We’ve talked a lot about undertones in determining your color season in seasonal color analysis. But an overlooked and critical factor in determining your color palette is the contrast level between your natural features—your skin, hair, and eyes. Whether your contrast level is high or low can guide you toward colors and combinations that harmonize with your overall appearance.

What Are High and Low Contrast Features?

High Contrast Features

 

High contrast occurs when there’s a striking difference between your natural elements:

• Light skin + dark hair: Think of classic Winters like Snow White.
• Bright eyes against a darker complexion or hair.

Winter and some Springs often exhibit high contrast.

Colors that work: Bold, vivid, and high-contrast colors, such as black and white combinations, jewel tones, or icy hues.

Low Contrast Features

Low contrast means your features blend more seamlessly, with less differentiation between hair, skin, and eyes:

• Medium-tone skin + hair with similar depth.
• Soft, muted eye colors blending into your skin tone.

Summer and Autumn typically have low contrast.

Colors that work: Subtle, muted, and tonal combinations, like pastels, earthy shades, or soft monochromes.

How to Determine Your Contrast Level

Take a selfie in natural light while wearing no makeup and neutral colored clothes. Observe the interplay between your hair, skin and eyes. Does any one of these features stand out or do they blend together?

If you already know or suspect your season, don’t let that sway your observations, you could be a low contrast winter or a medium contrast summer.

If you’re still not sure, take your selfie and apply a grey scale to it, this will dramatize the contrast, or lack of contrast, of your features.

Contrast Levels and Color Seasons

Winter (High or Medium contrast):

• Features: Light skin and dark hair, or dark skin with bright eyes.
• Best Colors: Pure black, white, vibrant jewel tones, icy pastels.
• Avoid: Muted or earthy tones that may dull the vibrancy.

Spring (Medium to High Contrast):

• Features: Clear, bright complexion with warm undertones.
• Best Colors: Bright, warm hues like coral, peach, and aqua.
• Avoid: Deep, dark colors that overpower the brightness.

Summer (Low Contrast):

• Features: Light skin and hair, soft and cool-toned.
• Best Colors: Soft pastels, light greys, and dusty shades.
• Avoid: Highly saturated or deep, dark tones.

Autumn (Low Contrast):

• Features: Warm, muted tones in both hair and skin.
• Best Colors: Earthy, rich shades like rust, olive, and mustard.
• Avoid: Bright, cool tones like icy blues or pure black.

Styling Tips for High and Low Contrast

High Contrast:

• Embrace bold pairings: black and white, red and navy, or teal and gold.
• Opt for high-impact patterns like stripes or geometric prints.

Low Contrast:

• Stick to tonal dressing, layering similar shades for a cohesive look.
• Experiment with textures rather than bold patterns to add interest.

 

Ready to make every shopping trip a breeze? Grab one the color palette for your season and always carry it with you when you’re out buying clothes!