In this article, you will discover:
- ✓ The Bright Winter palette, Bright Winter Makeup, Hair and Jewellery
- ✓ Common characteristics of a Bright Winter
- ✓ The benefits of using the Bright Winter palette for your wardrobe
- ✓ The Bright Winter outfit secrets to looking effortless
- ✓ If you should have a seasonal colour analysis for a professional confirmation
Through our experience styling clients both in our London studio and online, we appreciate that colour analysis is not always straightforward.
For precise seasonal colour analysis, it's crucial to consider your undertones and the contrast level between your hair, skin tone, and eyes. These elements will determine the ideal temperature, intensity, and vibrancy of colours that suit you best.
The aim of colour analysis is to highlight your inherent beauty. The intention is not to make your clothes more prominent than your eyes or smile. Essentially, the focus should be on you in the outfit, not just the outfit itself.
5 common Characteristics of a Bright Winter
Please note, that these characteristics are not strict guidelines to determine whether or not you fall into this season. Instead, these are general qualities of what is typical of this season. So, if you do not look the same as someone else who is also a Bright Winter, don’t panic!
Also, you may find that you have a Bright Winter colour analysis result, yet you may have qualities that don't quite fit into the conventional Bright Winter characteristics.
This is particularly true for people of colour as most seasonal colour analysis advice is centred around white skin tones.
As stylists with a mixed raced background, so we understand this nuance on a personal level!
Keeping in mind that we must take into consideration room for individuality, here are 5 common characteristics of a Bright Winter:
- Your natural appearance is neutral and slightly cool with either neutral or blue undertones. Please note, many people mistake having light skin to mean having cool undertones.
- 2. Your eyes are dark and have a cool look to them, as opposed to warm or soft.
- There is a high contrast between your hair, skin and eye colour.
- Your lips have a natural rosy red or rose pink appearance.
- Your hair is cool and very dark rather than warm and golden
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The Bright Winter Palette
The Bright Winter colours have a cool, bright and clear feel to the palette.
When thinking of The Bright Winter palette, think of this as the very end of winter, right before spring. This palette is highly saturated, bright and vibrant.
Looking at the overall palette you will notice there are no warm or rich colours.
As a Bright Winter, these colours neither overpower nor drain you, they will work in harmony with you.
This means that you will look radiant naturally and effortlessly when wearing these harmonious colours.
Bright Winter Best Jewellery Metals
Pewter, dark silver and dark gold are the best metals to harmonise with your Bright Winter cool blue undertones. Stay away from warm metals such as copper, bronze or very yellow gold metals as this will clash with your striking and cool look.
To look effortlessly coherent, we recommend using your best metals for all of your jewellery and hardware, such as zips, bag clasps, buttons, belt buckles etc.
Bright Winter Makeup
When it comes to Bright Winter makeup, it is best to choose colours that enhance your cool skin tone and bright colouring. As you do not have warm undertones, stay away from warm-toned makeup, particularly orange colours like peach and apricot that will look orange on your skin.
It is no secret that warm-toned makeup has been on trend in recent years, which has led to many of our cool-toned clients feeling that the only way to look glowing, is to do so in a way that looks bronzed or tanned.
As a Bright Winter, these colours will not enhance what is happening with you naturally, but rather, mask your natural colouring qualities.
Those with a cool undertone can look just as glowing, but in a way that is cool rather than warm.
Although it is tempting to gravitate towards colours we like, wearing colours that look in harmony with your cool blue undertones is far more effective.
Bright Winter Nail Polish Colours
When it comes to looking effortlessly well-put-together, it is all in the details.
Therefore, the best way to complement your Bright Winter look is by choosing nail polish colours from your palette.
It can be tempting to deviate from your palette and experiment with a warmer, lighter or brighter colour. However, this will either clash or look jarring against a head-to-toe Bright Winter look, so we advise choosing a colour from your palette for your best look.
Bright Winter Best Hair Colours
If you are considering changing your hair colour, we strongly advise that you should opt for another Bright Winter hair colour for your best look. Ultimately, we all look our best when we are working with what is happening to us naturally, rather than drastically changing ourselves.
Flattering shades for you include cool dark ash brown or natural black, dark cherry or a cool-toned blonde.
Be sure to avoid warm colours or muted colours such as mousey brown or strawberry blonde as they can drain your colouring and they will not work with your striking features.
Be mindful that dying your hair slightly lighter or slightly darker can throw off your contrast levels, so, It's essential to seek professional advice when choosing a new hair colour.
The perfect shade for you depends on a combination of the surface colour of your skin (which varies across all Bright Winter clients) as well as your undertone and contrast level.
Bright Winter Colours to Avoid
Stay away from muted and warm hues as these colours are the direct opposite of the striking and cool winter colours that look best on you.
More specifically, avoid sand yellows, muted orange, beige, camel and peach.
These warm colours will drain your cool colouring rather than bring it to life.
Dark Winter, True Winter or Bright Winter?
Seasonal colour analysis palettes are defined by whether you are at the beginning, the middle or at the end of the season.
This means that each colour season is divided into three subcategories. For the cool winter family, the colour palettes are Dark Winter, True Winter, and Bright Winter.
If you’re a “Bright Winter”, then you’re at the end of the winter season in the seasonal flow chart. You neighbour the cool True Winter and warm Bright Spring palettes.
Bright Winter is the brightest of the three palettes, whereas Dark Winter can take deeper and darker colours and less variety of light colours (this palette follows Dark Autumn), and True Winter colours are much cooler.
Dark and Bright Winters are not as cool in their undertones as True Winters, as both of these neighbours the warm spring and autumn seasons.
It’s advised to stick to your Bright Winter colours as these are the most in harmony with your natural beauty.
However, should you wish to wear more colours, then these two winter types are your second-best options.
Can Bright Winters wear black?
Black is a colour that is considered a classic staple in many wardrobes, especially for those who work in the corporate world. There is a myth that black looks fantastic on everyone, but this is not the case.
If you are somebody who lives in black, then you’re in luck - black does appear in the Bright Winter palette!
This colour looks in harmony with your natural colouring, as you already have darkness in your hair and eyebrows (or in some cases, eyes too).
With that being said, we do encourage you to expand your colour comfort zone and try dark-coloured alternatives from your Bright Winter palette to add variety and dimension to your look.
The Bright Winter palette is complete with many darker colours that will look just as beautiful on you as black. Dark cool blue, Dark Grey and Dark Green are great alternatives to black that will fit perfectly within the cool Bright Winter palette.
The suggested hues are perfect for spring/summer wear. Bright Winter clients usually prefer them in spring/summer.
For those who find wearing non-black colours intimidating, we suggest starting with dark accessories like a bag or phone case. Gradually, you can progress to colourful clothing with increased confidence.
6 game-changing Benefits of a Bright Winter Wardrobe
Using your most flattering seasonal colour palette for your wardrobe is a game changer in creating flattering outfits with ease and speed.
Your palette will also transform your shopping habits by allowing you to confidently invest in items that will add variety to your wardrobe instead of making impulsive purchases that might not match anything you already own.
Here are 6 main benefits of using the Bright Winter colour palette as a wardrobe guide:
- Save time getting ready - quickly putting outfits together that look good is a huge time saver. When you choose colours from the Bright Winter palette, you’ll be able to create a variety of looks without having to spend hours trying on different items.
- Save a staggering amount of money - say goodbye to the days of buying clothes that you never wear. When curating your wardrobe with cool Bright Winter colours, you will eliminate buyer's remorse as your purchases will be highly flattering on you.
- Look effortless without trying hard- The secret to looking effortless is to find clothes that are harmonious with your colouring and your body shape. By dressing head to toe in cool Bright Winter colours, your outfits will look well-put-together, without looking try-hard.
- Less stress, more confidence - By using the Bright Winter palette, you don’t have to second-guess your outfits. Knowing that all the items you’ve chosen are highly flattering on you and look great together will give you more confidence in your wardrobe.
- More outfits with fewer items - When you build a wardrobe based on your colour palette, everything will mix and match easily, meaning the versatility of each garment will increase.
- More sustainable - Knowing that your colour season will never change is reassuring. It means that you can invest in a wardrobe designed for longevity, therefore needing to buy fewer items over time.
As a Bright Winter, building your wardrobe using the Bright Winter colour palette is the perfect solution to help you achieve a wardrobe that flows.
Bright Winter Wardrobe Secrets To Successful Outfits
Whilst Bright Winters can carry off a striking colour combination, such as black and white or navy and light blue, Bright Winters can look dramatic head to toe in one colour.
If your personal style is better suited to making a bold fashion choice - opt for deep ruby reds, deep purples, midnight blue or emerald green, which will look fantastic with a contrast of statement silver jewellery.
A good tip to enhance your Bright Winter wardrobe is to experiment with these colours in a variety of fabrics, as this will change the way that you feel in your colours. You may feel that your favourite pink is a wonderful statement in silk, but perhaps not in cotton or linen. Similarly, you might love black in leather, but not as knitwear.
Allow yourself to gravitate towards different colours in your palette according to different climates or environments, as your style may change according to your location. For example, the colours you may love to wear at the beach may not translate to your workwear wardrobe or your winter wardrobe.
Bright Winter Wardrobe Neutral Colours
For many, light neutrals like tan, beige, cream and camel and darker neutrals like chocolate brown are the go-to options when it comes to neutral colours in their wardrobes.
However, as a Bright Winter, these colours are not the best option for you as these colours have too much yellow in them, making them very warm.
When wearing these colours, you can look washed out and your complexion can look dull.
Instead, Bright Winter neutrals favour black, true white, dark grey and midnight blue.
Bright Winter Wardrobe Accent Colours
Our Bright Winter clients find that they can easily create a statement look with their cool and clear color palette. The vibrant reds, deep pinks, blues and purples are all excellent choices.
However, when it comes to finding the perfect accent colours for you, whether it is something different such as green or light grey, choose a Bright Winter colour that makes you feel most confident. make sure you feel like you at your best.
Bright Winter Wardrobe Colour Combinations
As you have a high contrast level, you look best in colour combinations that are also of a striking contrast level.
The good news is that all the colours you have in your palette can mix and match with each other, so when it comes to outfit building, Bright Winters can expect easy and fast outfit building.
When using these colour combinations, think head-to-toe with your outfit, not just the colours worn closest to your face.
Whilst a black and white combination is considered a classic Bright Winter combination, there are many options that will work for you.
Below are some of our favourite Bright Winter colour combinations:
Bright Winter Wardrobe Workwear Colors
As a Bright Winter, you have many traditional corporate colours in your palette, so consider this part of your wardrobe covered! There are plenty of colours in your palette that are considered universal colours to wear in business formal settings.
Let’s start with your Bright Winter neutrals. As a Bright Winter, you look great in grey, black, white and navy blue. These classic colours are also easy to mix and match, so you can create endless looks with just a few pieces.
If you’re looking for something slightly different, consider a dark green or a light grey to help you stand out from a crowd that’s dressed in black.
Bright Winter vs True Winter
We have found that for many clients of ours, it can be hard to differentiate between Bright Winter and True Winter colours when shopping. As both of these palettes sit within the Winter family, it’s easy to get confused to gegin with!
The difference between the two is that Bright Winter colours are much brighter than True Winter colours. True Winter colours are much cooler, and have an ‘icy’ property to the colour, whereas Bright Winter colours lean slightly darker by comparison.
Bright Winter FAQs
WILL MY SEASON CHANGE IF I TAN, AGE OR DYE MY HAIR?
This is a question we get asked a lot, and The good news is that it will not – no matter if your cool skin tone changes due to tanning or ageing.
This is because Bright Winter colours are perfectly in harmony with your cool skin and the high contrast level between your hair, skin and eye colour.
So if you're a Bright Winter, you can look forward to a lifetime of wearing flattering colours - no matter your age, or when you get grey hair! Therefore you can have the confidence to invest in classic pieces for a Bright Winter wardrobe with longevity.
CAN BRIGHT WINTERS HAVE BROWN EYES?
Yes, many Bright Winters do have deep and dark cool brown eyes.
CAN I BE A BRIGHT WINTER AND STILL GET A TAN?
Yes, you can. It is a misconception that skin with cool undertones cannot darken in the sun.
