Dressing for the cool summer color season is about to get a whole lot easier for you. (Cool summer can also be called true summer.)
In this super simple guide, we jump straight to the point. We break down everything you need to know about the cool summer color season in a quick and easy way.
This way you can stop researching and start making those little changes that will ultimately add up to a dramatically better wardrobe for you.
How to Spot the Cool Summer Color Season
First, let’s break down the characteristics of a cool summer.
You’ll quickly notice a pattern here. “Cool” is the dominating factor for cool summers. Cool can also be interchanged with bluish or silverish undertones. Cool summers have muted silver/gray toned eyes, lighter cool skin tones and darker ashy hair tones.
Cool summer is also the darkest and most cool toned of the summer color seasons.
Skin Tone
The skin tones for a cool summer range from fair to tan.
They have cool undertones. (A good way to find this out, if you don’t already know it, is to go to a cosmetic counter or store and have a professional color match you for foundation. The letters signifying the undertones are almost always marked on the bottle.)
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Cool summers have an overall sleek, almost silver-like glow to them.
Eyes
Cool summers have gray/silver mixed in with their eye color or a cooler, muted blues, greens, and browns.
However, instead of light and bright, cool summer eye colors are more medium shades and muted.
Because of the cool undertones, they can appear mysterious and often change between other cool eye colors.
Hair
To carry on with the silver, muted theme, cool summers have ash tones in their hair that vary from dark ash blonde to dark ash brown.
These hair colors include: Dark ash blonde, light ash brown, medium ash brown, and dark ash brown.
If you describe your hair as dirty, dusty, dishwater, mousy, or ash that’s a key indicator that your hair is cool toned,
Cool Summer Color Season Palette
At first glance, the cool summer color season palette is full of darker, muted shaded colors. But, you’ll also notice medium and lighter tones in the mix.
The easiest way to make sense of this is to think about the variety of clothing colors available at stores and online shops. This cool summer color palette should give you an idea of the shade range for each basic color.
We break into down into a lighter, medium, and darker option to help steer you in the right direction.
If you don’t have access to this color palette when shopping, these three questions should help.
- Does this shade have a silver or bluish, cool tint to it?
- Is this shade the “muted and cool” version of this color family instead of the light, bright or warm version?
- Is this the medium-dark shade option of this color family?
Best Colors for the Cool Summer Color Season
Below are your top three colors for each color category.
As mentioned above, you’ll find a lighter, medium, and darker option for each color family. This will help you get a better grasp on the shade range for the cool summer color season.
Whites/Creams - ICY With Blue, Pink + Green Tints
When looking for whites or light neutral colors you’ll want them to have these characteristics:
- Muted vs crisp. *Avoid bright, true whites.
- Pinkish, greenish, gray tints vs yellow and golden.
yellows -IcY yellows
You’ll want to pick soft yellows that won’t overpower your blended complexion.
- Soft vs Bright
- More dusty silver green tints than true yellow.
Oranges -ICY CORALS
Orange is hard to pull of as a summer. However, you can fake orange with some icy tones. Pick oranges that are:
- More grayed out pinkish coral than pure orange.
- Medium shades vs very light + very dark.
- Soft vs. bright.
pinks - ICY PLUMS
Pinks tend to be a power color for summers. Pick pinks that are:
- Soft vs bright
- Dusty or muted, noticeable gray tint.
- Pinks that lean closer plum vs orange-like corals.
Reds - ICY PURPLE TONED REDS
The right kind of red can look incredible on cool summers. Choose reds that are:
- Purple tints vs. Orange Tints
- Soft vs crisp
Purples - Silver AND BLUE TINTS
Like pinks, purples can be more cool toned. As the coolest summer season – this is right up your alley. So pick icy purples that are:
- Soft and cool vs vibrant and warm
- Silver blue tints vs peachy
blues - ICE SILVER BLUES
Blues are another power color for cool summers. Pick blues that are:
- icy and bold vs light and bright
- More silver and grays, vs purple.
Greens - Gray Greens
Greens can be harder to pull off for summers. Pick greens that are:
- Soft vs Bright
- Blue or silver greens vs yellow greens.
grays- BROWN Gray
Grays that lean are close to silver with subtle blue tints work best for cool summers. Pick grays that are more:
- Blue and gray tones vs. yellow tones.
- Dirty, or soft, vs bold.
Browns - Purplish Browns
Browns can blend well with the cool summer coloring. Choose browns that are:
- More purple gray than golden.
- Soft and rich, vs light and bright.
Blacks/ Alternates for Blacks - GRAY BROWNS + FADED CHARCOAL
Cool summers should avoid stark black because it can overpower your overall light and softer coloring. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear some form of it. Pick blacks that are:
- Faded vs bold
- Silver/grayish and purplish, vs yellow tinted options.
Cool Summer Shopping Hacks
When shopping, cool summers should gravitate to naturally cool colors first. Look at pinks, blues, reds, and grays first as they are more likely to have options that suit your natural undertones.
Also, scan for the colors that you would describe as icy and somewhat muted but not bright.
If you prefer a variety of colors, warm tones can look great on you, too. However, they may be harder to spot.
Look for the cool warm that have a hint of blue, pink and gray instead of yellow. These should also be grayed out slightly instead of bright and bold.
Conclusion: Cool Summer
The cool summer color season has medium to dark ash toned hair, grayish/silver eyes, and light to tan skin tones. Cool summers have cool undertones and look best in shades that are more Icy vs warm and bright.
When shopping, cool summers should gravitate to cool dominate colors first like pinks, blues, reds, and silver/grays as the store is more likely to have a colors that will harmonize with their natural coloring.
Next Steps:
If you’re a cool summer, share what your favorite color to wear is in the comments. (Bonus points for photos.)
Lastly, do you know what makeup colors look best on you? Find out in this super simple guide to cool summer makeup colors.
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