Summer family, soft and cool-neutral
Soft Summer color palette
Grayed colors for a face that does not need volume.
· By the Hue & Shape team
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Soft summer coloring is low in contrast and gently cool. Hair tends to be ash blonde, mousy light brown or a flat medium brown that looks gray in shade. Eyes are gray, gray-blue, gray-green or a hazel that never quite turns gold, and the skin sits close to neutral with a slight pink or beige lean rather than a clear rosy flush.
The palette follows that: every color is grayed. Sage instead of emerald, misted blue instead of cobalt, dusty mauve instead of magenta. A muted color matches the gentle transitions between hair, skin and eyes, so the face stays in focus and the outfit reads as calm rather than dull.
Palette at a glance
Summer family · Brushed silver, pewter and soft rose gold.
The palette
Soft Summer color palette: 36 colors with hex codes
36 colors in six groups. Hex codes are for screens; fabric and print will vary.
Neutrals
- Oyster#E7E0D8
- Smoke#C8C8CC
- Mushroom#B9A79C
- Pewter#9AA0A3
- Taupe Gray#8F8A8C
- Charcoal Blue#3F4A52
Lights
- Gray Lilac#B4A8BC
- Rose Beige#D7B8AE
- Pale Sage#C7CFC3
- Mist#CBD2D8
- Faded Lavender#C9C1CF
- Powder Gray Blue#B5C2CC
Mid-tones
- Misted Blue#8FA5B5
- Sage Green#9FAE95
- Eucalyptus#8AA79B
- Dusty Mauve#B394A0
- Heather#9E94A6
- Cadet Gray#8A98A3
Deeps
- Soft Plum#8A6F83
- Wedgwood#6F8BA3
- Pewter Blue#556470
- Slate Teal#4F6A6C
- Smoky Grape#5F5466
- Graphite Rose#6E5A62
Accents
- Dusty Teal#6F9497
- Muted Aqua#8FB3B2
- Lavender Gray#9D97B8
- Gray Jade#7F9A8C
- Storm Blue#6F8496
- Soft Periwinkle#A3A8C4
Reds and pinks
- Dusty Coral#CF9C93
- Muted Rose#C4949C
- Rosewood Mist#A77882
- Dusty Raspberry#9E7480
- Antique Pink#D6AEB4
- Berry Mauve#8F6274
On the map
Where soft summer sits among the 12 seasons
On the map, soft summer is the smallest dot in the cool half: clarity 0.22 on a scale where the bright seasons reach 1.0. Its warmth sits at minus 0.35, only mildly cool, and its depth at 0.5, the middle of the range. The closest anchor to it is light summer, which shares the mild coolness but is paler and a little clearer. Soft autumn mirrors it across the warmth line with almost the same depth and softness, which is why the two are so often confused in photos, even though the warmth axis puts real distance between them.
Recognize it
How to tell if you are a soft summer
- Your features blend: squint at a mirror and hair, brows, skin and eyes merge into one medium value with no sharp edge.
- Your eyes are gray, gray-blue, gray-green or a soft hazel, and they look smoky rather than sparkling.
- Natural hair is ash or mousy, and it can look almost gray in shade and only slightly golden in sun.
- Pure black near the face looks like a hole in the picture, and optic white looks glaring.
- Silver and gold both look acceptable, but brushed silver and pewter look the most natural on you.
- Rose and mauve lipsticks look like your own lips, while coral and orange look painted on.
A three-step drape check at home
- 1
Stand facing a window in daylight with no makeup and your hair pulled back. Hold something in Dusty Mauve under your chin, then something bright fuchsia. On a soft summer the mauve keeps the skin even, and the fuchsia makes the lips and under-eyes look gray by comparison.
- 2
Next compare Muted Rose with a dusty peach or apricot. If the rose makes your skin look clear and the peach adds a yellow or sallow cast, you are on the cool side of the muted seasons.
- 3
Finish with Charcoal Blue against true black. If the black makes your jaw and the hollows under your eyes look sharper and darker while the charcoal blue looks calm, the soft summer palette is a strong match.
Not sure? The free test reads your season from a photo and seven questions, and the photo never leaves your device.
Find my seasonSide by side
Soft summer vs soft autumn
These two share everything except the direction of warmth. Both have low contrast, medium depth and grayed colors, and both look best in fabric that has some texture to it. The difference is the undertone the gray sits on: soft summer grays a pink, a blue or a lilac, while soft autumn grays a peach, an olive or a camel.
That is why a soft summer can look good in a muted coral but rarely in a warm one. Dusty Coral works here because it carries a rose base, and a terracotta would push the skin yellow. Neutral-looking skin is the main reason this pair gets confused, since the face does not announce a clear temperature in a photo.
- Dusty Mauve #b394a0
- Misted Blue #8fa5b5
- Sage Green #9fae95
- Muted Rose #c4949c
- Pewter #9aa0a3
- Soft Plum #8a6f83
Dusty Mauve, Misted Blue, Sage Green, Muted Rose, Pewter, Soft Plum
- Camel #c8a27a
- Dusty Coral #c4927f
- Sage #9aa681
- Terracotta #b96b4e
- Muted Teal #6f8f86
- Soft Gold #c4ae7e
Camel, Dusty Coral, Sage, Terracotta, Muted Teal, Soft Gold
The test that separates them
Hold a dusty rose and a dusty peach under your chin in daylight, one after the other. If the rose makes your skin look smoother and the peach makes it look yellow or flat, choose soft summer. If the peach warms you up and the rose looks pink on top of the skin, choose soft autumn.
Side by side
Soft summer vs cool summer (true summer)
Cool summer is the cooler, slightly clearer neighbor. A cool summer can wear a real berry, a clean cornflower and a crisp cloud white, and those colors look fresh rather than loud. On soft summer coloring the same berry pulls the eye to the mouth and the clothes, so the palette pulls each color back toward gray.
Temperature is less of a guide here than saturation. A soft summer can lean almost neutral, wearing a sage that has a hint of warmth, while a cool summer looks best when every color clearly leans blue. If you find blue-based colors flattering but always prefer the dustier version, that preference is the soft summer signal.
- Eucalyptus #8aa79b
- Wedgwood #6f8ba3
- Dusty Raspberry #9e7480
- Heather #9e94a6
- Charcoal Blue #3f4a52
- Gray Lilac #b4a8bc
Eucalyptus, Wedgwood, Dusty Raspberry, Heather, Charcoal Blue, Gray Lilac
- Cornflower #7d9bd1
- Berry #8e4a63
- Sea Blue #5e8fa8
- Raspberry #b5486f
- Soft Navy #2f3d55
- Cloud #eceef2
Cornflower, Berry, Sea Blue, Raspberry, Soft Navy, Cloud
The test that separates them
Try a medium berry and a muted berry such as Berry Mauve side by side. If the clear berry looks strong but right, you are a cool summer. If it looks like it is wearing you and the muted one makes the face look rested, you are a soft summer.
Side by side
Soft summer vs light summer
Light summer is the closest season to soft summer on the map, and the two share the mild coolness. What separates them is depth and how far the palette can go toward dark. Light summer hair is blonde or very light brown, and its darkest flattering color is a dusty navy. Soft summer often has darker ash brown hair and can wear Pewter Blue, Smoky Grape and Slate Teal without looking heavy.
The softness also differs. Light summer colors are pale and fairly clean, like powder blue and icy pink. Soft summer colors are medium and grayed. A pale icy pink on a soft summer can look faintly chalky, while a light summer may disappear in a mid-tone mauve that would look ideal on a soft summer.
- Oyster #e7e0d8
- Pewter Blue #556470
- Smoky Grape #5f5466
- Slate Teal #4f6a6c
- Mushroom #b9a79c
- Berry Mauve #8f6274
Oyster, Pewter Blue, Smoky Grape, Slate Teal, Mushroom, Berry Mauve
- Icy Pink #f6dbe2
- Periwinkle #a3afe0
- Aqua #8fd0d0
- Bluebell #9aa8d8
- Soft White #f8f7f4
- Slate Blue #6c7fa8
Icy Pink, Periwinkle, Aqua, Bluebell, Soft White, Slate Blue
The test that separates them
Compare a pale powder blue with a medium misted blue near the face. If the pale one lifts you and the medium one feels heavy, you are a light summer. If the pale one washes you out and the medium one looks like your own coloring, you are a soft summer.
Leave out
Soft Summer colors to avoid
Each one with the reason it fights this coloring and a color from the palette that does the same job.
Bright Orange
It is warm and fully saturated, the two qualities this palette lacks, so the face looks pale and gray beside it.
Wear instead: Dusty Coral
Black
The darkest possible value next to soft features draws a hard outline around the jaw and deepens shadows under the eyes.
Wear instead: Charcoal Blue
Fuchsia
The coolness is right but the saturation is not. It turns the lips and cheeks gray by contrast.
Wear instead: Dusty Raspberry
Primary Yellow
A clear yellow is the loudest color on any rack and sits far from a cool, muted undertone.
Wear instead: Oyster
Optic White
Pure white reflects more light than the skin, so the face looks dim and the white looks blue in photos.
Wear instead: Smoke
Kelly Green
Bright grass green brings out any redness and makes the soft gray-green of the eyes disappear.
Wear instead: Eucalyptus
Rust
A warm, orange-brown that suits soft autumn. On soft summer it reads as a muddy, sallow cast.
Wear instead: Rosewood Mist
Electric Blue
So saturated that it glows. Next to it, a soft summer face looks washed out rather than calm.
Wear instead: Wedgwood
Wearing it
Soft summer clothes: six outfit combinations
Work
Charcoal Blue, Oyster, Dusty Mauve
A charcoal blue suit or trousers with an oyster shirt, and the mauve as a small scarf or knit near the face.
Evening
Smoky Grape, Pewter, Antique Pink
A smoky grape dress carries the depth; pewter jewelry and an antique pink lip keep it quiet rather than dramatic.
Casual
Misted Blue, Mushroom, Sage Green
Faded blue denim with a mushroom sweater, and sage at about a third of the outfit, so no color dominates.
Summer
Pale Sage, Rose Beige, Muted Aqua
Linen in pale sage and rose beige, with muted aqua as one piece, works in strong light without glare.
Winter
Pewter Blue, Heather, Smoke
A pewter blue coat over a heather knit; smoke gray at the collar lightens the darkest layer near the face.
Accessories
Pewter, Berry Mauve, Taupe Gray
Taupe gray shoes and bag as the base, with one berry mauve accent in a scarf or belt.
Match the saturation
If the outfit is muted, the accessories should be muted too. A bright bag or shoe next to a soft summer outfit pulls the eye down and away.
Texture instead of pattern
Because the palette has little contrast, fabrics do the work: linen, brushed cotton, soft wool. A large graphic print is harder to wear than a texture in the same color.
Use oyster as your white
Pure white is too strong. Oyster, mushroom and rose beige give the same lift with less glare.
Hair
Soft Summer hair color
Shades that suit
- Ash brown. The natural soft summer color, and the safest when you dye. Keep it free of red and gold reflections.
- Smoky ash blonde. A beige-ash blonde that matches the gray in the palette. Ask for fine, low-contrast highlights rather than chunky streaks.
- Mushroom brown. A cool, gray-toned light brown that softens the face without adding warmth.
- Soft cool brunette. Medium brown with a neutral to cool base. It adds depth for those who want more definition without black.
- Natural gray and silver. Graying hair suits this season well, since it moves the coloring further into the muted range it already sits in.
Shades that fight it
- Brassy golden blonde. The yellow cast fights a cool-neutral skin and turns it sallow around the hairline.
- Copper and bright red. Strong warm color adds contrast and heat that the rest of the face does not have.
- Blue-black. Far too dark and too sharp. It makes the skin look pale and the features look drawn on.
Makeup
Soft Summer makeup: base, cheek, eyes and lips
Base and foundation
Look for a neutral or slightly cool base, often labeled N or C, rather than a yellow W. Test three shades on the jaw, not the hand, and check them in daylight after about ten minutes, since many formulas oxidize warmer. The right one disappears; a too-warm one leaves a yellow band at the jawline.
Cheek
A muted rose or soft plum, applied with a light hand and blended up toward the temple. A satin finish looks like your own color; a frosty or very bright pink sits on top of the skin.
- Muted rose blush #C48B93
- Soft plum blush #A87586
Eyes
Gray-taupe, pewter and slate plum define the eye without a hard line. A smudged charcoal liner suits more than black, and mascara in brown-black or charcoal keeps the lashes from looking stamped on.
- Gray taupe #8F8079
- Pewter shimmer #9EA2A6
- Slate plum #6D5F70
Lips
Rosewood, muted berry and a mauve nude are the core shades. If you want a red, choose a soft raspberry rather than a clear blue-red, which jumps forward on low-contrast coloring.
- Rosewood #9C6470
- Muted berry #8C5168
- Mauve nude #B88A8F
The base
Metals, jewelry and wardrobe neutrals
Brushed silver, pewter and soft rose gold. High shine is less flattering than a matte finish.
Brushed and matte finishes suit soft summer better than high polish, because a mirror shine adds the sparkle the coloring does not have. Pewter, brushed silver and white gold look the most natural; soft rose gold works when it is pink rather than coppery.
Gray, white and pink pearls, moonstone, smoky quartz and rose quartz all belong in the palette. Antique silver with a little darkening in the detail is often more flattering than new bright silver.
- Oyster
- Smoke
- Mushroom
- Pewter
- Taupe Gray
- Charcoal Blue
Every depth
Soft Summer on fair, medium and deep skin
Fair skin
Fair soft summers look best in the lights and mid-tones: oyster, mist, gray lilac and misted blue. Charcoal blue is the darkest color to wear near the face; save smoky grape for skirts and coats.
Medium skin
Medium skin carries the whole palette, and the mid-tones such as dusty mauve, sage green and eucalyptus are the most flattering. Deeps like pewter blue work at the neckline as long as they stay grayed.
Deep skin
A soft summer with deep skin leans on the deeps and accents: slate teal, smoky grape, berry mauve and storm blue. The palest lights can look chalky near the face, so keep oyster and mist for lower layers or pair them with a deeper color at the collar.
Questions
Soft Summer questions
What is the difference between soft summer and soft autumn?
Both are muted and medium in depth. Soft summer grays cool colors such as mauve, blue and rose; soft autumn grays warm ones such as peach, olive and camel. A dusty rose against a dusty peach in daylight usually settles it.
What hair color suits a soft summer?
Ash brown, smoky ash blonde, mushroom brown and natural gray. Avoid golden, copper and blue-black shades, which add warmth or contrast the face does not carry.
Can a soft summer wear black?
Away from the face, yes. Near the face, charcoal blue, pewter blue or smoky grape give the same depth without the harsh outline black creates.
What are the best neutrals for a soft summer wardrobe?
Oyster for white, smoke and pewter for gray, mushroom and taupe gray for beige, and charcoal blue for the darkest base. They mix with each other and with every color in the palette.
Can a soft summer ever wear bright colors?
In small amounts and away from the face, such as a bag or shoes. Near the face, choose the grayed version of the color you want: dusty teal instead of turquoise, berry mauve instead of magenta.
Does soft summer suit silver or gold?
Silver, pewter and white gold in a brushed finish first, then a pinkish rose gold. Bright yellow gold reads too warm and too shiny on most soft summers.
Are soft summer clothes boring?
Only if every piece is the same value. Mix a light, a medium and a deep from the palette, add texture such as linen, knit or suede, and the outfit has interest without needing bright color.
How we measure. The seasons on this site come from fixed positions for warmth, depth and clarity, and the free test matches you to the nearest one. Read the method
More for a Soft Summer
- Summer color palettesCool, gentle and never at full volume.
- Soft Autumn paletteWarm, dusted down, easy to live in.
- Cool Summer paletteBlue-based, medium depth, quietly sure of itself.
- Skin undertone testWarm, cool, neutral or olive, from a skin sample and four quick questions.
- How we measureThe formulas, boundaries and limits behind every number