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Autumn family, warm and rich

Warm Autumn (true autumn) color palette

The color of the last warm week of October.

· By the Hue & Shape team

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Warm autumn, also sold as true autumn, is the season where golden warmth is the loudest trait. Skin has a yellow, golden or peachy base and often tans to bronze. Hair is auburn, copper, chestnut or golden brown, and many warm autumns have freckles in the same rusty tone. Eyes lean amber, topaz, warm hazel, olive green or golden brown.

Contrast is moderate, not high: the hair is usually only a few levels darker than the skin, and the eyes are warm rather than piercing. Because the warmth is so even across hair, skin and eyes, cool colors look obviously wrong here, while rich earth colors look like they belong to the face.

The palette is the classic picture of warm fall colors: rust, pumpkin, mustard, olive, forest and teal, at full but earthy strength. It is richer than soft autumn and lighter and more golden than deep autumn.

Palette at a glance

Autumn family · Yellow gold, copper and bronze.

Also called true autumn.

The palette

Warm Autumn color palette: 36 colors with hex codes

36 colors in six groups. Hex codes are for screens; fabric and print will vary.

Neutrals

  • Cream#F4E7CF
  • Camel#C8A27A
  • Toffee#A57A4C
  • Khaki Brown#8B7650
  • Deep Olive#4C4F2C
  • Chocolate#5B3A2A

Lights

  • Wheat#E8D3A2
  • Apricot#EFBB86
  • Butterscotch#E3B467
  • Light Moss#C3C182
  • Peach Bisque#F1C9A5
  • Golden Sand#DCC07F

Mid-tones

  • Olive#6F7434
  • Moss#7C7C3A
  • Goldenrod#B8892E
  • Caramel#B9783D
  • Avocado#8A8A3C
  • Warm Jade#5B8A6E

Deeps

  • Forest#3F5B3A
  • Teal#2F6B64
  • Brick#8F3B2C
  • Saddle Brown#7A4A26
  • Dark Bronze#6B5326
  • Pine Teal#2E4F45

Accents

  • Mustard#C9A227
  • Pumpkin#C96A1F
  • Burnt Orange#B4551F
  • Saffron#D9952B
  • Turmeric#C78C1D
  • Copper Penny#B5652B

Reds and pinks

  • Rust#A64B2A
  • Tomato Red#C0432B
  • Terracotta Red#B5533C
  • Warm Coral#D97A58
  • Paprika Red#9C3A22
  • Salmon#E08B6A

On the map

Where warm autumn sits among the 12 seasons

Warm autumn sits at the far right edge of the map, at warmth 0.95, tied with warm spring as the warmest anchor of the twelve. Its depth is 0.62, a little past the middle, and its clarity is 0.45, halfway between muted and clear. The closest anchor by a wide margin is warm spring, which shares the same warmth and differs mainly in clarity and a touch of depth. Deep autumn is next, darker and slightly less warm, then light spring, bright spring and soft autumn. Every one of those neighbors is on the warm side; the nearest cool season is far across the map.

The twelve color seasons by warmth, depth and clarityLight Spring: warmth 0.55, depth 0.18, clarity 0.62. Warm Spring: warmth 0.95, depth 0.45, clarity 0.72. Bright Spring: warmth 0.5, depth 0.5, clarity 1. Light Summer: warmth -0.45, depth 0.22, clarity 0.5. Cool Summer: warmth -0.9, depth 0.45, clarity 0.58. Soft Summer: warmth -0.35, depth 0.5, clarity 0.22. Soft Autumn: warmth 0.4, depth 0.55, clarity 0.18. Warm Autumn: warmth 0.95, depth 0.62, clarity 0.45. Deep Autumn: warmth 0.6, depth 0.9, clarity 0.5. Deep Winter: warmth -0.5, depth 0.9, clarity 0.72. Cool Winter: warmth -0.95, depth 0.6, clarity 0.88. Bright Winter: warmth -0.35, depth 0.52, clarity 1CoolWarmWarmthLightDeepWarm SpringSoft AutumnWarm AutumnDeep Autumn
Plotted from the anchors the free color test matches against. Larger dots are clearer, brighter seasons; smaller dots are softer. How the anchors are used

Recognize it

How to tell if you are a warm autumn

  • Gold jewelry looks like it belongs to you, while silver makes the skin look gray or ashen.
  • Your natural hair is auburn, copper, chestnut or golden brown, and it shows red or gold in sunlight.
  • Your eyes are amber, topaz, warm hazel, olive or golden brown, often with flecks of gold.
  • You tan to a golden or bronze color rather than turning pink, and freckles, if you have them, are rusty.
  • Cream looks better on you than white, and orange based reds look better than blue based ones.

A three-step drape check at home

  1. 1

    In daylight, with your hair pulled back, hold Rust under your chin and then a cool burgundy or wine. A warm autumn looks healthier in the rust, with the cheeks gaining color instead of losing it.

  2. 2

    Next, compare Mustard with a lemon yellow. The mustard should look rich and natural on you; the lemon looks acidic and makes the skin look sallow.

  3. 3

    Finally, hold Forest against an emerald. Both are green, but the forest has yellow in it and the emerald has blue. If the forest is easier to look at, the warmth reading is confirmed.

Not sure? The free test reads your season from a photo and seven questions, and the photo never leaves your device.

Find my season

Side by side

Warm autumn vs warm spring

Warm autumn and warm spring are the two warmest seasons on the wheel, and they share almost every hue family: orange, gold, coral, green and teal. The difference is clarity. Warm spring wants those hues clean and bright, like marigold and clear turquoise. Warm autumn wants them earthy, with a little brown or gray stirred in, like goldenrod and teal.

Coloring usually tells them apart. A warm autumn's hair is often richer and darker, a chestnut or deep copper, and the eyes are more likely to be olive, amber or golden brown. When a warm autumn wears the clearer spring brights, the colors look slightly synthetic and the face reads flat behind them.

The Warm Spring palette
Warm Autumn
  • Rust #a64b2a
  • Pumpkin #c96a1f
  • Goldenrod #b8892e
  • Teal #2f6b64
  • Olive #6f7434
  • Warm Coral #d97a58

Rust, Pumpkin, Goldenrod, Teal, Olive, Warm Coral

Warm Spring
  • Warm Coral #ef7b5a
  • Marigold #f2a71b
  • Leaf Green #7fae3f
  • Turquoise #2fb3a6
  • Camel #c39262
  • Cream #fbf0d8

Warm Coral, Marigold, Leaf Green, Turquoise, Camel, Cream

The test that separates them

Hold Pumpkin, then a clear bright orange or coral. If the earthier pumpkin looks like your own coloring and the bright one looks cheap, you are warm autumn.

Side by side

Warm autumn vs deep autumn

Deep autumn takes the warm autumn palette down several steps in value. Where warm autumn has pumpkin and mustard at medium depth, deep autumn has mahogany, espresso and paprika. Both stay warm, so the question is depth, not undertone.

Look at the darkness of the hair and the eyes. A warm autumn's hair is medium to dark with plenty of visible red or gold, and the skin often has a golden glow. A deep autumn has dark brown or nearly black hair and dark eyes, and very light colors look thin next to that weight.

The Deep Autumn palette
Warm Autumn
  • Butterscotch #e3b467
  • Mustard #c9a227
  • Burnt Orange #b4551f
  • Forest #3f5b3a
  • Caramel #b9783d
  • Brick #8f3b2c

Butterscotch, Mustard, Burnt Orange, Forest, Caramel, Brick

Deep Autumn
  • Espresso #3c2a22
  • Burnt Pumpkin #a8501e
  • Olive #55592c
  • Brick Red #8a2e22
  • Cognac #7a4a24
  • Dark Spruce #233b33

Espresso, Burnt Pumpkin, Olive, Brick Red, Cognac, Dark Spruce

The test that separates them

Compare Butterscotch with a dark espresso brown. If both work but the butterscotch brightens your face without looking pale, warm autumn is the better match.

Side by side

Warm autumn vs soft autumn

Soft autumn is the muted cousin. The two share camel, olive and rust, but the soft version grays those colors down and drops the brightest oranges altogether. Warm autumn needs the saturation that soft autumn avoids.

On a true autumn, soft autumn's dusty peach and khaki can look a little sleepy; the skin's strong golden cast wants something just as rich next to it. A soft autumn has hair, skin and eyes that blend into each other, while a warm autumn's hair usually stands out as clearly red or golden.

The Soft Autumn palette
Warm Autumn
  • Mustard #c9a227
  • Rust #a64b2a
  • Saffron #d9952b
  • Avocado #8a8a3c
  • Toffee #a57a4c
  • Tomato Red #c0432b

Mustard, Rust, Saffron, Avocado, Toffee, Tomato Red

Soft Autumn
  • Copper #b0713f
  • Khaki #a39a6c
  • Moss #7d8a5c
  • Rust #9d4f33
  • Muted Ochre #b5986a
  • Slate Teal #4f6a66

Copper, Khaki, Moss, Rust, Muted Ochre, Slate Teal

The test that separates them

Hold Mustard, then a grayed khaki. A warm autumn looks livelier in the mustard; a soft autumn looks smoother in the khaki.

Leave out

Warm Autumn colors to avoid

Each one with the reason it fights this coloring and a color from the palette that does the same job.

  • Pastel Pink

    Too light and too cool; it makes golden skin look flushed rather than warm.

    Wear instead: Peach Bisque

  • Icy Blue

    The cold cast fights the warmth in the skin and the hair.

    Wear instead: Warm Jade

  • Silver Gray

    A cool metallic gray pulls the color out of the face.

    Wear instead: Khaki Brown

  • Fuchsia

    Saturated and blue based, it competes with the face instead of supporting it.

    Wear instead: Terracotta Red

  • Lavender

    The violet base makes golden skin look yellow in an unflattering way.

    Wear instead: Apricot

  • Burgundy Wine

    A blue red at depth drains the warmth and ages the face.

    Wear instead: Brick

  • Navy

    Its cool depth sits apart from the rest of a warm autumn wardrobe; chocolate does the same job.

    Wear instead: Chocolate

  • Optic White

    The blue cast in bright white makes the skin look yellow beside it.

    Wear instead: Cream

Wearing it

Warm Autumn outfits: six combinations

  • Work

    Chocolate, Cream, Teal

    A chocolate suit with a cream blouse and a teal scarf; the teal is a small accent, not a third main color.

  • Evening

    Rust, Goldenrod

    A rust dress or shirt with goldenrod or yellow gold jewelry; one strong color from neck to knee.

  • Casual

    Olive, Cream, Saddle Brown

    An olive jacket over a cream tee, with saddle brown boots and belt to anchor it.

  • Summer

    Warm Coral, Wheat

    A warm coral top with wheat linen trousers; the lighter bottom keeps the outfit fresh in heat.

  • Winter

    Forest, Camel, Pumpkin

    A forest green coat over camel knitwear, with a pumpkin scarf close to the face.

  • Accessories

    Toffee, Turmeric

    Toffee leather bag and shoes with yellow gold jewelry and a turmeric silk scarf.

Warm dark neutrals

Chocolate and deep olive replace black in this wardrobe. They give the same depth while staying in the palette.

One rich color per outfit

Rust and mustard are both strong. Wear one as the main color, then cream, camel and chocolate around it.

Prints from the season

Paisley, autumn florals and warm tartans belong here. Prints built on gray and blue do not, however nice the pattern.

Hair

Warm Autumn hair color

Shades that suit

  • Copper and ginger. The most natural extreme of the palette; a warm autumn can carry a full copper without it looking dyed.
  • Auburn. A red brown with plenty of warmth deepens the look while keeping it golden.
  • Chestnut. A rich warm brown is the easiest everyday shade, especially with golden lowlights.
  • Golden brown with caramel. Caramel ribbons through brown hair lift the face without moving away from the palette.
  • Strawberry blonde. Suits lighter warm autumns whose skin is fair and golden.

Shades that fight it

  • Ash blonde or ash brown. The gray green cast removes the warmth that ties hair to skin.
  • Blue black. Cold and very dark; it makes golden skin look sallow.
  • Burgundy or violet red. A blue based red clashes with warm skin and freckles.

Makeup

Warm Autumn makeup: base, cheek, eyes and lips

Base and foundation

Warm autumns usually need a golden or yellow based foundation, labeled W or with names like golden, honey or warm beige. Swatch on the jaw and check in daylight; a shade that looks pink or gray on the jaw is too cool, even if the depth is right. Bronzer in a warm, non-orange brown suits this season well.

  • Golden base #D4A676
  • Honey base #BF8F5E

Cheek

Warm peach, apricot and soft brick blushes. A bronzer swept over the cheekbone often works as blush on its own.

  • Apricot blush #E39A70
  • Brick blush #B65E44

Eyes

Copper, bronze, olive and warm brown shadows, with a brown or deep olive liner. Green and copper together are especially striking with hazel or olive eyes.

  • Copper shadow #B06A3A
  • Olive shadow #6C6B34
  • Warm brown liner #5A3A26

Lips

Brick red, tomato, terracotta and warm caramel nudes. A brownish red is the warm autumn version of a classic red lip.

  • Brick red #9E3A28
  • Terracotta #B4563C
  • Caramel nude #B77D5A

The base

Metals, jewelry and wardrobe neutrals

Yellow gold, copper and bronze. Silver looks cold and slightly gray next to this skin.

Yellow gold is the default and can be worn in quantity: chunky chains, hoops and cuffs all suit the richness of the coloring. Copper, bronze and brass work just as well, and a polished finish is fine here because the palette carries strength.

For stones and accessories, amber, tiger's eye, carnelian, jade and tortoiseshell sit naturally in the palette. Silver is the metal to skip near the face; if you own silver pieces, wear them with mixed gold rather than on their own.

  • Cream
  • Camel
  • Toffee
  • Khaki Brown
  • Deep Olive
  • Chocolate

Every depth

Warm Autumn on fair, medium and deep skin

Fair skin

Fair golden or peachy skin with copper or strawberry hair is a classic warm autumn. Wear the lights and the mid-tones near the face, apricot, wheat, goldenrod and warm coral, and keep forest and brick for outer layers.

Medium skin

Medium golden or bronze skin can carry the full palette, including pumpkin, mustard and teal at full strength. The accents group is where this depth looks most striking.

Deep skin

Deep skin with a golden or reddish warm cast and medium contrast often reads warm autumn. Saffron, turmeric, tomato red and teal stand out beautifully, and cream gives a softer light than white.

Questions

Warm Autumn questions

Is true autumn the same as warm autumn?

Yes. True autumn and warm autumn are two names for the season at the warm center of the autumn family, with warmth as its strongest trait.

What are warm fall colors?

Rust, pumpkin, mustard, olive, forest green, teal, camel and chocolate. They are warm and earthy, with yellow or orange underneath and a touch of brown that keeps them from looking neon.

What is the difference between warm autumn and warm spring?

Clarity. Both are the warmest seasons, but warm spring suits clear, bright colors like marigold and coral, while warm autumn suits the same hues muted and deeper, like goldenrod and rust.

Can a warm autumn wear black?

Black is not in the palette. Chocolate, deep olive and pine teal give the same depth for a suit or a coat and look warmer next to the face.

Can a warm autumn wear pink?

Warm pinks such as salmon and warm coral work. Cool pinks, from baby pink to fuchsia, make golden skin look flushed or yellow.

What hair color suits a warm autumn?

Copper, auburn, chestnut, golden brown and strawberry blonde. Avoid ash tones, blue black and violet reds.

Can a warm autumn wear blue?

Teal and turquoise with a green base work well. True navy and icy blues are the hardest, so use teal or pine teal wherever you would reach for blue.

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

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