Summer · Cool · Soft
True Summer Color Palette
True Summer is the softest and most classically cool of the three summer seasons, refined rather than bold or warm. If bright, saturated color feels overwhelming while soft, cool shades feel like the most natural version of you, you're likely a True Summer.
The palette
Best colors to wear
Reach for color that's cool but gentle: rose, powder blue, soft plum, slate blue, and dusty pink all sit naturally on a True Summer. Soft white and cool grey work as neutrals in place of stark black or warm beige.
Makeup shades
Lipstick works best in rose, mauve, or soft berry rather than orange-based red. Blush should be soft pink, not peach or bronze. For eyes, cool taupe, soft plum, and slate grey do more than warm bronze, and a soft brown or grey eyeliner reads more natural than black.
Hair color
Cool, soft tones flatter this palette: think ash brown, soft cool blonde, or muted taupe. Warm, golden, or very dark tones tend to fight the gentleness that defines True Summer.
Gold or silver
Silver, platinum, or white gold, kept understated rather than bold. Warm or bright gold tends to clash with this palette's coolness.
Colors to avoid
Bright, saturated colors and warm earth tones like orange, gold, and rust tend to be the hardest for True Summer. They overpower the soft, cool quality that makes this palette work.
Not sure this is your season?
Use three daylight selfies to check your actual undertone, contrast, and depth against True Summer and the other eleven seasons.
Related seasons
Common questions
Is True Summer the same as Soft Summer?
They're related. True Summer is defined mainly by its coolness, while Soft Summer pushes further into muted, low-contrast territory. If your coloring feels gentle but still fairly clear, True Summer is the more likely fit.
Can True Summer wear black?
It tends to be too stark for this season. Soft navy or charcoal grey do the job of a dark neutral with less harshness.