The 12 Color Seasons Explained

Module 2 of 7

Four families, twelve expressions.

Each family (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) splits into three variants based on which dimension is dominant. Explore palettes and products from each season to get a sense of their individual colors.

Spring · Warm and clear

Warm undertones, higher-chroma colors, a sunlit energy. Springs pull coral, peach, turquoise, buttercup, fresh green — palettes that read lit from inside.

Full main palette71 swatches

Spring that borders Light Summer. Warm but delicate — the palette sits in sunlit pastels, peach, coral, chamomile yellow, and fresh light greens.

In fashion

Summer · Cool and soft

Cool undertones, but gentler and lower-contrast than Winter. Summers pull muted, blended, slightly hazy colors — rose, slate, lavender, soft navy.

Full main palette63 swatches

Light is the anchor here. Cool undertones, soft ash-blonde to light brown hair, gentle eyes. The palette is light and airy — soft periwinkle, pastel pink, powder blue, dove gray.

In fashion

Autumn · Warm and earthy

Warm undertones, muted chroma, low-to-medium contrast. Autumns pull earth pigments — rust, olive, camel, warm browns, mustard. The family that can wear a whole harvest palette without looking costume.

Full main palette91 swatches

Autumn that borders Soft Summer. Low contrast, muted warm features, ivory-to-tan skin. The palette is warm but blended — camel, sage, dusty peach, soft olive.

In fashion

Winter · Cool and crisp

Cool undertones, high-chroma colors, often high contrast. Winters pull saturated primaries, icy pastels, and true black. The family that can wear pure color without flinching.

Full main palette55 swatches

Highest contrast in the Winter family. Cool-toned skin, dark hair, crisp features. Comes alive in pure saturated pigments and icy cool shades — no warmth anywhere in the palette.

In fashion

Sister seasons

Every season has two — the seasons one step over on either side of it. They share one quality with you, so you can borrow from their palette when needed. Light Summer sits between True Summer and Light Spring; all three are cool-leaning, and the lightness carries across. A True Autumn can borrow from Soft Autumn (shared warmth) or Dark Autumn (shared warmth, different value).

The 12-season ringEach season's two sisters are its neighbors on the ring. Within a family, sisters share the family's undertone; across the Bright, Light, Soft, and Deep bridges, sisters share a dominant quality instead.

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Frequently asked

What are the 12 color seasons?

Each of the four seasons — Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter — splits into three, giving 12 palettes (e.g. Light Spring, True Spring, Bright Spring). The extra detail places you far more precisely than the classic four-season system.

How do I find my color season?

Identify your dominant quality — undertone, value, or chroma — then narrow to the season that matches all three. Sign up to StyleMeMama to get your season and palette free from a single photo.