A guide to finding your summer color palette for your wardrobe this season based on the principles of personal color analysis. Learn which colors complement warm, cool, and neutral undertones and get inspired by a variety of stylish looks tailored to your unique palette.
Life is too short to shy away from color. Vibrant colors and patterns on our clothes can add a fresh burst of joy to our day. The challenge is knowing which colors best complement our unique appearances and bring out our best features. This is where the phenomenon of a ‘personal color analysis’ comes in. The 80’s trend has made a comeback in recent years on social media and is helping people worldwide figure out which color palettes, makeup shades, and jewelry tones are best suited for their complexion. This guide provides a beginner-friendly overview to help you find the right color palette for your vibrant summer shopping needs.
What is a Personal Color Analysis?
A personal color analysis refers to a consultation with a professional color analyst who identifies the tones in your skin, hair, and eyes to determine which colors best complement your features.
Professional color analysts often use fabric draping techniques to test a range of colors against your face to find your personal color. They go through collections of warm, cool, light, and dark colors individually to determine which colors best complement your skin, hair, and eye color.
Finding your Personal Color Palette
An increasing number of personal color boutiques are opening around the world, particularly in South Korea. If you are lucky, you can find a personal color stylist in your area. Alternatively, you can use apps and other online tools to help you understand your color palette. ‘My Best Colors’, an app created by the company Colorwise.me, allows users to take a photo of their face using a smartphone camera which then generates a personalized color palette.
Why Should I Find My Personal Color Palette?
Feeling confident and comfortable in your clothing can make or break your mood throughout the day. Ultimately, you get to decide which colors and patterns you choose to put on each morning to help you feel your best. However, dressing with your own tailored color palette in mind can have several advantages for you and your wallet.
1. It makes getting dressed easier
Curating a wardrobe that is custom to your unique color palette can help you streamline your morning routine by saving time with outfits that are complementary and easy to put together.
2. Reduces clothing waste
Shopping for clothes that actually make you feel good can help you cut down on the amount of clothing you are throwing away. Prevent that feeling of guilt when looking at those ‘maybe one day’ items in your wardrobe that you can never quite seem to find the right occasion for.
3. Helps you avoid impulse shopping
Knowing which colors and styles look good on you makes it easier to avoid the temptation of impulse shopping. Shopping in a more conscious way will end up saving you money down the road and reducing the need for mindless purchases that could end up going to waste!
Shopping for Warm Undertones
You are most likely a warm tone if your skin has yellow, golden, or green undertones. You can figure this out by looking at the skin on your wrists in daylight or by taking a photo of your bare face and analyzing the colors you see. People with warm undertones can opt for colors like yellow, orange, gold, deep reds, earth tones, browns, and rich greens to bring out the warmth in their skin.
This summer, deep reds are trending on the SSF Shop with pops of color in collections from Korean clothing brands such as Juun.J, 8 Seconds, and Beanpole. If you’re worried about wearing bold colors like oranges or yellows, bringing them into your wardrobe with a statement graphic tee is easy. Alternatively, add pops of color to your summer looks with accessories like a statement necklace or printed tote bag with bright, warm tones. Accessorizing with hats or neck scarves also complements your complexion while keeping you safe from sun damage!
Muted warm tones are the best way to get started before working up to vivid yellows and reds. A statement warm-toned tee, tank top, or knit top for the summer paired with jeans or denim shorts is a great way to bring color into your wardrobe this season.
Shopping for Cool Undertones
You might be a cool tone if your veins are blue, or your face has a blueish undertone. If you have trouble seeing your veins or if it is hard to determine the undertones in your skin, you may have a neutral undertone.
People with cool tones can shop for charcoal, cool blues, and violet colors and may want to avoid vibrantly colored clothes.
Adding a simple cool blue or lilac button-down shirt or blouse to your summer wardrobe could help complement your cool skin tone and give your wardrobe a fresh burst of color. Brands like 8 Seconds, Beanpole, and KUHO have a range of cool-friendly pieces. Try to add cool tones to your outfits with your accessories or shoes. Scholl has a wide range of colors in their summer sandal collection and a range of sneakers with bold pops of color.
Summer Shopping for Neutral Undertones
You might be a neutral tone if you have a mix of warm and cool undertones. If you find it hard to determine if you have a warm or a cool undertone, you might be a neutral.
Neutral tones are complemented by neutral colors such as dusty pinks, white, beige, and greens and may want to avoid bold colors like red and yellow.
The color palette options for people with neutral skin tones are endless. Stay cool all summer with essentials like a simple statement women’s dress or men’s shirt in beige or white tones. If you feel like adding more color to your summer wardrobe, dusty pinks and tan colors balance well with neutral tones and bring out the brightness in your complexion.
For a bolder look, khaki, forest greens, and olive shades are perfect for summer outdoor looks or evening wear. Brands such as KUHO and 8 Seconds are the ultimate brands for neutral shades and have an extensive range for simple summer styling.
Make it Your Own
Your fashion choices are ultimately up to you; only you know what makes you feel like your best self. It’s incredible what a great outfit can do for your confidence, so it is important to experiment with colors, textures, and materials to help you avoid decision fatigue on your next shopping trip.
Ultra-trendy items can make it seem like the clothes are dictating which colors we should wear. Understanding your unique color palette is a great tool that gives you confidence while selecting items that are right for you. Whether you find one color and stick with it for the rest of your life, or the sight of an all-black wardrobe makes your heart skip a beat, just keep on being your unique and wonderful self.
