True Winter neutrals
The base of your wardrobe: coats, pants, bags and shoes.
- Black
#0A0A0A - Pure White
#FFFFFF - Steel Gray
#6E7783 - Navy
#0F1B40
Winter sub-season · also called Cool Winter
True Winter Color Palette: Colors, Outfits, Makeup & Hair
The heart of Winter: icy, pure colors with no warmth at all.
What is True Winter? (also called Cool Winter)
True Winter is purity.
Your defining trait is coolness. No warm color finds favor on you.
You look best in clear, blue-leaning colors: royal blue, fuchsia, emerald, and the black-and-white duo. Icy colors, almost white, suit you very well too.
True Winter is the heart of the Winter season. It borders Cool Summer: the same coolness, but more saturated and higher in contrast.
Your colors are pure and icy. Think of a snowy landscape under a blue sky: white, black, bright blue, red berries.
Signs you may be True Winter (and the traps)
- Silver and platinum suit you far better than yellow gold.
- Black and white together just look right on you.
- Anything orange-leaning, golden or brown makes your complexion look tired.
- A raspberry or fuchsia lipstick looks easy on you.
The palette
True Winter color palette
Twenty colors, with their hex codes, to show you the spirit of your sub-season.
- Royal Blue
#1F45C4 - Cobalt Blue
#0047AB - Cool Turquoise
#0097A7 - Emerald
#00875A - Pine Green
#0A5C4A - Violet
#5B2A9D - Fuchsia
#D4127C - Bright Cool Pink
#F0388C - Raspberry Red
#C8102E - Icy Pink
#F6D5E3 - Glacier Blue
#CFE6F5 - Icy Lemon
#F4F29A - Magenta
#C2177A - Carmine
#B00F2F - Sapphire
#1535A0 - Icy Sky
#BFD9F2 - Icy Lavender
#DAD2F2 - Icy Mint
#C9F0E0 - Pure Navy
#0A1F5C - Cool Pearl Gray
#C5CAD3
True Winter colors to avoid
Too warm: they turn your skin yellow and blur your natural contrast.
- Orange
#F26B1D - Mustard
#D4A017 - Warm Brown
#6B3F1D - Khaki
#6E6A3D
Outfits and wardrobe
True Winter outfits and capsule wardrobe
At the office
Black blazer, pure white shirt, steel gray pants, royal blue scarf
On the weekend
Emerald sweater, dark jeans, navy coat
For an evening out
Fuchsia or cobalt blue dress, silver
True Winter capsule wardrobe
Eight pieces to start with, all of them mix and match.
- Black coat
- Navy blazer
- Pure white shirt
- Royal blue sweater
- Steel gray T-shirt
- Dark jeans
- Fuchsia dress
- Black pants
Prints and fabrics
Graphic prints: black and white stripes, polka dots, geometrics, houndstooth. Smooth, crisp fabrics: poplin, worsted wool, satin, patent leather.
Three pairings that work
- BlackPure WhiteFuchsia
- NavyGlacier Blue
- Steel GrayEmerald
Makeup, hair, jewelry
True Winter makeup, hair color and jewelry
True Winter makeup: lips, eyes, blush
- Lips
- Raspberry, fuchsia, blue-toned red. Cool reds are your reds.
- Eyes
- Gray, charcoal, navy, silver. A crisp black line.
- Blush
- Cool pink.
True Winter hair color
Black, cool brown, ashy dark brown. Gray or white hair looks superb on you.
True Winter jewelry and metals
Silver, platinum, white gold. Diamond, sapphire, emerald.
The three most common mistakes
- Softening your look with beige or cream: they make you look worn out. Your light is pure white or an icy shade.
- Wearing yellow gold. Silver and platinum suit you better.
- Warming your hair with caramel or honey. Keep cool tones.
Head to head
True Winter or Cool Summer? How to tell them apart
Both seasons are very cool. Cool Summer is softer and lower in contrast, True Winter more saturated and crisper.
The two-color test. In daylight, with no makeup, hold a piece of fabric in each of these two colors up to your face. The one that evens out your complexion and brings out your eyes is your answer. The one that deepens your dark circles or makes you look tired is not yours.
True Winter next to the other Winters and its neighboring season
| Sub-season | Temperature | Lightness | Intensity | Contrast | Signature color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| True Winter | Very cool | Medium to dark | Saturated | High | Fuchsia |
| Deep Winter | Neutral to cool | Dark | Saturated | High | Cool Burgundy |
| Bright Winter | Neutral to cool | Medium | Very bright | Very high | Fuchsia |
| Cool Summer | Very cool | Medium | Soft to medium | Moderate | Raspberry |
For everyone
True Winter on every skin tone, and for men
Any skin tone can be a True Winter. Deep, medium or fair, with a warm, cool or olive undertone: what decides is how your skin reacts when colors are held up to your face.
For a True Winter man: a black, navy or steel gray suit, white shirt, a royal blue, raspberry or emerald tie.
The method is the same for everyone: the pieces change, not the colors.
Go further
The True Winter guide: join the waitlist
The complete True Winter guide
Your full palette, capsule wardrobe, makeup, hair and a shopping list.
- Your sub-season, explained
- Your complete palette
- Your neutrals and basics
- Your capsule wardrobe
- Pairings that work
- Makeup
- Hair
- Jewelry, glasses, prints
Planned price: $29.99. The guide is not on sale yet: join the waitlist to be told when it opens.
Join the waitlistNot sure you’re a Winter?
The quiz shows you your likely season and a sub-season hint, with no sign-up. A first hint, not a verdict.
How the method works
Twelve sub-seasons instead of sixteen, the three things we look at, and why a quiz is only a first hint.
Questions
True Winter: your questions
True Winter or Cool Summer?
Compare a pure fuchsia and a softened raspberry. If the fuchsia wakes you up and the raspberry looks bland on you, you’re a True Winter.
I’m blonde. Can I be a True Winter?
It’s rare, but possible. Hair color isn’t enough to rule out a season.
What colors should a True Winter avoid?
Keep Orange, Mustard, Warm Brown and Khaki away from your face. Too warm: they turn your skin yellow and blur your natural contrast.
Which jewelry metals suit a True Winter?
Silver, platinum, white gold. Diamond, sapphire, emerald.
What hair color suits a True Winter?
Black, cool brown, ashy dark brown. Gray or white hair looks superb on you.
What lipstick colors suit a True Winter?
Raspberry, fuchsia, blue-toned red. Cool reds are your reds.
How can I be sure I’m a True Winter?
On your own, it’s hard: we all see through our own taste, and neighboring sub-seasons look alike. Start with the free quiz to check your likely Winter season, then run the two-color test on this page against Cool Summer. Treat the result as a hint, not a verdict.
What’s the difference between True Winter and Cool Summer?
Both seasons are very cool. Cool Summer is softer and lower in contrast, True Winter more saturated and crisper.
Think you’re a True Winter?
Check it. The free quiz shows you your likely season in two minutes, and the two-color test on this page helps you tell it from its neighbor.