I love blogging about questions I receive! Recently a gal asked me, “Are the Color Codes the same as the seasonal color analysis from years ago?” That’s a great question so I wanted to address color codes and seasonal color analysis to clarify.

The story is, I wrote all about what the Color Codes are because up until a few years ago, those of us trained under Shari Braendel of Style By Color called them Dominant Color Categories. I started using the new terminology in the summer of 2017. Read about the six Color Codes here.

My grandmother is 97 and in the 1980s she was trained by Color Me Beautiful in the seasonal color analysis. Over time it went from spring, summer, fall, winter to being even more specific light spring, deep winter, etc. A Light Spring might be told to wear kelly green or a light aqua where a Warm Spring was directed to rust and chocolate brown. A Clear Spring was suggested to wear hot pink and daffodil yellow. (For fun, you can search Pinterest for the various seasons and see what you get!)

For the system I was trained in, those categories are simplified into Light, Warm and Clear. Sure, it might not be as exact…but that also gives a lot more flexibility.

{Click on the underlined Color Code names below to go to the Pinterest board}

• A clear winter or clear spring is just CLEAR. She wears high contrast prints and bright hues. Picture a hot pink blouse with black and a white polka dot skirt.
• Ladies called a soft summer or soft autumn is just a SOFT. She wears medium tones and medium contrast. Think army green with coral.
• For a light summer or light spring, they’re just a LIGHT and wears pastels and shades of pink and purple. LIGHT gals are also those who have allowed their hair to change to white. Maybe white pants and a lilac top for spring.
• A deep autumn or deep winter is just a DEEP. She wears jewel tones and deep shades. Think dark denim and a maroon sweater.
• A warm autumn or warm spring is WARM Color Code, red heads and anyone with red or strawberry blonde in their hair, regardless of skin color and eye color. Think brown with rust and copper and only gold jewelry.
• A cool winter or cool summer is a COOL Color Code and is for ladies with silver or “salt and pepper” hair. Imagine pinks and blues with white and gray and only silver jewelry.

I frequently hold color analysis appointments with ladies who have been told conflicting information about their “season” and they look to me to help them narrow their options. That’s the beauty of the Color Codes–they’re simpler and easier to follow.

Remember, too, the colors that look good on everyone. Read about it here.

When you know your Color Code, you know…

• your “pop” colors (the best ones to wear near your face)
• your best neutral colors
• whether to wear white or ivory
• whether to wear black or brown
• whether to wear silver or gold jewelry
• which makeup colors look best
• the correct levels of contrast for your prints and outfits

You can find all of that out by following the Pinterest boards for each Color Code or book a Color Analysis appointment here.

Here’s a visual of the seasonal color analysis equivalent to each Color Code.

Remember you can also read about Color Codes here.

What else do you need to know?