dark winter

Also known as 'Deep Winter' this is the darkest subtype of the Winter season. Their colours are mixed with black to darken and blue to cool, which creates a luxurious palette reminiscent of twilight walks around gothic ruins.

characteristics

Dark Autumn is found between Dark Autumn and Cool Winter on the seasonal flow. This subtype features a high to intense contrast level meaning their best colours oppose those in their own palette in either hue or value. Their palette includes cool shades like deep claret red, bellwether blue and plum purple.

CONTRAST

Dark Winter individuals have high levels of contrast. Their hair and eyes are typically deeper than their skin and this level is increased by hints of subtle luminosity across their appearance. Due to their bright influence, they tend to have sparkling eyes, glossy hair and sheer or naturally dewy complexions.

SKIN TONE

We see Dark Winter individuals with fair to deep skin tones in are either neutral-cool or cool in hue with blue or pink undertones. This means their veins appear green or purple beneath the skin and cool metals such as silver, platinum and white gold work best for them. They can also make use of warm metals such as yellow gold and brass if they balance them with cool neutrals or accents in their clothing. Belonging to a bright season, sheer and naturally dewy complexions are common but we may see some softness due to bordering Autumn. They may have freckles and tend to burn before tanning.

EYES

Typical examples of eye colours we see across Dark Winter include black, brown, hazel and olive green as well as a very dark blue. However, any colour which is deep with an absence of any red or gold detail is possible. Due to their season being influenced by bright chroma, these colours tend to be absent of any softening grey pigmentation which increases their reflectivity in contrast tests. We may also see definition on the outer iris edge as well as spokes on the inner section.

HAIR

Due to their dominant depth, Dark Winter individuals generally have medium to deep coloured hair. We see brunettes through to a variety of shades of black. Colours are typically ash in tone. Neutral, golden or reddish colouring is also possible if the individual is influenced by bordering Autumn. They also tend to have glossy finishes meaning larger sections reflect the light rather than individual flecks as seen in softer seasons.

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Dark, flowing strands of hair with subtle blueish highlights fill the image. The word "Bonny's" is written in cursive at the bottom right.

Dark Winter: Hair Dye

Dark Winter hair dyes are deep and cool in either brunette or black variations. These colours have ash or blue tones with bright influence.

Dark Winter

Dark Winter: Lipstick

Dark Winter lipsticks are deep and cool. Such intensity looks natural on these individuals.

Dark Winter

colour palette

The Dark Winter palette is reminiscent of gothic ruins. Ascending the path, lined with scattered stones and patches of wild grass, the towering silhouette of the weathered grey structure emerges, its spires jagged against the navy sky. Vivid green ivy cascades down the walls in thick tendrils. The moonlight shifts as you near and dances off the glossy ivy leaves, creating a shimmering emerald glow, while the darker corners of the ruin disappear into black shadow.

metals

As a neutral-cool subtype, Dark Winter individuals look best in silver, platinum, white gold or marcasite. These should be deep in value and in either shiny, matte or textured finishes. They should avoid light metals as these are lost against such intensity but can make use of warm metals provided they are balanced with cool neutrals and accents in clothing choices. The key is selecting dark metals, which look aged or tarnished to maintain natural depth.

neutrals

Dark Winter can wear pure black. Due to their depth, they can tolerate an all-dark look. They can also wear pure white but this must be paired with a dark accent to maintain balance. Other neutrals include a range of cool greys as well as cool dark browns.

accents

Due to its neutral-cool hue, the Dark Winter palette contains more blues, greens and purples. These include deep claret red, bellwether blue and plum purple. This subtype borders Autumn so there are some yellows but these are mixed with black to deepen as well as blue to cool resulting in darker, slightly greenish variations.

combinations

As their contrast level is high to intense, colour combinations need to oppose what is in the Dark Winter individual’s natural palette. In the first two examples, we have shown how light neutrals can be paired with dark accents to achieve this effect. Alternatively, these individuals can select dark neutrals to wear alongside bright accents. Another way to achieve balance is by pairing similarly dark hues as shown in the final two examples.

colours to borrow

Depending on which way the Dark Winter individual flows, they may be able to borrow colours from neighbouring Dark Autumn or Cool Winter. The Cool Winter palette is dominantly cool with a moderate depth so their colours can be too icy and underwhelming on a Dark Winter. These individuals will need to select the deeper, neutral colours from this palette in order to maintain balance. The Dark Autumn palette has the depth required for Dark Autumn but is neutral-warm. This means Dark Winter individuals will need to select the cooler colours from that palette. Please note that the colours marked with an asterisk above are taken from the Dark Autumn and Cool Winter palettes respectively.

colours to avoid

As a dark and cool subtype, Dark Winter’s worst colours are light and warm, such as those seen in Light Spring. The warm pastels in the examples above clash with Ivy's cool hue and reflect yellow on her skin, making her look pale and unwell. This demonstrates that they are not suitable for her intensity. Again, the colour codes above marked with an asterisk are taken from the Light Spring sample palette.

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