What does Light Summer look like?
Welcome to my seasonal series where I’ll share details about each of the 12 personal color analysis seasons. I’ll talk about the defining characteristics of each season in terms of value, temperature and chroma…and what that means. And I’ll talk about and show what that looks and feels like in real life.
Let’s dive in with Light Summer. Light Summer was tricky for me as I began my training. As analysts, we all discover blind spots or seasons we need to research better to understand. For some reason, Light Summer was my sticky season. For me it was learning to discern the difference between the earthy warmth of Autumn and the buoyant, juicy warmth of Spring. Once I began to understand the qualities of Spring and it’s influence on both the Winter and Summer seasons, it all came together for me.
Light Summers quite literally sparkle, shine and glow in their cool-neutral but subtly vivid, clear palette. Though many Light Summers may be able to borrow some colors or makeup from True Summer, especially if they lean a bit cool, the extra touch of misty muted gray from True Summer if often too dull. It often feels cold and flat on a Light Summer face.
Light Summer is a cool neutral season with most of the influence coming from completely cool True Summer AND an important but lesser amount from warm True Spring. It’s the serene, misty coolness of True Summer with some small drops of pale yellow sunshine from True Spring.
Light Summer, despite the name, is the most clear and vivid of all three Summer types. The relative brightness of Light Summer comes directly from the warm, juicy Spring palette. The light value of this palette is the most distinct and important factor. The colors are elegantly vivacious and delicate.
Light Summer has a medium chroma, meaning it sits in the middle in terms of being bright or being soft and muted. Compared to the more muted and soft True Summer and Soft Summer, Light Summer feels clear, airy, light and fresh.
So, what does a Light Summer look like? If you search for Light Summer anywhere you will likely see mostly Light Summer blondes. It’s true that Light Summer is the most convincing blonde even when that blonde comes from the salon, but Light Summer isn’t always blonde. Often, yes. Always? No. Many Light Summers have light brown hair with a subtle warmth and glow. It can look like light copper or a clear, light bronze. Sometimes that neutral warmth almost has a pinkness to it. Alternately, a Light Summer’s base color can be very cool, very ash toned. Brows can be very light to quite dark appearing. Same with eyelashes. It would be a mistake to think of Light Summer as only comprised of pale light blondes.
Light Summer, like all of the 12 seasons, displays a wide variety in appearance, but that undertone we discover in analysis is cool neutral and needs that summer chroma with relative clarity and delicate vividness. This vivid brightness only feels so next to the neighboring Summer seasons. When compared to the bright seasons – Bright Spring and Bright Winter, we can easily see how Light Summer still contains the muted, calm serenity present in all Summer types.
Eye color, like hair color, varies. Blue eyes, like blonde hair, are the stereotype and are present in many Light Summers. That blue may be pure cool blue, cool blue-gray, light blue-turquoise or even have flecks of almost white or pale yellow. I’ve seen a number of green eyed and light hazel eyed Light Summers as well.
Here are some Light Summers in my test drapes, luxury drapes, and “in the wild.” Note the variety in hair, brow, lash, and eye color.
What do you think? What questions do you have about Light Summer or color analysis in general? Comment below and/or click my Contact link to connect. I’d love to hear from you!
