16 color seasons
16-Season Color Analysis Explained
16-season color analysis adds four more seasons to the 12-season system to describe people who sit between two families — for example a Spring softened toward Autumn (Soft Spring) or a Winter softened toward Summer (Soft Winter).
Different schools add different extra seasons, so you will see more than four names in circulation. This guide explains the logic and shows a sample palette for each.
- 4 → 12 → 16
- Extra blended seasons
- Reference guide
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4 · 12 · 16
The 16 color seasons on one wheel
Inner ring: four seasons. Middle ring: twelve sub-seasons. Outer ring: extra season names used by 16-season systems, placed in their parent family.
Compare
16 vs 12 vs 4 seasons
| System | Seasons | How it divides | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 seasons | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter | Warm/cool × light/deep | A simple starting point |
| 12 seasons | Light, True, Bright, Soft, Deep variants | Each season split by its dominant trait | Most people; the most common modern system |
| 16 seasons | 12 + four blended seasons | Adds seasons between families, e.g. Soft Spring | People who sit between two 12-season types |
Palettes
The extra 16-season palettes
Sample palettes for the names you are most likely to search for. They are short, illustrative palettes — not full 24-color sets.
Soft Spring color palette
Spring softened toward Autumn: warm and light, but slightly muted.
Cool Spring color palette
Spring cooled toward Summer: clear and light, with pink and aqua.
Warm Summer color palette
Summer warmed toward Spring: soft coral, seafoam and warm rose.
Bright Summer color palette
Summer brightened toward Winter: clear raspberry, periwinkle and teal.
Deep Summer color palette
Also called Dark Summer: Summer deepened toward Autumn.
Cool Autumn color palette
Autumn cooled toward Winter: dark teal, mulberry and spruce.
Warm Winter color palette
Winter warmed toward Autumn: warm red, deep teal and black olive.
Soft Winter color palette
Winter softened toward Summer: smoky ruby, steel blue, muted emerald.
Names
Other names you will see
Some systems use Light Autumn, Bright Autumn, Light Winter, Dark Spring or Deep Spring, or call Soft Autumn a "muted autumn" and Soft Summer a "muted summer". These are either the same idea under another name or a school-specific blend.
The logic is always the same three properties — warmth, depth and clarity. If a palette description helps you, use it; if two systems disagree, compare the actual colors rather than the names.
Commonly compared: soft spring vs soft summer (warm vs cool lightness), soft spring vs soft autumn (light vs medium depth) and deep summer vs deep winter (soft vs clear depth).
Start with 12
Not sure? Start with the 12 seasons
Most people find a clear fit in the 12-season system. Read your family first, then consider a 16-season blend if you sit between two pages.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
What is 16-season color analysis?
An extension of the 12-season system that adds blended seasons, such as Soft Spring or Soft Winter, for people who sit between two families.
Is 16-season better than 12-season?
Not necessarily. It is finer-grained, but schools disagree on which four seasons to add. The 12-season system is more widely used.
What is a Soft Spring?
A Spring softened toward Autumn: warm and fairly light, but more muted than other Springs.
What is a Soft Winter?
A Winter softened toward Summer: cool and fairly deep, but less saturated than other Winters.
Does the free analysis give a 16-season result?
No. It estimates one of the four main seasons. The 12- and 16-season guides help you narrow it down yourself.
See which season your photo points to
Upload a clear, front-facing selfie in daylight. The free analysis estimates one of the four main seasons and shows four colors to start with.
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