Which of the 4, 12, 16 or 22/23 colour analysis seasonal systems is right for you?

Let’s talk the 4, 12, 16 and 22/23 seasonal colour analysis systems, because these are the most popular and most used systems of colour analysis that have been around the longest.

The 4-season colour analysis system

This includes the 4 seasons. Summer, Winter, Spring and Autumn. This system puts you into one of the 4 seasonal palettes. You could happily go for this system and feel assured you will look good in all your seasonal palette colours. However, there will be certain categories of colour within that palette that look particularly great on you, which you won’t find out in this system.

The 16-season colour analysis system

Most people fit into one of the 4 home seasons above (Winter, Summer, Spring or Autumn) and don’t progress any further, they are categorised as ‘True’. Some people however, look good in their seasonal palette, but there are specific types of colours within that palette that they look even better in. This is a great system if you want to be really specific and the one I recommend because you can still attach yourself to one of the 4 home seasons.

Let’s take the seasonal palette of Winter. Some look great in all the Winter seasonal colours, they are known as ‘True Winters’. Some Winters however, look good in the True winter colours, but look particularly great and even better in the really deep/dark Winter colours. These people are known as Deep/Dark Winters. Some Winters again look good in all winter colours but will look particularly great and even better in the really cool slightly softer Winter colours in the Winter palette, they are known as Cool Winters. Some Winters look good in the True Winter colours, but look particularly great and even better in the really bright Winter colours. These people are known as Bright Winters. So, within the Winter palette, there are 4 Winter types in total. The same goes for the other 4 seasonal palettes as seen below . Here are the 16 palettes

Winter - True Winter, Cool Winter, Bright winter and Deep/Dark Winter.

Summer - True Summer, Soft Muted Summer, Cool Summer, Light Summer

Spring - True Spring, Bright Spring, Light Spring, Warm Spring

Autumn - True Autumn, Warm Autumn, Soft Muted Autumn, Deep/Dark Autumn

The 12-season colour analysis system

This is similar to the 16-season colour analysis system, however, in this ‘12’ system, it is understood that True and Cool, and Warm and True are the same thing. For example, Cool Summer and True Summer are the same thing according to this system. This is a

good system, however I think it does miss out on a category of colours to its detriment. The 12 Palettes look like this

Winter - Cool winter, Deep/Dark Winter, Bright Winter

Summer - Soft Muted Summer, Cool Summer, Light Summer

Spring - Bright Spring, Light Spring, Warm Spring

Autumn - Warm Autumn, Soft Muted Autumn, Deep/Dark Autumn

The 22 seasonal colour analysis system

This is the 16-palette system with an additional 6 palettes. The additional 6 palettes are brought into the mix for those with very neutral undertones. It is understood in this system, that some people suit cool and warm colours equally. It is somewhat rare that these palettes are used. In this system it is recognised that some people just suit muted colours (both cool and warm), some suit just bright colours (both cool and warm), some suit just light colour (both cool and warm), some just suit dark colours (both cool and warm) some just suit all warm colours and some just suit all cool colours. Although a good system, you will find that all people can fit into one of the 4 home seasons, and thus the 16-palette system gives you more of an identity as you are given a home season. People lean very neutral yes, but they always lean in a direction towards a season even if it is just a slight lean. A good colour analyst who works with the 16-colour palette system, should be able to accommodate the more neutral persons with extra palettes available for them. The palettes look like this

Winter - True Winter, Cool Winter, Bright winter and Deep/Dark Winter.

Summer - True Summer, Soft Muted Summer, Cool Summer, Light Summer

Spring - True Spring, Bright Spring, Light Spring, Warm Spring

Autumn - True Autumn, Warm Autumn, Soft Muted Autumn, Deep/Dark Autumn

Additional 6 palettes - Warm, Cool, Bright, Muted, Light, Deep/Dark

The 23 seasonal colour analysis system

This is the 22 seasonal colour analysis system with one extra palette known as the ‘universal’ palette. It is understood in this system, that there are some people who suit a collection of colours from all palettes. For me, I would say it’s a bit overkill and again, you can put someone in a home season and give them more of an identity. The palettes are the same as the 22 seasonal system

Additional palette - Universal

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