True Winter vs Bright Winter

Fans from NDU Colors

 I’ve heard it said, if you’re going to cheat on your seasonal category, the best place to go is the True season next door. If you are in a neutral category, borrowing from your neighbor neutral season might prove problematic, because it will either be too light and warm, or too dark and cool.

Can a Bright Winter borrow from True Winter and still look in harmony? I think it depends where you borrow colors from. The dark end of True Winter may prove to be a bit dull and heavy, so it may be best avoided. True Winter yellows and reds should work great, since they are the relatively “warmer” colors in the palette. The medium to lighter end, especially since Bright Winter is the lightest of the Winters, may be a nice place to explore. 

True Winter has some blues and blue greens that remind me of fresh spearmint. Medium pinks, cool fuchsia and the more intense purples are good for Bright Winters to explore. The neutral colors in both of these seasons are quite close. In a perfect world, we would stick to our seasonal category as a rule-but sometimes borrowing is a necessity. 

For Bright Winter, I don’t think the darkest True Winter colors will work unless the fabric is shiny. The coolest of blues may indeed read as too chilly. Some of the “lipstick” red violet colors in True Winter lack the vitality that Bright Winter needs and may appear heavy and dull. 

Conversely, True Winter can borrow freely from Bright Winter’s darker colors and use the neutrals. The cooler icy colors, the deeper “lipstick” tones and especially the darker purples, greens and blues are nice areas to consider. 

I’m not loving the brighter reds, coral pinks or the acid lemon yellows and lime colors in Bright Winter for a True Winter to use with success. The warmer icy tones won’t be good choices. Still, it’s very interesting to compare the similarities and not so much the differences between the two seasonal categories. 

Here comes a couple of questions: 

Should True Winter borrow from True Summer? 

What about Bright Winter wearing Light Summer? 

The problem is NOT the hue. True Winter and True Summer are cool. Bright Winter and Light Summer are neutral cool.The problem is: lack of chroma or saturation. If either True or Bright Winter attempt to wear an outfit from their “sister” seasons, the garments will look faded and dull. Furthermore, the face will dominate, giving the wearer a look that seems as if the colors can’t hold up the head. 

The eye color may appear uninteresting and lackluster. The facial features could give the illusion of losing symmetry. In the case of Bright Winters wearing Light Summer, the face may expand and cause the chin and neck to melt together. True Winter wearing True Summer may have a skin tone that looks as if it’s sprinkled with concrete dust, and a complete lack of harmony and balance is the result. 

Sometimes, sticking to our best palette when shopping for garments, handbags, shoes or accessories may not be a possibility. The key is knowing where you can bend the rules and still look your best.

Sincerely, 

Tina