That entire palette, if it’s correctly made, should mix-and-match automatically because every color is of the same degree of warmth and saturation. Now, because it’s a Neutral Season, there are both heat and coolness present, so the palette offers warmer and cooler choices. Almost any of the colours together just blend together effortlessly, and would not cause you to look like a color riot. Contrast means light and dark, so I might not pair my lightest lights with my darkest darks within the palette.
Also, there is a principle when using neutrals, of which your palette has many, of 1 color + 2 neutrals that may help you incorporate the colors you feel are stronger.
The article http://12blueprints.com/adriane-is-a-soft-autumn/ may help.

I would like to ask about the comment above regarding avoiding sudden colour transitions or strong contrast for the Soft Autumn season. I can see immediately that the comments ‘feel’ right for the season. My question is what to do with the brighter colors in the palette….like a clear turquoise or an almost too bright purple?? When I wear those colors, they seem too bright even if they do match the swatch! Comments??

I have 6 pairs of expensive black shoes and boots that I bought before my color analysis. I was wearing them with dark wash blue jeans. I know brown and cognac shoes look much better on me, and I’ve bought some shoes in those colors.

My usual outfits are camel, khaki, chocolate brown, or olive green tops with chocolate brown pants or dark wash jeans.

Am I compromising my look too much by wearing black shoes with these outfits? Should I sell them on ebay or give them to charity or something?

Many image consultants will say that your hair colour is an excellent base for clothing colour and that eye colour is automatically a colour that works for you. Technically, it’s true because Colour Analysis is just a process of revealing the precise shades in your own biology – hair, skin, eyes. The question is, how good are you at discerning the colour in your biology? As you say, it is very hard to do on yourself.

I don’t see black as a big block working so well on a Dark Autumn, though it’s better than the light Summer-type colours. I’m a Dark Winter and a big black block is not my best look. Learning to wear YOUR colours WITH black may work better, using their heat to make the black more vivid and warm. Still, I’d go with the green or a beautiful brown because black is so overdone that it’s become boring. It has no imagination.

A Deep Autumn should have many choices in coats and the fabric texture is perfect for the person and the colours. Eggplant, brick, bronze … oh, it can be so much more than black! Never blend in!

Great questions. Dark Autumn, Bright Spring, and Winterish True Summers can wear black, as can the 3 Winter seasons. All the Winters can wear black – but I agree that it’s necessarily their best colour. I’m a Dark Winter and I’m told that stark black and white are not my best. With other colours, they work much better.

I think the problem stems from the fact that people don’t know what skin effects they’re looking for to be able to say a colour works or doesn’t, both on themselves and on others. Once you’ve seen what “clearing of the skin” looks likes, as well as the other effects, you look at those colours and the people wearing them differently. I don’t believe anyone can analyze themselves, nobody is that objective. We’ll talk more about this when we meet. Bring many questions.

Good question about what “warm black” looks like. To me, it’s the color of black espresso coffee. It is the blackest brown. Only in good light, can you see that it is actually brown.
A Dark Autumn can do black reasonably well, usually. After all, Autumn’s defining characteristics are dark colours, along with warmth and muted colours. A True Autumn doesn’t glow in black or white.
I agree that True (medium) or Dark Autumn are not good in white. The lighter Soft Autumn can do a creamy white.

If you cannot do black or white, why try? Even if you can do black, I always wonder why (other than it is the most common colour in stores). Everyone else is doing black. Why look like everyone else? Autumn in deep chocolate brown, eggplant, teals, even midnight blues for the darker ones, mahogany, chestnut, maroon, black/brown, charcoal create a look that crackles like a bonfire. Wear cream, oyster, honey, chamois, even avocado and apricot as neutrals. Autumn colours are spectacular in their rich naturalness. Work that look instead of one that doesn’t feel familiar and right to you.

Thank you for posting this very insightful article. I’ve been reading a bit on colour analysis and I was also wondering what other seasons could pull off black besides the winter season.

The reason that I am asking is because I tend to wear lots of black, usually with a lighter colours and I think it’s fine even thought I don;t think I’m a winter season. (I have light brown hair and a very light, almost porcelain skintone).

My parents, on the other hand, who self-analyzed themselves as a “clear winter” and a “clear spring”,don’t like to wear black even thought it is both of those colour palettes.

In your time of analyzing people’s colours, have you personally come across many who could pull of black and were not winters? Or is this generally an exception to the rule? Also, have you come across any winters (or winter blends) that couldn’t wear this colour?

Thanks,
Jelena