What is the difference between Soft Autumn and True Autumn?

This article has all the answers and debunks the myth of only one color palette.

Before we jump into debunking the color analysis myth, we need to establish the given fact that Autumn is a warm undertone type.

So Soft Autumn and True Autumn will be predominantly warm, even though Soft Autumn is a transitional type that serves as a trampoline for the Soft Summer to jump into Autumn because they are located right near each other.

The True Autumn will be the central palette of the Autumn family – and, of course, its colors are the richest and most saturated.

There will be a visible difference between those palettes over here.

Underneath is the True Autumn and Soft Autumn towering over the top of it.

One can spot the difference as the latter one is visibly lighter – what we call “warm pastel colors”.

However, little do we actually acknowledge about the Autumn season. I have previously mentioned that Autumn is the most versatile seasonal type of all I have seen so far.

Its colors can vary from rich and deep to light champagne pastels.

Most people are used to picking one color palette and sticking to it.

However, color is not only a one-dimensional aspect. Color is a very multidimensional aspect that you can use to your own advantage.

I am a true advocate for widening your color horizon and actually understanding the color – and that would mean that we don’t need to segregate the color, but rather imply more.

As examples I am going to discuss the color palette of Florence Pugh (as she has previously been typed as Soft Autumn) and Shailene Woodley (as she has been previously typed as a True Autumn).

We will see here why Florence Pugh is not Soft Autumn and why Shailene Woodley is not True Autumn.

And of course, let’s not forget about an “In Transition” type.

The owners of which will jump from one color palette to another one just by virtue of being “in transition.”

(Soft Autumn – is a transitional type).

The skin undertone in both seasons will be very similar or even the same, and a lot of times you can use warm and cold colors at the same time. (that’s the beauty of this type).

This is especially helpful for people who cannot find their seasonal type, and both gold and silver shades fit them well.

If you are an “in transition” type, you will even use both cold and warm colors for your wardrobe and not only jewellery.

Not only that, but this type can also wear color conglomeration of cold + warm at the same time.

For example, blue (cold) and red (warm); yellow (warm) and blue (cold).

What Do We Know About Soft Autumn?

The skin is of average lightness or medium tone; quite light but not porcelain (not Spring type of skin).

Very often we can see freckles in a rather warm undertone.

Even a light tan gives a healthy appearance and improves complexion; non-tanned skin may have an indistinct greyish overtone (sometimes happens).

Usually, it’s the type of skin that tans well and tan actually really fits them well.

The eye color is not only brown or what we call hazel eyes of different lightness but also green-brown, and can even be blue, blue-green, etc, with age we can see the fading of the outer edge of the iris towards greyish colors – it may seem that the eyes are getting greener (or lighter with time).

Soft Autumn hair light chestnut, dark chestnut, can even be warm blond (even platinum).

Soft Summer Color Associations

Muted caramel sheen of amber – warm golden and red tones.

Delicate grey and beige colors of natural paper.

Pink, creamy lilac, and light red tones of the carnation flowers.

Soft red, brown, and burgundy wood tones.

Ideal stones for Soft Autumn: cognac diamonds and colors champagne, and carnelian.

Color Palette – Soft Autumn

Red burgundy – warm burgundy shades.

Fuchsia includes pink tones ranging from pale to rich but avoid acid-bright colors.

The powdery beige brings together warm nude beige shades in a slightly lighter skin tone.

Dusty Lavender – discreet light purple tones gently accentuate brown hair and tan.

Warm beige – warm beige and light brown shades.

Chocolate – replace black with chocolate, and the complexion will be fresher; dark grey anthracite also looks good in the role of black.

Smoky Plum – A complex gouache purple adds a soft contrast to warm soft colors.

Brick red and orange tones flawlessly enhance skin tone.

Pale turquoise refers to blue and grey-blue tones with an admixture of turquoise.

Warm anthracite soothes excessive pigmentation and is perfectly suitable as a background color for other shades.

First of all, Soft Autumn comes with soft warm, and neutral shades, not too dirty, but not bright.

In general, it is better to replace black with dark grey or brown.

Black accessories or accents are acceptable, as well as a combination of black with a color that improves skin tone (red, peach, beige, warm burgundy).

From the range of blue shades, choose not too dark and not too bright. It is best to use a calm, slightly bleached blue – so often happens to be denim.

The grey color of Soft Autumn looks very noble, you can safely include it in your basic wardrobe.

However, here we can spot quite a difference in the grey color appropriation. It doesn’t look quite the same as in the first picture. It doesn’t work as well as previously.

Here we can see the same thing. Even though Florence Pugh has been typed as a Soft Autumn, it looks quite off to me in the other variant with chesnut hair color.

In the first picture she is wearing Soft Summer grey and in the other one Soft Autumn grey.

Waaaaait for it……What’s going on here?!

Could the hair color change the whole perspective? Is she actually a Soft Autumn?

The difference here is not only the hair color but also the overall skin color. Take a closer look.

How is Florence Pugh able to wear True Autumn and Soft Autumn colors?

Because she is an “In Transition” Autumn type that will fluctuate from Deep Autumn to Soft Autumn and more.

If Florence was my client, this is what I would show her.

True Autumn – Domiant, Soft Autumn as a part of the warm family plus the “In Transition” type which serves as a separate type.

This is why she can wear gold and silver.

How did we conclude that?

The fact that Florence is of a warm undertone and is of an Autumn family there is no doubt. But as you see, the Soft Autumn skin color fluctuates quite enough.

That happens to me too. During Summer I see yellow pigmentation getting revealed very or lightly enough to use warm gold beige or sandy foundation, while in Winter (obviously it also depends on the timezone and climate where you live) I get whiter and use my foundation of warm plus pink (for cold undertone) shades.

I can visibly see the difference between those seasons. That’s what’s going on with this actress type.

She can wear deep burgundy and pastel colors of her choosing with the condition that her skin color remains tanned.

Is dark hair color her natural hair color?

Well, it’s definitely not light blond.

Can she wear a more contrasting hair color? Yes, she can, and so can you!

What else should we see here?

Doesn’t it look like True Autumn fits better here?

It does!

Baby blue color doesn’t look as good as with blond hair? Obviously, if she was solely Soft Autumn – it would suit her regardless of the hair color.

And if not, if her skin gets paler – jump back to her Autumn family central position – True Autumn.

And then again, with a predisposition to a transitional type, she can even wear the bright Spring colors as well.

Dark blue indigo as well as deep navy blue, the deep teals – are all a part of the Autumn palette (rather to the True Autumn side).

Cool colors of pastel pink beautifully sets off a light tan. A Bright Spring pink – just what you might need to enhance your summer color.

What Do We Know About True Autumn?

The skin is lightly warm, with a characteristic warm undertone.

With a tan face becomes a little less contrasting so basically, you have to appropriate the low contrast; the skin changes its temperature really easily; the skin changes its temperature really easily.

Eyes – grey, blue, grey-blue, green, grey-green, green-brown, brown of different lightness – Honey brown or green-brown.

Hair – not only red and brown of different lightness and intensity but also natural dark blond, wheat blond, raspberry blond, etc.

Color associations

Soil cut: earthy greys, reds, browns and greens.

True Autumn can afford to wear a lot of stones in clothes and jewelry – as a technique of some folklore decorativeness in combination with red hair and minimal makeup, it won’t look defiant.

Color Palette For True Autumn

Moss includes all sorts of green colors.

Mahogany combines red-brown and burgundy tones plus orange.

Bronze implies glare-muted warm metallic colors and textures of gold, bronze and copper tones.

Sand denotes beige and pink-beige shades, certainly different from skin tone.

Ocean wave – light and dusty blue tones.

Feather – a variety of grey and grey-beige shades.

Red tulip combines complex reds and pinks.

Deep grey implies dark colors of grey anthracite tones in the role of black.

Lapis lazuli – any blue shades.

Violette – complex lilac and violet colors from light to dark tones.

True Autumn can use a combination of bright colors with more natural greys, and pink-beige shades.

Thick rich tones complement redheads and chestnut hair colors well.

Warm shades do not spoil the skin tone of the True Autumn at all, but it is better to choose
those that do not merge with reddish tone of your skin (if you have such) because it will emphasize the redness of your skin.

But green tones can be different – from deep emeralds to chemical pastels.

Can True Autumn wear silver and gold?

Yes, if you have a tendency to be an “in transition” type. Let’s see how it fits with this actress.

From this example, we can conclude that True Autumn Shailene Woodley also has a tendency to fluctuate between color palettes.

What does it mean to fluctuate between the color palettes?

When you change the actual season and anything from your appearances such as hair color, skin tone, etc – you also

Widen your color palette horizons.

For example, your main seasonal color palette is True Autumn (in both variants we can see she her in blond and chesnut hair colors, will see that the dominant season – is Autumn).

However, if you try to “tan” more and get hair highlights you will automatically gravitate towards lighter and softer colors such as Soft Autumn.

But in this case that will be rich and deep plus soft.

So during Summer, that would be absolutely normal to wear baby blue, pink, etc, while the same color might look too pale when the skin becomes lighter.

Then, you might want to bring on some more Dominant palette shades.

Especially if your hair is darker and your skin loses the extra bronze, you can use highly contrasting colors, such as emerald green, etc.