Picture a summer sky, a soft misty morning and blooming hydrangeas. This is true summer.
This colour palette sits in between light summer and soft summer on the seasonal flow chart and is characterised by soft, cool tones and muted pastels.
How to tell if you're true summer.
True summer is categorised as the following: cool hue, medium-light value and medium-muted chroma.
Cool hue: Colours sit on the coolest end of the hue scale and therefore, have no yellow undertones (the warmest colour of all). Naturally cool hues like blues and greys, dominate the palette.
Medium-light value: The value ranges from light grey to dark brown, however, the majority of colours are lighter rather than darker to eliminate any contrast.
Medium-muted chroma: The colours are greyish and washed-out rather than saturated and bright.
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What is true summer's colour palette?
True summer's best colours include:
Muted neutrals: Soft taupe, cool beige and light grey
Pastels: Powder pink, dusty rose, light lilac, icy baby blue, mint green and slate grey
Cool tones: Sapphire blue, emerald green and amethyst purple
On the flip side, the colours to avoid if you're true summer include:
Warm and bright colours: Bright orange, golden yellow and warm coral
Highly saturated colours: Any neon or electric shades that scream vibrancy and intensity
Muted tones: Olive green, mustard yellow and muddy brown
Building a true summer colour palette is an easy process when you focus on this season's best colours. Here's an example of what a true summer's colour palette might look like:
Base colour: Soft grey
Light neutral: Light lavender
Dark neutral: Dusty blue
Main colour: Powder pink
Accent colours: Mint green, soft blue or light lilac
Celebrities with a true summer colour palette.
Some notable people with a true summer colour palette include Emily Blunt, Barbara Palvin, Anna Kendrick, Joey King, Olivia Wilde, Alison Brie and Emily Deschanel. These individuals are often associated with this colour palette because of their gentle, calming and refreshing appearance. Of course, this is only a guide and their colour palettes will change depending on their styling choices.
Styling tips for true summer.
Build a subtle neutral wardrobe base: Your wardrobe should include a lot of base pieces in soft grey, cool beige and dusty taupe. These neutrals are the building blocks for all your outfits and will complement the softness of your appearance.
Mix and match pastels: Go crazy with pastels! Pair pastel tops with pastel bottoms, or layer different pastel pieces together — yes, all pastels cohesively work together so don't be afraid to mix and match.
Opt for soft and flowy pieces: You have a feminine, romantic aura and you look drop-dead gorgeous in soft and flowing clothing. Prime examples of these include dresses with gentle draping, skirts with soft pleats and tops with billowy sleeves.
Experiment with prints: Avoid bold, abstract and geometric prints — instead, opt for subtle florals, soft stripes or delicate polka dots that don't overpower your outfits.
Invest in dainty accessories: Delicate jewellery in silver, rose gold or muted gold will enhance your femininity. A petite pendant, dainty stacking rings and stud earrings are all great examples of true summer jewellery. Other accessories to invest in include scarves in pastel hues and handbags made from soft leather or suede.
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Beauty tips for true summer.
Base: Aim for a soft matte or satin finish with your foundation and concealer. The smooth and refined look these finishes create will complement your natural softness. You'll want to go easy on the contouring and only use a subtle amount of highlighter on the high points of your face for a natural-looking glow.
Eyes: Forego the black eyeliner and select one in soft brown or charcoal grey, which will define your eyes without adding too much intensity. This softness should carry out into your eyeshadow palette — colours like dusty rose, soft lavender, muted grey and cool taupe will create an elegant eye makeup look.
Blush: Avoid blushes with warm or peachy undertones and instead, choose a soft pink blush with cool undertones to add a flush of colour to your gentle cheeks.
Lipstick: Skip the bold lip and opt for soft pink shades like rosy pink, mauve or soft berry.
Final thoughts on true summer.
Wondering if you're a true summer? If soft, cool tones and muted pastels enhance your undertones, you might fall into this colour palette. Of course, this shouldn't deter you from wearing colours you love but aren't classified as true summer. After all, your unique colour palette should naturally uplift your appearance and confidence.
If you're looking to expand your palette, you can also consider borrowing colours from the sister seasons of true summer: light summer and soft summer.
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