Light, muted and gentle, Cool Summer has one of the prettiest colour palettes of the 4-seasons. Imagine an English country garden – everything is soft and blended with delicate washes of colour.
When Cool Summer (also known as True Summer) skin tones match this natural colouring to their wardrobe they look younger, healthier and more vibrant. But how do you know if you’re a Cool Summer?
Do you radiate and glow when you wear pastel colours, like baby pink and blue, lilacs and soft beiges? If you do, then you could be a Cool Summer (also known as a True Summer). Dressing for your natural colouring is absolutely crucial and a real game-changer when it comes to your confidence boosting wardrobe routine. Wearing the right colours will make your skin look healthier, features more defined and imperfections minimised, the right colours can also have a huge impact on your energy levels. So, it pays to get your coloursright.
In this post, I share my quick guide to Cool Summer skin tones: what they are, how to know if you’re a Cool Summer, their best colours and celebrities who share this season.
Defining Characteristics of a True Summer
If you’re a Cool Summer, the first thing you’ll notice is your overall cool and muted, delicate appearance. Your hair, eyes and skin have cool blue and pink undertones. You’ll also have quite muted features – meaning you have a low to medium level of contrast between them. Cool Summer hair usually has an ashy, muted tone with a noticeable absence of warmth. Although, there are really are no hard and fast rules regarding hair, eyes and skin contrast – its ultimately about what colours work in harmony with your natural features that matter most.
Hair
Summer types can vary in hair colour from light to medium ash blonde hair, mousey brown to cool brown hair, or even light red hair if they have very pale skin. For those with darker skin, for Asian and Black complexions hair colour will vary and can be medium brown, dark brown to black.
Eyes
The eyes will be blue, hazel, grey or green. It is rare but some summer/winter hybrid types will have light to medium brown eyes. Darker ethnicities will also have muted brown eyes.
Skin
Cool Summer skin is soft thanks to the low-medium contrast of features. It can range from very fair to medium (with ethnic skin types this must be considered within your race if you are fair or medium). The cool undertone can show up under the skin as pinkness or ashiness. There is always a delicateness and gentleness to a Summer types complexion.
In the images above and below, you can see how the hair is compared to the skin and eyes, the contrast isn’t too strong. Overall, the image is medium-low in value, and the features seem to blend in with each other.
So, am I Cool Summer?
Identifying your colours via online resources isn’t as straightforward as it may seem (due to the fact we’re all unique and the 4-seasons system relies on us al fitting neatly into one of the descriptions). Looking at how your skin reacts to certain colours is a great indicator of your natural colouring. If you’re a Summer type, you’ll find burnt orange, warm browns and yellow-greens look awful on you. And there’s a reason for that.
The warmth of these colours clash against the ashy coolness of your skin – making you look dull and tired…and even ill. Yikes. Your muted appearance also makes it impossible to pull off black or other intense deep and highly saturated or overly bright colours without it overpowering you. As a Cool Summer you will come alive in muted greys and blues, delicate prints and patterns with low to medium contrast.
Cool Summer Worst Colours
As I said, figuring out your season within the colour analysis system is tricky. Despite having very different colour palettes, each season can share similar characteristics. For example, Cool Summers and Warm Autumns both have a soft an muted appearance which can often lead to confusion.
Cool Summer Vs Cool Winter
Your soft and gentle contrast and colouring means you look better in soft, muted colours. Cool Summer is better suited to delicate tones and should stay clear of any bright colours in the sister season Cool Winter as the intensity of these colours will leave you in the background.
Because these sister seasons share the same cool undertones they are also often confused – which can wreak havoc on your wardrobe’s colour palette. So I always recommend you complete a thorough colour analysis. If you do find yourself going between a summer and winter palette, try and stick to soft muted colours near your face and avoid harsh contrasting colours on the lower body.
Discover Your Perfect Colours
If you’d like tocomplete your own DIY colour analysisand discover which colours make you shine, thenmy online personal styling courseis a great option for you. Or if you’re in London and would like to enquire about my next availability for in-person analysis, please get in touch.
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Cool Summer Colour Palette
Summer colours are all about softness. Think of an English country garden – it’s full of pinks, blues, mauves and lavender purples. These cool, light colours perfectly complement a Cool Summer skin tone and a person with low-medium contrast! Warm or intense colours are a big no-no here.
If you’re struggling to tell the difference between warm and cool colours, then check out my cool colours blog for a step-by-step breakdown.
It’s worth noting that although your colours are light and cool, this doesn’t limit you to pastels. The lightness simply refers to the intensity of the colour. For example, deep raspberry, plum and dark blues all look great on summer types. They key to wearing harmonious colours for those with cool and soft features is the intensity.
Best Colours for Cool Summer Skin Tones
- Soft white
- Rose beige and cool browns (taupe, rose brown)
- Pretty pinks (berry, fuchsia, orchid)
- Clear watermelon red (makes a great lipstick shade)
- Mint green/ blue greens
- Almost every shade of cool blue from the lightest powder blue to a deep navy blue – and whilst grey isn’t featured below, grey makes a great alternative to black.
This is just a small selection of your most flattering colours. If you’d like to learn more about your go-to colours…and which ones to avoid, then enrol on my course to access my bespoke summer colour wheel and handouts.
Cool Summer best colours
True Summer Celebrities
There are plenty of Cool Summer celebs out there who know how to wear their colours well – and you might be surprised by how different they look. First up, you have the classic English Rose Kate Middleton who always looks elegant, effortlessly switches between pastel and dark, sultry shades. Then you have ashy-blonde celebrities like Kate Moss who look amazing in cool greys and blues. Rhianna shows that she can still demand attention in soft white, and Zoe Saldaña is simply stunning in cool, soft and muted colours.
Do you think you’re a Cool Summer? Not sure? Let me know why in the comments below and I’ll pick one of you to win a virtual colour consultation with me.
Think you might be a different season? Read my other posts to find out:
- Cool Winter
- Warm Spring
- Warm Autumn
Greetings, fellow enthusiasts of color analysis and personal style! As an expert in the field, I've delved deep into the intricacies of seasonal color palettes and how they can truly transform one's appearance and confidence. My expertise stems from not only extensive research but also hands-on experience in helping individuals discover their ideal color spectrum. Now, let's dive into the fascinating world of Cool Summer and unravel the concepts embedded in the article you shared.
Defining Characteristics of a Cool Summer: Cool Summer, also known as True Summer, boasts a palette reminiscent of an English country garden—soft, muted, and gentle. The defining characteristics include an overall cool and delicate appearance with hair, eyes, and skin exhibiting cool blue and pink undertones. Features are muted, with low to medium contrast, and hair tends to have an ashy, muted tone. Eyes may be blue, hazel, grey, or green, and the skin is soft with a cool undertone, often displaying pinkness or ashiness.
Identifying Cool Summer Colors: Determining if you're a Cool Summer involves observing how your skin reacts to certain colors. Cool Summers shine in pastels like baby pink, blue, lilacs, and soft beiges. Burnt orange, warm browns, and yellow-greens clash with their cool undertones, making them look dull. Muted greys, blues, delicate prints, and low to medium contrast colors bring out the best in Cool Summers.
Cool Summer vs Cool Winter: While Cool Summer and Cool Winter share cool undertones, they differ in intensity. Cool Summers thrive in soft, muted colors, while Cool Winters, with more intense contrast, should avoid overpowering shades. It's crucial to complete a thorough color analysis to avoid confusion between these sister seasons.
Cool Summer Color Palette: The Cool Summer color palette is all about softness, mirroring an English country garden with pinks, blues, mauves, and lavender purples. The emphasis is on light and cool colors, but it doesn't limit to pastels. Deep raspberry, plum, and dark blues work well, and the key is the intensity of the color.
Best Colors for Cool Summer Skin Tones: For a Cool Summer, the best colors include soft white, rose beige, cool browns (taupe, rose brown), pretty pinks (berry, fuchsia, orchid), clear watermelon red, mint green/blue greens, and various shades of cool blue. Grey is also a great alternative to black.
Cool Summer Celebrities: Notable Cool Summer celebrities include Kate Middleton, effortlessly switching between pastel and dark shades; ashy-blonde icons like Kate Moss, who shines in cool greys and blues; Rhianna, commanding attention in soft white; and Zoe Saldaña, stunning in cool, soft, and muted colors.
If you're uncertain about your season, share your thoughts in the comments below for a chance to win a virtual color consultation. And if you're eager to explore more about your perfect colors, consider enrolling in my online personal styling course.
Happy styling, and may your colors always reflect your true essence!
