrast with rich, warm tones and earthy eyes. If you can wear shades like mustard yellow and tomato red, this is even more likely.
Discovered you’re a Soft Autumn and ready to shop?
ColorBook offers a unique real-time shopping experience tailored to your color season and style. Enjoy a fun and easy way to create your perfect Soft Autumn wardrobe!
Sweaters
Workwear
Active
Casual
Beautiful neutrals
Perfect neutral colors include Eggshell White, Olive Green, Sand, Caramel, Soft Navy, Khaki, and Walnut Brown.
Neutrals to avoid
Dark Colors: Black is too harsh and can make you look older. Instead, choose soft brown or dark olive greens.
Bright Whites: True white is too cool for this palette. Opt for lighter, warmer neutrals like eggshell, beige, and sandy tones.
Choose lived-in denim
It pairs beautifully with this palette’s colors, adding warmth and depth to your look.
Opt for faded/washed out denim
They enhance the richness of your palette, giving your outfit a naturally warm and characterful touch.
Here are some tips for wearing your Soft Autumn colors in a way that keeps your look soft, natural, and subtly balanced.
Monochromatic Combinations
Pair different shades of the same color for a tonal look. For example, pair a lighter olive green with a darker olive green.
Low Contrast Pairings
Opt for colors that are close to each other on the color wheel and have a similar value, such as a medium terracotta with a medium green.
Neutral + Accent
Mix a neutral shade with an accent color of the same value. For example, pair a medium brown with a medium soft coral for a subtle yet stylish look.
Soft Autumn makeup embraces soft, warm, gentle tones that beautifully enhance your natural glow. If bold, bright lipstick feels overpowering on you, it's a sign you may be a Soft Autumn! Look for shades like soft terracotta and apricot to create a harmonious, radiant look. Click here for a full list of Soft Autumn makeup recommendations, including blush, lipstick, eyeshadows, and mascara suggestions to complement your coloring.
Here’s a guide to help you choose the best metals, stones, and other accessories to complement your Soft Autumn palette.
Metals & Jewelry
Opt for soft metals like rose gold, soft yellow gold, pewter, bronze, and soft silver. Avoid bright, shiny metals that can overwhelm your natural gentleness, making your coloring appear dull.
Stones
When it comes to gemstones, think of warm, earthy tones. Citrine, amber, topaz, jade, garnet, coral, jasper, and peridot are excellent choices, as they enhance the warm notes in your coloring. Greenish stones with a grassy hue and ivory pearls can add elegance while staying true to the soft, subtle essence of this palette.
Other Ideas
Wood and other natural materials are perfect for Soft Autumns, as they resonate with the season’s earthy, organic vibe.
What to Avoid
Bright, shiny metals and overly sparkly bling can overwhelm your coloring and detract from your natural beauty. Stick to softer, more muted tones to keep your look harmonious and elegant.
For those with a Soft Autumn palette, the key is to embrace low-chroma and warm hues. Here’s what to avoid:
Bright and Cool Colors: vibrant, intense shades like bright oranges can overwhelm your natural coloring and create an unflattering effect. Also, avoid colors like true black, bright white, and cool grays can clash with your soft, warm appearance.
Dark Colors: dark purples and blues can be too harsh and may overshadow your softer tones.
Here’s the hair advice I share with my Soft Autumn clients, along with examples of their natural hair color subtly highlighted by the sun.
Embrace Your Natural Color
Your natural hair color is perfectly suited to your palette! Embrace its natural beauty as it will harmonize beautifully with your colors.
Opt for Soft, Warm Hues
If you choose to color your hair, select soft and warm shades that complement your season. Caramel, honey blonde, and chestnut are excellent choices that enhance your natural radiance.
Soft Autumn Hair Characteristics
Hair color can range from auburn and golden blonde to medium golden brown. It may appear slightly ashy due to its muted nature but will often develop golden highlights when exposed to sunlight.
These photos of Soft Autumn gray hair showcase the warm gray with a subtle yellow tint often seen in those with warmer undertones. This client looks stunning in her Soft Autumn colors, offering the perfect inspiration for embracing gray hair with confidence!
When adding patterns and prints to your wardrobe, consider these tips to ensure they complement your natural coloring.
Suggested Patterns
Opt for patterns that feature over 75% of Soft Autumn colors. Look for natural and soft patterns, like oval shapes, leaves, and earthy textures. Small floral prints are also a great choice, especially if they feature delicate flowers.
Patterns to Avoid
Avoid geometric patterns, large motifs, and ordered arrangements, as they may clash with your soft, gentle appearance.
What is the difference between the Autumn seasons?
Whether you’ve been told you’re an Autumn in a color analysis or you’re just curious if you might be, I’m excited to share a unique collage showcasing Soft Autumn, Warm (True) Autumn, and Dark (Deep) Autumn. These real-life examples from my in-person consultations will help you see the distinct patterns and personal coloring for each Autumn type. Dive into these vibrant photo collages to find out where you fit best and embrace your Autumn palette with confidence!
