You would think that Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer were terms reserved for the weather, right? Well, think again. It might still feel like winter, but make no mistake—every season is in.
The resurfacing of color matching has turned these categories upside down, focusing on the idea of personal style analysis. In short, it tests different shades against your skin tone, showing you exactly what colors to take to the grave, and which aren’t exactly to die for.
If you’re looking to find out if you’re a cool Summer, soft Autumn or anything in between, there are hundreds of quizzes and videos at your disposal—either showing examples of others’ color analyses or helping to determine yours.
According to CBC Radio, “color matching” isn’t a new phenomenon. It can be traced back to a 20th-century painter and professor from Switzerland, Johannes Itten.
After observing students’ paintings, Itten realized three’s the charm: Hair, eyes and skin tone all played key roles in which colors made the subject truly stand out.
Today, you can’t simply stare at a portrait of yourself to figure out your season. Instead, professionals will “drape” you, meaning they’ll hold up multiple different swatches next to your face, figuring out whether you pop in cerulean or get washed out in aquamarine.
Videos are not the only resource available to find your perfect match. In-person appointments tell you what “season” of colors you should be wearing—and more importantly if you’ve been wearing the wrong ones.
According to The Concept Wardrobe, if you have light-colored hair with warm undertones, proven by the presence of green veins, and gold jewelry looks better on you, you’re likely to match with the Spring palette. The Autumn palette, only slightly different from the Spring palette, matches more with those who have dark-colored hair and warm undertones.
The same difference is seen with Winter and Summer. You’re more likely to be a Summer if you wear silver jewelry, have cool undertones and have light hair, but rather a Winter if you have cool undertones and dark hair.
This isn’t some magic, one-size-fits-all formula. According to CBC Radio there has been an extreme lack of diversity in color-matching videos, diagrams and information over the years. Black women have been mistakenly grouped into the Winter category for far too long, not because of any cool undertones, but because uneducated color analysts assume darker skin equates to a Winter color palette.
Every person’s color palette is unique to them. Without serious research or an official analysis, it’s practically impossible to determine your true season. If that’s your thing, jump in headfirst. If not, no worries. Your personal style is all about expression; continue to wear any shade you would like—with the pride and confidence you always have.
