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12 seasons colour analysis: True Winter comprehensive guide

Welcome to the True Winter Season!


Now that you've discovered your unique color palette, this guide will take you on a deep dive into everything that makes this season shine. From your best colors and those you’ll want to skip, to ideal prints, patterns, and makeup choices—we’ve got it all covered to help you get the most out of your season.


If you are one step ahead and want to always have your best colours with you (and stop spending money on garments that don't flatter your natural beauty), make sure to check our digital and physical colour swatches. Think of this as your ultimate style companion!


AS Exclusive Colour Swatches with more than 100 colours of your season
AS Exclusive Colour Swatches with more than 100 colours of your season

Intro


Winter is the season of striking contrasts.


With long, dark nights that seem to stretch endlessly and brilliant white snow blanketing the ground, Winter’s beauty lies in its bold, cool, and intense nature.


Winter types are characterized by their cool, bright, and deep features, which often result in a high-contrast, almost dramatic look. Think of cool undertones, vivid hues, and dark shades that echo the sharpness of a snow-covered landscape against a night sky.


Winters shine in colors that are pure, intense, and crisp—like jewel tones and icy shades—which enhance their natural brilliance and contrast beautifully with their cool complexion.

True winter inspired moodboard
True winter inspired moodboard

Colour Dimensions


On the three dimensions of colour, True (Cool) Winter has the following settings:


Hue

True Winter’s colours are cool. The colour palette sits at the coolest end of the hue scale and the colours contain blue undertones.


Chroma

In line with True winter’s secondary colour aspect, the colours are high in chroma. That means they are bright rather than soft.


Value

The colour range of this palette is broad, from the lightest value (true white) to the darkest (true black). Overall, the palette sits on the darker side.

True (Cool) Winter Dimensions of colour
True (Cool) Winter Dimensions of colour

Your beauty and contrast


If you are a true winter, your primary colour aspect is your cool undertone (hue), meaning blue based colours suit you a lot better than yellow based colours.


Your secondary colour aspect is the brigthness of your features (high chroma). Your skin, eyes and hair have a fresh and clear appearance. Instead of blending, they contrast each other, and there is no greyness about them.


Overall, the level of contrast between your features is high.


The contrast is important when we talk about hair colour, makeup, prints and patterns, and the rule never changes: if you want a harmonious look, repeat your natural contrast!


Anne Hathaway is the perfect example of a true winter high contrast
Anne Hathaway is the perfect example of a true winter high contrast

True Winter Colour Palette


The true winter colour palette combines coolness with brightness.


The palette is filled with a broad range of colours, from icy pinks and purples to frosty blues and pure black. All colours are cool with a clear blue undertone.


True/Cool Winter Colour Palette
True/Cool Winter Colour Palette

Due to your natural coolness and brigthness, winter is the only season palette that includes pure black and white. Your neutrals also include cool blues, greys, browns and deep reds.


Blue-based nude tones tend to work a lot better for you, as they bring the coolness that matches your beauty. You can also use them as light neutrals.

True/Cool Winter premium and neutral colours
True/Cool Winter premium and neutral colours

Colours to avoid


Since True Winter's colours are cool and bright, your worst colours are the opposite of that: warm and soft.


Avoid earthy colours, such as golden browns and rusty oranges, as they will clash with your naturally cool colouring.


Soft, muted colours, such as dusty blues and lavender, will wash you out since they are not intense enough.


If you want to wear pastel colours, use the icy versions from your palette as accent colours.

Colours to avoid as a true winter
Colours to avoid as a true winter

If you want to learn how to use the colours that are not in your palette, make sure to read this post.


Colour Combinations


One of my favourite things about colour analysis is how effortlessly it makes mixing and matching. When you have a colour-coordinated wardrobe based on your ideal shades, every piece works in harmony with the others. It’s like having a personal style formula – no more second-guessing or wondering if that new top will go with your favourite trousers!


Each item complements the next, making it easy to create fresh, stylish outfits without the stress. With your personalised palette as your guide, your wardrobe becomes a curated collection where everything flows together beautifully.


True (cool) winter colour combinations
True (cool) winter colour combinations


  • For a Clean, Sophisticated Look: Monochrome is your go-to. (PS: you might find some information out there about avoiding monochromatic looks if you are a winter, because they don't offer the level of contrast that matches your natural beauty. If you lovo monochromatic looks, dont stop using them. Instead, make sure they are bright and striking enough!)


  • For a Harmonious, Balanced Outfit: Analogous combos.


  • For Bold Outfits: Complementary combinations are perfect to create that impactful look.


Patterns and Prints


Since your natural colouring has a striking high contrast, opt for patterns that reflect this natural contrast level.


Below you can find an example of low, medium and high contrast respectively.


Low, medium and high contrast examples
Low, medium and high contrast examples

The best prints will always be the ones that contain True winter colours only. But what if most of the colours in a pattern are True winter colours, but there’s one that clearly isn’t? Does it matter?


1. Try checking it against your face. If the colours are right, you’ll see similar effects to what you saw during your colour analysis (maybe your skin is brighter, your eyes pop, etc).


2. As a rule of thumb, an off colour is less likely to ruin a print if it’s:

  • a neutral;

  • from a nearby tone, like your sister palettes

  • a smaller element in the print


See below some perfect prints if you are a true winter:

True (Cool) Winter Prints and Patterns
True (Cool) Winter Prints and Patterns

Are you ready to discover your best hair colours, accessories and make-up? Click here to access our exclusive guide!


Now, let's get personal, shall we?


Firstly, getting acquainted with your new palette takes time. Many people get surprised with their results, so make sure to give it some time to sink in and to explore your new palette.


Secondly, you absolutely don’t need to discard everything that is out of your season or buy a whole new wardrobe. Instead, start by replacing one clothing piece you wear regularly with a similar piece in your palette. And remember, your palette has a range of colours, so if you don’t like pinks don’t start with pinks – let's keep it simple.


Over time you will develop a new baseline and begin to see how the new colours can work for you and how versatile and easy to mix & match your wardrobe is.


Embracing your palette is not just about following rules, but celebrating your unique self. If you have any questions or need help with anything—whether it's how to use your swatch or styling tips—please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always here to support you along the way!



Yours in style,


Ana Silva

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