Is the Dark Autumn Color Season Your Best?
Have you ever worn bright, pastel colors and felt they washed you out? Or tried on rich, earthy tones like deep olive, espresso brown, or burnt orange and noticed how they enhanced your natural features? If your natural coloring is warm, deep, and rich, you might be best suited to Dark Autumn!
Dark Autumn belongs to the 16-season color analysis system and is one of the warmest and deepest seasons, sitting between True Autumn and Dark Winter. This guide will help you determine if the Dark Autumn palette is your best, which colors suit you, and how to style them effortlessly.
How to Know If the Dark Autumn Palette is for You
A Dark Autumn has warm undertones, a deep appearance, and strong contrast. If you resonate with the following characteristics, this may be your best season!
Key Characteristics
While characteristics don’t fully determine which of the 16-season color palettes may be your best, they can give clues that help narrow it down. If you have any of the following characteristics (you don’t have to have them all!), the Dark Autumn palette may be the best for you:
Skin Tone |
Warm undertones with a golden, olive, or bronze tint Skin may range from medium to deep, but leans warm Can tan easily and develops a rich golden or brown hue |
Hair Color |
Deep golden brown, auburn, dark chocolate, or black-brown Hair naturally has warm, rich undertones, with golden, copper, or deep brown highlights |
Eye Color |
Deep hazel, warm brown, olive green, or dark amber Eyes often have a striking intensity, with golden or earthy flecks |
✅ Quick Color Analysis Quiz: Is Dark Autumn Your Best Palette?
Answer YES if you…
✔ Glow in deep, rich tones like espresso, deep olive, or burnt orange, but look washed out in cool pastels or bright, icy tones
✔ Look best in gold jewelry over silver
✔ Have a high contrast between your features, with deep, warm coloring
Dark Autumn Palette Characteristics
With seasonal color analysis, there are generally 12 seasons, while some use the 16-season color analysis system. Each season sits on a spectrum of color, and the palette will usually have characteristics to match. When looking at the seasons, we consider three main color dimensions: Hue, Chroma, and Value.
Hue
This is how warm or cool a color is—also known as its temperature. The Dark Autumn palette is warm, sitting at the warmest and deepest end of the spectrum. Most colors in this palette have a golden, earthy undertone, with little coolness. The palette includes deep oranges, rich browns, dark greens, and warm reds. Even traditionally cool colors like blue appear warmer, leaning toward teal and deep turquoise.
Chroma
This is how saturated or muted a color is. Dark Autumn colors are rich and intense, meaning they are neither muted nor overly bright. The colors in this palette are deep and warm, but still slightly softened. Compared to Dark Winter, which is also deep but cool-toned, Dark Autumn’s shades are warmer and more grounded.
Value
This is how light or dark a color is. Dark Autumn leans toward the deep end of the spectrum, meaning the colors are dark and rich, with some medium shades for contrast. While there are some lighter shades, most of the colors are earthy and intense. This makes Dark Autumn darker and richer than its lighter sister palette, True Autumn.
The Dark Autumn Color Palette
The Dark Autumn palette is warm, rich, and deep, inspired by autumn forests, golden sunsets, and rustic landscapes. This gives it a bold and earthy feel, making it perfect for structured, sophisticated styling. That being said, you can always alter the vibe of the palette by how you style it - while deep tones generally suit business wear and earthy tones give more of a boho look - the colors you choose can align with other aesthetics.
|
Best Shades |
How to Wear Them |
|
Espresso Brown |
A deep brown coat with camel trousers |
|
Burnt Orange |
A burnt orange sweater for warmth and depth |
|
Deep Olive |
An olive green blouse paired with chocolate brown pants |
|
Warm Burgundy |
A deep red scarf for a rich accent |
|
Dark Teal |
A deep teal blazer for a bold contrast |
These are just a few standout colors in the Dark Autumn palette. The palette also includes deep golds, rich terracottas, and forest greens.
Colors to Avoid for Dark Autumns
These are colors with opposing color dimensions to the Dark Autumn palette. If this palette suits you best, wearing colors that are too cool, pastel, or bright can make you look washed out or unbalanced.
|
Avoid These Colors |
Choose These Instead |
|
Cool Gray |
Warm Taupe |
|
Icy Blue |
Deep Teal |
|
Pure Black |
Espresso Brown |
|
Bright Pink |
Deep Salmon |
Sister Palettes
For Dark Autumn, which is warm, deep, and rich, its sister palettes are True Autumn and Dark Winter.True Autumn shares the same warm undertones but is lighter and more vibrant. Dark Winter is also deep but leans cooler, containing some blue-based jewel tones. If Dark Autumn is your best palette, you may also be able to wear the warmer colors from Dark Winter and the deeper shades from True Autumn. If you find yourself able to wear a range of warm and cool colors but suit dark and rich colors - you may be in between Dark Autumn and Dark Winter in a palette called True Dark.
Styling Your Dark Autumn Palette
A Dark Autumn wardrobe should feel bold, elegant, and grounded. This palette works well with structured fabrics, rich textures, and earthy tones.
✅ Best Outfit Combinations
🍂 Casual: A deep olive knit top with warm blue jeans and gold accessories
💼 Workwear: A warm rose pink blouse tucked into chocolate trousers with a deep camel trench coat
🌙 Evening: A dark hunter green dress with deep bronze heels and a bronze and deep teal wrap
Hair & Makeup for Dark Autumns
When considering hair and makeup for Dark Autumn, think of rich warmth, deep definition, and golden accents. Your look should enhance the deep, warm glow of the season.
|
Feature |
Best Shades |
|
Lipstick |
Warm Brick, Deep Berry, Burnt Red |
|
Blush |
Warm Terracotta, Soft Copper, Deep Peach |
|
Eyeshadow |
Deep Olive, Bronze, Espresso Brown |
|
Jewelry/Metals |
Gold, Antique Bronze, Copper |
Hair colors for Dark Autumn should stay rich and deep. Natural deep browns, auburns, and golden highlights work best. Avoid anything too light or cool-toned.
FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About Dark Autumn
Q: How do I know if Dark Autumn is my best season or if I suit another autumn season better? A: If you think you have warm undertones but find True Autumn colors too light and Dark Winter colors too cool, you’re likely best suited to Dark Autumn.
Q: Can Dark Autumns wear black? A: Black may be too harsh for Dark Autumns but is usually okay depending on your contrast level. A softer alternative is espresso brown or deep olive. Check out this blog post on alternative ways to wear black.
Q: What’s the difference between Dark Autumn and Dark Winter? A: Dark Autumn is overall warm and deep with darker versions of earthy warm colors. Dark Winter is overall cool and deep with darker versions of cooler jewel-tone colors.
Embrace Your Dark Autumn Beauty
Understanding your seasonal color palette allows you to build a wardrobe, makeup routine, and style that enhances your features naturally. If the Dark Autumn palette resonates with you, start embracing warm, rich hues and deep, earthy tones today!
