I’m hoping that if you’re looking for a summer color palette that you know what seasonal color analysis but let me give you a two sentence synopsis.

Seasonal color analysis uses the 4 seasons and the colors that are associated with them to give a specific “season” to an individual, based on what their eye/skin/hair color is. Within the four seasons, there are 3 types for each, making 12 possible combinations (ex. Deep Winter, Warm Spring), but for this post we are going to focus on the four types.

If you’re interested in reading more about the 12 types, check out my Super Simple Seasonal Color Analysis Guide!

What is Summer

We’ve all experienced summer and maybe dreaded the heat that comes with it…but not that sunshine. So, what does summer mean in the context of seasonal color analysis?

Think of it this way, those colors you usually associate with summer like the soft tan of the beach sand, the lemon yellow popsicles, the blue of the waves..that’s Summer.

Everything seems bright and happy in summer, but it doesn’t mean there are no muted colors. Summer differs from Spring in that the colors have toned down a bit since their birth in the spring and everything blends together in a colorful landscape. There’s less contrast.

I mentioned above that there are three types within each season, and for Summer those are: Soft Summer, Light Summer, and Cool Summer. But let’s just start with summer. Identifying with one of the four seasons is a great starting place if you find the 12 types either too difficult to understand or maybe restrictive in what you can wear.

Characteristics

Skin: A cool or neutral undertone (aka your veins in your wrist are blue or a blue-green) ranging from medium beige to dark brown

Eyes: Blue, Green, Hazel, Gray

Hair: Light to Medium Ashy Blonde, Medium to Dark Ashy Brown, Strawberry Blonde

There are three things that can put you into the summer category.

1. You don’t have a lot of contrast between your hair/skin/eyes, meaning they are similarly colored. However, the tone of all three of these is cool.

2. You still have very little contrast in your features, but you have a neutral skin undertone (veins that are neither blue nor gray, but somewhere in the middle).

3. You have a very light skin color for your ethnicity and light hair combined with vivid eyes, like blue or green.

Summer Color Palette

Believe it or not, the summer palette is closely related to the winter palette. Both seasons tend to have cool toned or neutral colors. However, the difference in summer is that these colors are mostly muted down versions of the winter. Since the contrast is less for summers, the colors in your palette are not as deep.

Avoid

Oranges, yellows, and browns will most definitely not be your friend. You could maybeee get away with a camel brown that doesn’t come off too yellow-y, but I would try to keep these colors out of your closet.

Best Colors

Look for muted versions of colors, but not muted colors. Let me explain. So a muted color is what I think of when I think of Autumn. Browns, reds, oranges, dark greens. As a summer, you are going to look for a lighter version of colors. Brown won’t be flattering, but a soft tan will be. Instead of bright, bold blue, look for a soft, sky blue. Think of a color and tone it down is a good rule of thumb.

Best Neutrals

Since your coloring is lighter, dark neutrals like black or dark navy will not be your friend. Instead, you’ll look great in a medium to light gray, white, and soft blues. Beige and tan will also be flattering. You’ll learn that some colors are going to look just fine on you, even if they aren’t in your palette. But the colors in your palette will make you glow.

Avoid

Stay away from extra bright or deep colors like a hot pink or black. These colors are going to overwhelm you and make you drown in color. They will definitely not make you glow. You should never rule out a particular color family like pink or yellow, though. The key is just to find which pink or yellow works for you.

Tips for a Summer Palette

• If your coloring leans cool instead of neutral, try to go with the deeper colors in this palette. The more pastel shades will wash out your cool skin.

• The opposite is true if your coloring is more neutral. The deeper colors will prove to be too much for you at times, so the lighter shades will be most flattering.

• All of the shades in this palette will flatter you, but in different ways. With our above example of someone with very cool skin, the pastel tones will wash them out. However, a summer pastel earring would be flattering, as it is such a small dose.

CELEBRITY Summers

• Kate Middleton

• Zendaya Coleman

• Ellen Pompeo

• Katie Holmes

• Naomi Watts

• Meryl Streep