THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT
SOFT AUTUMN

SOFT AUTUMN
COLOUR SEASON

Soft Autumn is one of the most commonly misunderstood colour seasons — often mistaken for Soft Summer. This season is defined by softness first, with warmth as a secondary characteristic. If your colouring feels gentle, blended and earthy rather than bright or high-contrast, Soft Autumn is worth a closer look.

You may also see Soft Autumn referred to as Muted Autumn, Soft Warm, or occasionally Soft Autumnal depending on the colour analysis system being used.

What Defines a Soft Autumn?

Soft Autumn sits between Autumn and Summer on the seasonal spectrum. It borrows warmth from Autumn and softness from Summer, resulting in a palette that is muted, harmonious and low-contrast.

Key Identifiers

• Overall colouring appears soft, blended or slightly hazy rather than clear

• Low to medium contrast between hair, skin and eyes

• Warm undertone, but not golden or bright

• Colours that are too vivid or too cool tend to overwhelm

Soft Autumns often shine in colours that feel worn-in, earthy or gently sun-faded.

Soft Autumn Skin, Hair & Eye Traits

While no season fits into a rigid box, Soft Autumns often share some of the following characteristics:

Skin

• Neutral-warm or warm undertone

• May appear beige, peachy, softly olive or muted golden

• Often tans gently rather than burning easily

Hair

• Soft warm brown, caramel, chestnut or muted auburn

• Dark blonde with warmth

• Rarely jet black or very high-contrast

Eyes

• Hazel, soft brown, warm green or muted blue

• Eye colour tends to look blended rather than strikingly bright

Colours Soft Autumns Often Struggle With

• Pure black and stark white

• Icy pastels

• Highly saturated brights

• Cool jewel tones (fuchsia, cobalt, emerald)

These colours tend to overpower Soft Autumns, drawing attention away from the face rather than towards it.

Common Soft Autumn Misconceptions

“I’m warm, so I must be a True Autumn”

Soft Autumn warmth is gentle, not rich or intense. True Autumn colours are often too heavy and overpowering for Soft Autumns.

“I’m muted, so I must be Soft Summer”

Soft Summer shares softness, but leans cool. If cool greys, lilacs and blue-based pinks drain you, Soft Autumn is more likely.

“Autumns can’t wear light colours”

Soft Autumns can absolutely wear lighter shades — as long as they’re warm and muted rather than bright or icy.

Celebrity Examples Often Linked to Soft Autumn

Celebrities are guides, not guarantees — lighting, styling and cosmetic choices can significantly alter appearance. That said, these celebrities are often cited as possible Soft Autumns or Muted Autumns:

• Drew Barrymore

• Jennifer Aniston

• Gigi Hadid

• Emily Browning

• Giselle Bunchen

Use celebrity examples as inspiration only. Accurate colour analysis always requires personal assessment.

Soft Autumn vs Similar Seasons

Soft Autumn vs Soft Summer

• Soft Autumn: warm + muted

• Soft Summer: cool + muted

Soft Autumn vs True Autumn

• Soft Autumn: gentle warmth, lower contrast

• True Autumn: rich warmth, higher depth

SOFT AUTUMN

Can You Be Sure You’re a Soft Autumn?

Online guides and celebrity comparisons are a helpful starting point — but they can only take you so far.

True colour harmony can only be accurately identified through professional colour analysis, where undertone, contrast, depth and chroma are assessed together.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start dressing with confidence, Palette Prescription offers personalised colour analysis designed to work with real life — not just theory.

Soft Autumn FAQ

What colours should a Soft Autumn avoid?

Soft Autumns generally struggle with pure black, stark white, icy pastels, highly saturated brights and cool jewel tones. These colours can overpower Soft Autumn colouring and create visual disharmony.

Can Soft Autumns wear black?

Soft Autumns can wear black, but it’s rarely their best colour near the face. Softer alternatives such as warm charcoal, deep olive or chocolate brown tend to be far more flattering.

Is Soft Autumn the same as Muted Autumn?

Yes. Soft Autumn and Muted Autumn refer to the same colour season. The terminology varies between colour analysis systems, but the defining traits remain softness first and warmth second.

What jewellery suits Soft Autumn best?

Soft Autumns typically suit soft gold, champagne gold and brushed or antique metal finishes. Highly polished yellow gold or bright silver can appear too harsh compared to softer metallic tones.

What makeup colours suit Soft Autumns?

Soft Autumn makeup works best in muted, warm shades such as peachy blush, warm rose lips, soft brown eyeshadows and olive-based neutrals. Overly cool, icy or high-contrast makeup is usually less harmonious.

Can your colour season change over time?

Your underlying colour season does not change. However, factors such as hair colour, tanning and makeup choices can influence how colours appear, which is why professional colour analysis is recommended.