Soft Summer Color Palette
20 cool, dusty colors for the Soft Summer season, from misty greys to faded berry, with hex codes.
Tap any swatch to copy the hex
What is Soft Summer?
Soft Summer is one of the 12 seasons in seasonal color analysis and the most muted member of the Summer family. Its colors are cool like every Summer, but each one is toned down with grey, so the palette looks like a seaside landscape on an overcast day: blue-grey water, sage dunes, faded heather.
On one side it leans toward Cool Summer, which is clearer and bluer; on the other it shades into Soft Autumn, which shares its softness but runs warm. If pure white and black feel too loud on you but slate blue and dusty mauve look effortless, you are probably a Soft Summer. See how it sits next to Light and Cool Summer in the full summer color palette.
Soft Summer characteristics: cool, muted, low to medium contrast
Soft Summer coloring is defined by three qualities. Each one explains a choice in the palette.
Low to medium contrast
Hair, eyes and skin are close in value, sometimes with a little more depth than Soft Autumn. Medium-depth colors suit you; extremes at either end look disconnected.
Cool to neutral-cool
There is a blue or pink cast under the skin rather than a golden one. Grey-blues and rose-mauves agree with it; yellow-based colors fight it.
Dusty, not clear
Your features have a hazy, smoky quality. Colors with a grey veil echo it, while vivid, saturated colors look like they are wearing you.
Typical Soft Summer coloring
- Skin: Light to medium, pink-beige or neutral-cool, sometimes with a slightly grey or olive cast. Often flushes rather than tans golden.
- Hair: Ash blonde, dark ash blonde or ash to medium brown, the shade people sometimes call mousy. Little to no red or gold.
- Eyes: Grey-blue, grey-green, soft teal, cool hazel or a muted, cool brown.
Think you might be a Soft Summer?
Soft Summer is easy to confuse with Soft Autumn or Cool Summer. Our free seasonal color analysis takes one selfie, measures your undertone and contrast, and names your season with a starter palette. It runs in your browser, so the photo stays on your device.
The complete Soft Summer color palette
The 20 colors, sorted into five families. Most outfits start with a grey neutral and add a blue or a rose.
Soft greys
Your foundation colors, from the platinum you can wear instead of white to the charcoal that replaces black. Use them for coats, suits and shoes.
- Platinum
#E5E4E2 - Cadet grey
#91A3B0 - Taupe gray
#8B8589 - Slate gray
#708090 - Payne's grey
#536878 - Charcoal
#36454F
Grey-blues
Blues with a misty, slightly greyed quality. They are the backbone of a Soft Summer wardrobe and work for everything from shirts to denim.
- Air superiority blue
#72A0C1 - Shadow blue
#778BA5 - Glaucous
#6082B6 - Air Force blue
#5D8AA8
Seafoam and sage
Cool greens with a blue lean. Lovely in knitwear and linen, and a fresh alternative to blue.
- Cambridge blue
#A3C1AD - Morning blue
#8DA399 - Xanadu
#738678
Dusty pinks and mauves
Powdery, cool pinks and soft purples. Wear them close to the face for a natural flush.
- Thistle
#D8BFD8 - Pink lavender
#D8B2D1 - Puce
#CC8899 - Opera mauve
#B784A7
Muted berry and plum
Your deepest accents. They add richness for evenings and for lips without breaking the soft effect.
- Mountbatten pink
#997A8D - Old lavender
#796878 - Antique fuchsia
#915C83
Curious how this palette compares with the other eleven seasons? Our seasonal color palette overview puts them side by side.
Best clothing colors for Soft Summer
Soft Summer outfits look best tonal: grey with blue, blue with mauve, mauve with grey. Keep strong contrasts out of the mix.
Office
A slate gray suit, a platinum shirt and a shadow blue tie or scarf. Professional, with none of the hardness of black and white.
Off duty
A Cambridge blue sweater with a platinum tee underneath and Air Force blue jeans.
Night out
An antique fuchsia dress or blouse with a charcoal jacket and thistle accessories.
- Jewelry: Brushed silver, white gold, pewter and soft rose gold. Yellow gold can look brassy.
- Denim: Mid-blue or grey-blue washes. Skip very dark navy rinses and bright, saturated blues.
- Patterns: Hazy florals, tonal stripes and soft marls. Avoid high-contrast graphics.
Colors Soft Summer should avoid
These shades are either too warm or too intense for cool, dusty coloring. Each one has a palette color that does the same job better.
- Black
#000000Heavy and stark; it can drain color from your face. Use charcoal instead. - Bright white
#FFFFFFToo bright against soft coloring. Use platinum instead. - Orange
#FFA500Warm and loud, the opposite of your coloring. Use puce for a soft coral-pink effect. - Mustard
#FFDB58Yellow-gold makes cool skin look sallow. Use Cambridge blue for a fresh accent. - Camel
#C19A6BA Soft Autumn staple, but too golden for you. Use taupe gray instead. - Fuchsia
#FF00FFCool enough, but far too saturated. Use opera mauve instead.
Soft Summer makeup and hair color
Think rosy, smoky and blended. Nothing golden, nothing harsh.
Makeup
- Base: a neutral or slightly pink foundation. Very yellow formulas can look like a mask.
- Cheeks: dusty rose, soft mauve or cool pink, blended until it looks like a natural flush.
- Lips: rose, mauve, dusty pink and soft berry. Orange-reds and bright corals are rarely right.
- Eyes: grey, taupe, soft plum and slate shadows, with a charcoal or grey-brown liner.
Hair color
- Best: ash blonde, beige blonde, ash brown and cool light to medium brown, close to your natural shade.
- Highlights: fine, cool beige or ash highlights soften grey and add light without warmth.
- Avoid: golden or copper tones, red, jet black and very bright platinum, which all add warmth or too much contrast.
Soft Summer FAQ
What colors are in the Soft Summer palette?
Cool, muted colors of light to medium depth: soft greys from platinum to charcoal, grey-blues, seafoam and sage greens, dusty pinks and mauves, and muted berry and plum.
How can I tell if I'm a Soft Summer?
Look for a cool or neutral-cool undertone, ashy hair, grey-toned eyes and low to medium contrast. If grey-blue and mauve flatter you but black, white and orange feel too strong, Soft Summer is likely. A photo analysis can confirm it.
Soft Summer vs Soft Autumn: what's the difference?
Both are muted and low contrast, but Soft Summer is cool and Soft Autumn is warm. Soft Summer wears grey-blue, mauve and silver; Soft Autumn wears camel, olive and gold.
Can a Soft Summer wear black?
Black is usually too heavy near the face. Charcoal and Payne's grey give the same depth with a softer edge. Black shoes or trousers away from the face are fine.
Should Soft Summer wear gold or silver jewelry?
Silver, white gold and pewter are the most harmonious. Soft rose gold also works. Bright yellow gold tends to look brassy against cool skin.
What is the best hair color for Soft Summer?
Cool and soft shades: ash blonde, beige blonde, ash brown and cool light brown. Avoid warm golden, copper and red tones and jet black.
Is there a free way to check if I'm a Soft Summer?
Yes. Our seasonal color analysis is free, needs no email or account, and works from a single uploaded selfie. It shows your season and a basic palette.
How accurate are the hex codes on this page?
They are the standard values for each named color. Every screen renders color a little differently, so use them as a reference and check real fabrics in natural light.