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Bright Winter is the season of clear, vivid, cool colour: fuchsia, royal blue, emerald, icy pink, and crisp black and white. When a Bright Winter wears her colours, her eyes look brighter and her skin looks fresh, without trying.
It is my own season too, so this is a palette I know well. Here is what the Bright Winter colour palette looks like, what to wear, what to avoid, and how one of my clients found the confidence to wear it.
In this guide
Bright Winter at a glance
What leads
Brightness
Best colours
Fuchsia, royal blue, emerald, icy pink
Avoid near the face
Dusty shades, camel, rust, khaki
Metals
Silver, gold, rose gold, black rhodium
Every season is a mix of three qualities: temperature (warm or cool), depth (light or dark) and intensity (soft or bright). Winter is cool, deep and bright.
In each season, one quality leads. In Bright Winter, it is brightness. This is why it is also called Clear Winter.
This guide
Bright Winter
Brightness leads. The lightest Winter, close to Bright Spring.
Next door
Dark Winter
Depth leads. The most serious Winter.
Contrast
Usually high. Think clear eyes, defined brows and a clean difference between skin and hair.
Hair
Often dark, from deep brown to near black.
Skin
Cool, sometimes pale, sometimes with an olive tone.
These are only signs. Many Bright Winters do not tick every box, and some women who do are another season. (Not sure about your undertone? Am I warm or cool toned?)
The Bright Winter palette I use in my sessions: 36 colours.
The palette is clear and cool. Some of the colours that work best:
Pinks and reds
Fuchsia, magenta, raspberry, cherry red.
Blues
Royal blue, cobalt, navy, icy sky blue.
Greens
Emerald, jade, teal.
Purples
Violet and plum.
Yellows
Lemon, never mustard.
Neutrals
Black, pure white, charcoal and cool grey.
Bright Winter is one of the few seasons that wears black and pure white with ease. The contrast of the two together suits the contrast in your own colouring. A black and white outfit with one bright colour, like a fuchsia bag or an emerald earring, is pure Bright Winter.
Close to your face
Bright Winter should avoid colours that are soft and warm. Think dusty, greyed or muted shades, and warm earthy tones like camel, rust and khaki. Close to your face, they take the light out of your skin, and you can look tired next to them.
Far from your face
Far from your face, on a skirt or a bag, they matter much less.
Metals
Silver, gold, rose gold and black rhodium. Polished, aged and bright finishes all work. Very matte finishes belong more to the Autumns.
Makeup
A fresh, glowy finish suits Bright Winter. If you love shimmer, choose silver and rosy shimmers instead of golden ones. On the lips, clear berries, fuchsias and true reds.
Emily, from Southern River, is a Bright Winter. A week after her session, she wrote:
Emily · Southern River
“I loved my colour analysis and you gave me so many helpful tips and the confidence to try out some of the beautiful vivid colours in my palette.”
That is the part I love most. Knowing your season is useful, but the real change is the confidence to wear the colours that were always yours.
Bright Winter or Bright Spring?
Both are bright and clear. Spring is warmer, Winter is cooler.
Bright Winter or Cool Winter?
In Cool Winter, coolness leads and the best colours are the coolest ones. In Bright Winter, brightness leads.
Bright Winter or Dark Winter?
Dark Winter is deeper, and very bright colours are not always its best.
(See all twelve seasons side by side: What season palette am I? Or read about the opposite season: Warm Autumn colour palette.)
Reading about a season is a good start, but your own eye is used to your face, and the light in your home changes the colours. In a session, I test each colour on you by comparison, under natural daylight or my calibrated mirror light, until one season keeps winning. (More about why: Why online colour tests don’t work.)
Sessions are at my home studio in Stirling, or I can come to you anywhere in Perth, and there is no deposit to book.
Let’s glow! ✨