True Summer: your colors and what to pair

Cool and soft - dusty rose, French blue and mauve, quietly polished.

True summer is the cool season that is neither icy nor dusty. The blues have grey in them, the pinks have blue in them, and the whole range looks composed without trying. If cool colors have always suited you but jewel brights feel like fancy dress, this is usually where you land.

The twelve colors

These are the general starting colors for true summer, with the hex value beside each one so you can match a garment against it.

Neutrals

• Soft White#F4F4F1
• Grey Flannel#9FA6B2
• Cool Taupe#9E9490

The stronger colors

• French Blue#6D8FB5
• Amethyst#9D7BB0
• Raspberry Rose#C47A94

The softer ones

• Dusty Rose#D38BA5
• Seafoam Sage#92B4AC
• Powder Periwinkle#9AA9D0

Metals

• Silver#C6C6CE
• Pewter#8E9196
• White Gold#E4DCC4

Three combinations to try first

• • #6D8FB5
  • #9FA6B2
  • #D38BA5
  • #C6C6CE

  Paris Rain

  French blue with grey flannel and a whisper of rose - quietly chic, very you.

• • #9D7BB0
  • #F4F4F1
  • #9AA9D0
  • #E4DCC4

  Hydrangea

  Amethyst and periwinkle bloom against soft white without ever shouting.

• • #C47A94
  • #9E9490
  • #92B4AC
  • #8E9196

  Rose Quartz

  Raspberry rose warmed by taupe - your richest color, still perfectly cool.

Where to go next

• Soft Autumn: your colors and where to start
• What is color analysis?
• What is my undertone? A three-question test
• Gold or silver: a two-question test

Not this season?

These are the seasons closest to true summer, and the ones most often mistaken for it.

• Light Summer
• Soft Summer

Your exact colors

Your exact palette depends on your eyes and hair as well as your season. These are the true summer palettes in full, one per combination.

• Blue eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Blue eyes, golden blonde hair
• Blue eyes, grey silver hair
• Blue eyes, light brown hair
• Blue eyes, medium brown hair
• Blue eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Blue eyes, red auburn hair
• Brown eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Brown eyes, golden blonde hair
• Brown eyes, grey silver hair
• Brown eyes, light brown hair
• Brown eyes, medium brown hair
• Brown eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Brown eyes, red auburn hair
• Dark brown eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Dark brown eyes, golden blonde hair
• Dark brown eyes, grey silver hair
• Dark brown eyes, light brown hair
• Dark brown eyes, medium brown hair
• Dark brown eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Dark brown eyes, red auburn hair
• Green eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Green eyes, golden blonde hair
• Green eyes, grey silver hair
• Green eyes, light brown hair
• Green eyes, medium brown hair
• Green eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Green eyes, red auburn hair
• Grey eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Grey eyes, golden blonde hair
• Grey eyes, grey silver hair
• Grey eyes, light brown hair
• Grey eyes, medium brown hair
• Grey eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Grey eyes, red auburn hair
• Hazel eyes, dirty blonde hair
• Hazel eyes, golden blonde hair
• Hazel eyes, grey silver hair
• Hazel eyes, light brown hair
• Hazel eyes, medium brown hair
• Hazel eyes, platinum blonde hair
• Hazel eyes, red auburn hair

These twelve colors are the general starting set for this season. Answer the five questions and you get the set keyed to your own eye and hair color instead.