As summer's vibrant blooms fade and leaves crunch beneath our feet, the world is set ablaze in the colors of Autumn. This is the domain of the Autumn color family — a realm of golden light, rich earthy pigments, and spiced hues that evoke crackling fireplaces and vintage leather-bound books. Like a treasured worn flannel or a perfectly aged whiskey, Autumn shades wrap us in warmth and groundedness.
The Autumn Family Portrait: What Makes an Autumn?
Quintessential Autumn: Jessica Alba. Instagram/@jessicaalba
Autumn types radiate that rich, warm, earthy essence that calls to mind fallen leaves and sunlit maple trees. Picture a russet pumpkin, an old brass doorknob, or a sepia-tinted photograph — that's the magic of an Autumn. All Autumns have warm, golden undertones and come alive in toasty hues that seem lit from within. If you've ever worn terracotta, olive green, or burnished gold and felt instantly in your element, you might be an Autumn!
True Autumn: The Season's Golden Child
True Autumn Julianne Moore in L'Officiel USA. Instagram/@juliannemoore
Think of True Autumn as the quintessential embodiment of the Autumn identity — not too muted, not too dark, but gloriously balanced. These golden-hour goddesses often possess:
- A warm-toned complexion with a moderate level of contrast
- Eyes that are often in the hazel, green, warm blue or topaz family
- Hair that is frequently auburn, chestnut brown, warm golden brown or red
- A friendly, approachable energy that feels like a cozy hug
True Autumn thrives in rich, saturated sunset hues — russet red, burnt orange, golden rod yellow, moss green. When these radiant beings opt for antique gold over silver accessories, it's like seeing a lion embrace its lush, tawny mane.
Soft Autumn: Muted and Mysterious
Soft Autumn Mariah Carey. Instagram/@mariahcarey
The most muted, mysterious side of the Autumn persona, Soft Autumns evoke the shadowed depth of a dense forest. Their enigmatic aura emanates from:
- A neutral, neutral-warm or even slightly cool undertone that's gentler and more blended than other Autumns
- A lower-contrast complexion that harmonizes with soft, heathered tones
- An ability to glow in the dustiest, most faded Autumn hues without looking washed out
- Eyes that are often soft hazel, muted green, or stormy blue
Soft Autumn radiates in burnished rose, dusky plum, muted mustard, and the perfect shade of antique teal. If you find softened, antique-like colors more captivating than dull and feel your beauty emerge in faded earth tones, you're likely a Soft Autumn.
Dark Autumn: Smoldering and Spiced
Dark Autumn Emily Ratajkowski. Instagram/@emrata
The deepest, most exotic side of the Autumn family, Dark Autumns conjure visions of smoked paprika and black coffee. Their sultry mystique comes from:
- The deepest, most striking coloring of the Autumns, often with dark hair and eyes
- A palette of the richest, most smoldering Autumn hues
- An ability to carry intense, spicy shades without being overpowered
- Eyes that are often dark brown, hazel or green with flecks of gold
Dark Autumn smolders in colors like deep aubergine, spiced pumpkin, dark chocolate brown, and the green of a pine forest at dusk. If intense, vampy hues feel more empowering than overwhelming and your striking features stand out in the richest autumn tones, you're probably a Dark Autumn.
Finding Your Autumn Subcategory: The Warm Reveal
Nicole Richie shows how any Autumn glows in rich, earthy tones. Instagram/@nicolerichie
To uncover your truest Autumn identity, try this simple but revealing exercise:
- Hold up fabric swatches or garments in a soft warm brown, then a medium rust hue, then a deep chocolate tone near your face. Which level of intensity harmonizes with your complexion and makes your features glow?
- Soft warm brown — likely Soft Autumn
- Medium rust tone — probably True Autumn
- Deep chocolate brown — signs point to Dark Autumn
- The lipstick test is also telling:
- Soft Autumn — a muted brick red is magic
- True Autumn — a rich, orangey red is ravishing
- Dark Autumn — a deep, wine-stained red is spellbinding
Instagram/@juliaroberts
Whichever shade makes you look like you're lit by the most flattering candlelight is likely your Autumn essence match.
As always, remember that you're the ultimate masterpiece, so while these guidelines can steer you in the right direction, your own intuition is the supreme guide. Notice which colors make you feel most authentically yourself, grounded and energized from within. Let your Autumn palette be your connection to the season's cozy, vital energy, and carry that inner warmth with you wherever you go. Trust the colors that speak to your soul — they know the way home to your most empowered self.
