True Spring at a glance
- Also called
- Warm Spring
- Family
- Spring: warm, clear and light to medium
- Strongest trait
- Warm
- Hue
- Warm
- Value
- Light to medium
- Chroma
- Clear to bright
- Best neutrals
- Warm ivory, khaki tan, camel and warm light grey
- Black?
- Not near the face
What makes True Spring different
True Spring is defined by warmth first. Every colour in it has a yellow or golden base, so blue-based shades such as fuchsia, icy blue and cool grey look out of place. As a Spring season it also shares the family traits: warm, clear and light to medium. Put together, the best colours for a True Spring are coral, tomato red, poppy and tangerine.
Are you a True Spring?
Often golden blonde, strawberry, copper or golden-brown hair, clear eyes in blue, green, topaz or warm hazel, and peachy, golden or ivory skin that tans golden. Freckles are common.
Colouring alone does not decide your season, because many people share the same hair and eye colour. What you see when colours sit next to your face matters more. You are likely a True Spring if most of these are true:
- Gold jewellery looks better on you than silver.
- Clear coral and warm yellow brighten your whole face.
- Black, cool grey and icy colours make you look tired.
- Dusty, muted colours look flat on you.
Not sure? Take the quiz, then compare this palette with your neighbours in the drape mirror.
The True Spring color palette
Neutrals first: these are the base of a wardrobe, for coats, trousers, knits and bags.
Then the colours, for tops, dresses, scarves and anything near your face.
Tap a colour to copy its hex code. Screens show colour differently, so treat these as a guide and compare real fabric in daylight.
Colors a True Spring should avoid
These fight True Spring colouring most. They are not banned: keep them away from your face, in trousers, skirts, shoes and bags.
Can a True Spring wear black?
It is harsh on you. Swap it for warm navy, golden brown or camel. If you love black, keep it below the waist and wear a warm colour near your face.
Best metals and jewelry
Yellow gold, brass and bronze, and warm rose gold, polished rather than antiqued. Your metal is the easiest colour decision you will make, because jewellery sits right at your face. If you are choosing gold, our guide to 14k vs 18k gold explains which one to buy for every day.
True Spring makeup
- Lips: Coral, warm red such as tomato or poppy, peach and warm pink.
- Cheeks: Peach and coral.
- Eyes: Golden brown, bronze, copper and warm khaki, with teal or turquoise liner as an accent.
Your season guides the colour of lipstick, blush and eyeshadow. Foundation is different: it should match your skin's depth and undertone exactly, whatever your season. See how to match your foundation shade.
True Spring nail colors
Nails are the easiest place to wear your palette, since they sit near your face whenever you talk with your hands.
Hair color for a True Spring
Golden, copper, strawberry and warm golden-brown shades. Ash tones and blue-black flatten your colouring.
Outfits, contrast and prints
Medium contrast. Clear, cheerful prints such as florals and simple stripes in warm colours work well; murky, muddy patterns do not.
Three outfit formulas in True Spring colours:
- Camel coat, warm ivory knit, golden brown boots, coral scarf.
- Kelly green shirt, warm navy trousers, gold jewellery.
- Tomato red dress, camel sandals, peach lipstick.
True Spring vs similar seasons
- True Spring or True Autumn? True Autumn is warm too, but muted and deeper. If rust, olive and mustard look better than coral and clear green, compare it.
- True Spring or Bright Spring? Bright Spring is more saturated. If hot coral and electric turquoise still look natural on you, look there.
- True Spring or Light Spring? Light Spring is softer and paler. If peach and aqua beat strong coral and kelly green, compare it.
Your True Spring palette card
Save the palette as an image for your camera roll, to check colours while you shop.
A 1080 by 1350 image, the size of a portrait phone post. It is drawn on your screen; nothing is uploaded.
