The Deep Winter guide
Deep Winter
Dark color with real depth.
Blackberry, pine and oxblood give Deep Winter rich choices beyond black. The colors are dark and lean cool. A pale collar or a small silver detail can help you see the differences between them.
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Explore the palette ↓
Depth comes first
Deep Winter puts dark color at the center. Ink and Slate give the palette quiet bases. Blackberry and Pine add purple and green. Frost White offers a light break, so you can build contrast without adding a bright color.
What to notice in the features
Very dark hair and deep brown eyes stand out first in this example. The whites of her eyes add a clear light-and-dark difference. This illustrates depth; it does not mean every person with dark eyes is a winter.
An example pattern, not a diagnosis. You do not have to look like this woman to belong to Deep Winter. Try colors beside your own face.
The Deep Winter palette
Start with one color you like. These are the general starting colors for this season. The neutrals make useful bases; the richer colors and lighter shades give you more ways to mix.
Your everyday bases
Colors to build around
More colors to mix
A little shine
Use the color names as a starting point when you look through your closet. Screens and fabric can show color differently. You do not need an exact match to try an outfit.
Trade one black piece for a rich color.
Try a blackberry cardigan with ink trousers. Wear a pine blouse with a slate skirt. An oxblood blazer adds another dark color without needing a busy print. Bring in a pale top or a silver earring when you want a lighter detail.
Three combinations to try first
Blackberry Velvet
Winter Pine
Oxblood Evening
Use these as outfit ideas. Swap a skirt for trousers, or a blouse for a knit, to suit your day.
Close palettes, small differences
Deep Autumn shares the darkness but leans warm. Compare cool Ink with warm Espresso, then Blackberry with Burgundy. True Winter is more focused on coolness and clear contrast than on the darkest shades.
Try it with what you own.
Place a blackberry top and a pale pink top beside your face, one at a time. Keep their fabric and neckline similar. Notice whether you prefer the weight of the dark color or the lightness of the pale one.
Face a window in soft daylight. Change one piece at a time. This picture shows the setup; it does not show a season result.
Keep exploring
Not sure this is you? Answer five questions.
More on deep winter
Palettes for specific hair and eye colors
Explore the written color palettes for these combinations.
- Blue eyes, black hair
- Blue eyes, dark brown hair
- Brown eyes, black hair
- Brown eyes, dark brown hair
- Brown eyes, light brown hair
- Brown eyes, medium brown hair
- Brown eyes, red auburn hair
- Dark brown eyes, black hair
- Dark brown eyes, dark brown hair
- Dark brown eyes, light brown hair
- Dark brown eyes, medium brown hair
- Dark brown eyes, red auburn hair
- Green eyes, black hair
- Green eyes, dark brown hair
- Grey eyes, black hair
- Grey eyes, dark brown hair
- Hazel eyes, black hair
- Hazel eyes, dark brown hair
- Hazel eyes, medium brown hair
- Hazel eyes, red auburn hair