Soft Autumn Color Palette

Soft autumn colors are warm without being loud. Good colors often look slightly sun-faded or earthy: camel, olive, warm taupe, mushroom, muted teal, dusty peach, moss, soft rust, cocoa, and antique gold.

The palette can still have depth. Chocolate brown, muted navy, deep olive, and warm burgundy can work when they are softened rather than sharp.

Pure black and stark white are usually too hard. Neon colors, icy pastels, and blue-based jewel tones can pull the eye to the clothes instead of the face.

If you love black, move it away from the face or soften it with texture, sheer fabric, warm makeup, or soft autumn accessories.

Soft autumn makeup tends to look best in earth rose, sandstone, peach beige, muted coral, warm taupe, olive brown, soft bronze, and terracotta. Heavy black liner can look disconnected. Brown, olive, or smoky taupe is usually easier.

Lips often work in muted peach, rosewood, cinnamon, soft brick, and warm nude. Very cool pink or glossy fuchsia can look separate from the rest of the face.

Soft autumn is often confused with soft summer and true autumn. Soft summer is cooler and usually better in mauve, slate, and rose-gray. True autumn is warmer and richer, with more tolerance for golden orange, mustard, and strong rust.

If both soft summer and soft autumn partly work, compare metals and greens. Soft autumn usually handles antique gold, olive, and camel better. Soft summer usually handles silver, rose, and blue-gray better.