4, 12 or 18: how many colour types are there?
The more you learn about colour, the clearer it becomes that every man and woman is unique, and that a colour consultation is always tailored to the individual. Like many others, we started (35 years ago) with the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. This remains a clear and practical foundation. At the same time, the four seasons alone are too limited for truly personal colour advice.
Hi Style Academy now works with 18 colour types, allowing us to give advice that truly fits your looks, personality, taste and age.
The foundation: the four seasons
The four seasons are divided into two warm colour types and two cool colour types, with distinctions between light and dark, and between clear and muted. This forms a strong foundation, which is why we always begin a colour analysis using this system.
However, one of the four seasons is often too restrictive. That is why 14 additional colour types have been developed, such as Light (a blend of Spring and Summer) and Mid Warm, where richer Spring colours are more flattering. This approach goes beyond colours within a single season and focuses on combinations and nuances that complete your colour type.
In essence: extra colours and subtle nuances together create your complete and unique colour type.
What do you need?
Do very warm or very cool shades suit you best or a combination of both? Do lighter colours from your colour type work better for you, or darker ones? Do you shine in bright colours, or do more muted tones flatter you more? These questions are answered during a colour analysis, where colours are carefully compared step by step.
A colour analysis is not just about identifying your colour type. That would be incomplete and far less enjoyable. Most people only have a colour analysis once in their lifetime (if you don’t drastically change your appearance such as your hair colour), so it’s important to get the most out of it. Together, we identify your top colours: the unique shades in which you truly shine. And these are slightly different for everyone. For example, my sister and I are both Spring types, yet she looks fantastic in blue, red and bright Spring colours, while I suit lighter, more natural shades.
You will also discover whether you look best in ton-sur-ton combinations (for example, different shades of blue) or in strong contrasts and prints. This becomes clear using colour drapes and colour flags in various shades and tones.
A Summer type, for instance, looks beautiful in ton-sur-ton combinations (think two or three shades of blue, such as light blue, lavender and dark blue). You can clearly see this reflected in the colour card you receive after your analysis.
Why clear colour type definitions matter
Clear descriptions of colour types are essential. Hi Style Academy does not use combined names such as Spring/Autumn or Summer/Winter. These labels are not specific enough and can be confusing. By refining the colour types further (for example Cool Clear, Cool Muted or Soft Winter), it becomes immediately clearer which shades suit you best.
The difference often lies in nuances: are clear cool colours best for you, lighter or darker shades, or a mix of muted and dark tones? Take navy blue as an example. This colour suits all three basic types but the difference lies in the combinations. Do you wear it with baby blue or dusty pink, or with ice blue, royal blue, aqua or bright red? That’s where the distinction appears.
This is why combinations such as “Summer/Autumn” are not very logical. They imply both cool and warm colours, which often leads to confusion in practice, especially when it comes to make-up and outfit combinations. For example, dusty pink from a Summer type does not harmonize well with the warm coral orange of an Autumn type.
One of the greatest advantages of a colour analysis is that all colours within your colour type work beautifully together. This means you ultimately need fewer clothes, while still being able to create many varied and stylish outfits.
Do neutral colour types exist?
Everyone is either warm or cool, even if this can sometimes be difficult to determine. “Neutral” is therefore not specific enough. Combined colour types (those that include elements of both warm and cool) are quite common. When you look at the colour cards for these types, you can see how harmoniously the colours work together.
Your most flattering colours and even your colour type can also change slightly as you age, particularly with warm colour types. An Autumn type with warm brown hair, for example, may transition into a Muted Warm type or even another colour type once the hair turns cooler grey. Warm colour types are more likely to change when they turn grey. That’s why it might be an option to reassess your colour type when your hair greys.
Personality, taste and age matter
A colour consultation goes beyond appearance alone. At Hi Style Academy, we also consider personality, profession, presence and personal taste. Someone with a Spring type may discover that bright Spring colours look too youthful, and that Mid Warm (deeper and more vibrant) shades suit them better. Your colour advice evolves with you.
Colours that make you shine
The colours that reflect your natural personality are not always the ones that suit you best. A good example is shown below with two women who share the same colour type: Cool Clear.
In the video, you see colour stylist Anna, a Cool Clear type. With her, blue shades stand out, along with fresh, bright cool colours and strong contrasts.
In the photo, you see Els, who naturally has a softer appearance. You might expect muted colours to suit her better. However, the opposite is true: muted shades make her look dull, while clear colours make her shine.
Same colour types
Below is an example of two women who look quite different yet share the same colour type: Cool Clear. This shows how colour analysis is influenced by many factors, such as age, personality, overall appearance and personal style.
In some cases, it’s the other way around. People may look similar but turn out to have completely different colour types. That’s why colour analysis is never based on appearance alone, but always on careful comparison and nuance.
In the video, you see colour stylist Anna, a Cool Clear type. On her, blue tones stand out most, along with fresh, bright cool colours and strong contrasts.
In the photo, you see Els, who has a naturally softer appearance. You might expect muted colours to suit her better, but the opposite is true: muted shades make her look dull, while clear colours bring brightness and make her truly shine.
One family, three different colour types
Recently, three sisters from Asia booked a colour analysis. At first glance, they looked very similar. However, during the analysis, clear differences emerged. The eldest sister turned out to be a Soft Winter, the youngest a Cool Muted type, and the middle sister a Dark type (a combination of dark Autumn colours and Winter tones).
This perfectly illustrates the value of the 18 colour types: they allow for far greater nuance and truly personal advice.
Conclusion: why 18 colour types?
The classic seasons are a wonderful foundation, but often too limited for truly personal colour advice. With 18 colour types, you gain a nuanced and complete understanding of the colours that make you shine, tailored to your appearance, personality, taste and age.
Interested in a Colour Consultation or Colour Stylist training?
Colour Analysis Academy offers training courses in English and Dutch, both online and in-person. Would you like to learn more? Fill in the contact form below or book a free video call where I can personally answer all your questions.
Visit our website: www.colouranalysisacademy.com
Looking forward to hearing with you!
Best regards,
