Bright winter color palette
Bright winter, also called clear winter, is the most vivid of the winters: cool leaning neutral, medium to deep, and very clear. It borders spring, so its colors are electric rather than dark: hot pink, cobalt, emerald and lemon yellow.
Find your season on your photoThe palette
Black#141414 Pure white#FFFFFF Charcoal#333539 Navy#16204A Cobalt#0047AB Hot pink#FF3D9A Magenta#C3127A True red#D2102C Emerald#009B65 Turquoise#00B5C8 Lemon yellow#F5E83A Violet#6A2BC2 Icy aqua#D2F1F0 Icy pink#F8D9E7
Black, navy, charcoal and pure white are the neutrals. Hot pink, magenta, true red and cobalt are strongest near the face; emerald, turquoise, violet and lemon yellow are vivid accents, and icy aqua and icy pink are the light ones. Strong contrast, such as black with hot pink or white with cobalt, suits this palette better than tone-on-tone.
What makes it bright winter
- Undertone
- Cool, leaning neutral. Bright winter sits next to bright spring, so it can carry a few warmer brights such as lemon yellow and turquoise, but the palette stays cool.
- Depth
- Medium to deep, with high contrast. Black and navy anchor the palette; pure white and icy colors light it.
- Clarity
- Clear, and this is the defining trait. These are the most saturated colors among the winters. Muted colors tend to make a bright winter look flat.
Bright winters often have dark hair, clear eyes that look bright against the skin (blue, green, grey or a sharp dark brown), and high contrast between hair, skin and eyes, across a wide range of skin tones. These are tendencies, not rules.
Hair colors for bright winter
These hair colors usually sit well with bright winter: they keep a cool or neutral base and contrast against the skin. Jet black and glossy espresso are the clearest match; cherry cola red and burgundy add a vivid cool red; platinum blonde is the icy end for a bold change. Chocolate brown is the softest of these, and on a bright winter it can lower the contrast. Each one opens the shade, so you can try it on your own photo.
For women
For men
Colors to go easy on
Dusty mauve#A7808F Oatmeal#D9C9AE Camel#B88A57 Mustard#C99A1C Rust#A84A23
Muted, earthy colors are the usual mismatch: dusty mauve, oatmeal, camel, mustard and rust. Next to clear, high-contrast coloring they look muddy and can make skin look sallow. Near the face, swap oatmeal for pure white and camel for charcoal; further from the face they matter less.
Close seasons
Bright winter or bright spring?
Both suit strong contrast and saturated color, so undertone is what separates them. On a bright winter, hot pink, cobalt and icy aqua look clean, and black with pure white is easy to wear. On a bright spring, poppy red, hot coral and sunflower yellow do that job, with warm white in place of pure white. If coral looks orange on you while icy aqua looks fresh, bright winter is the closer match.
Bright winter or true winter?
True winter is cooler and steadier: royal blue, true red and pine green, with icy pastels. Bright winter is clear first and cool second, with brighter, slightly warmer colors such as turquoise and lemon yellow. If those look electric and right on you, bright winter is the likelier fit; if they look too warm, look at true winter.
Questions
What colors look best on a bright winter?
Clear, saturated cool colors: hot pink, magenta, true red, cobalt, emerald, turquoise, violet and lemon yellow, with black, navy, charcoal and pure white as neutrals and icy aqua and icy pink as light accents.
Is clear winter the same as bright winter?
Yes. Different color analysis systems use either name for the same season: the winter where clarity is the strongest trait, bordering bright spring.
What hair color suits a bright winter?
Deep, cool shades with shine: jet black, espresso, or a vivid blue-based red. Platinum can work for a bold change. Flat, ashy browns and golden or caramel tones usually lower the contrast this season looks best with.
Should a bright winter wear gold or silver?
Polished silver, white gold and platinum are the classic match. Some bright winters wear bright yellow gold well too, because the season borders bright spring; high shine suits it more than brushed finishes.
Your own season
Mark your cheek and your hair on one daylight photo. The color reading shows your likely season, a close second and how sure it is; when the reading is clear it also names the sub-season. It is a reading of that photo in that light, not a verdict.
Find your season on your photoMore palettes: Light spring · True spring · Bright spring · Light summer · True summer · Soft summer · Soft autumn · True autumn · Deep autumn · Deep winter · True winter