The Seasonal Color Palette

Palettes / Autumn

Soft Autumn color palette

Muted and warm. Sunlit earth, sage and dusty terracotta with no harsh edges.

Undertone Warm-neutralValue MediumChroma MutedDominant Soft

Is Soft Autumn your palette?

  • Undertone: Leans warm without being strongly golden. Gold is usually the better metal, but the most orange shades can still overwhelm.
  • Value: Coloring sits in the middle range. Neither the palest pastels nor the darkest shades are ideal.
  • Chroma: Features blend softly with low contrast. Greyed, smoky colors look harmonious, while bright shades look loud.

Check with a selfie

All 16 Soft Autumn colors

Tap a swatch to copy its hex code

Best neutrals

  • Soft Ivory #EFE6D2
  • Mushroom #B8A898
  • Muted Turquoise #6FA3A0
  • Soft Teal #5F8E86
  • Soft Brown #8C6E57
  • Coffee #6F5646

Colors to avoid

Icy colors, black, and saturated jewel tones. The opposite palette on the seasonal wheel, Bright Spring, is usually the least flattering overall.

Clothing in Soft Autumn colors

Open in the shop

Pick a type of clothing, one or more colors, or both.

Filter by color

Showing 24 of 341 items

Editor's pickSoft Terracotta

Terracotta midi skirt

Shop on Amazon
Editor's pickMuted Turquoise

Muted teal blouse

Shop on Amazon

Sister palettes

These sit next to Soft Autumn on the seasonal wheel and share one of its characteristics. If you're between palettes, the colors they share with Soft Autumn are the safest choices.

True Autumn

Soft Autumn is warm-neutral in undertone where True Autumn is warm; Soft Autumn is medium in value where True Autumn is medium-deep; Soft Autumn is muted in chroma where True Autumn is rich. Both belong to the Autumn family.

Soft Summer

Both share the same value (medium) and chroma (muted). Soft Autumn is warm-neutral in undertone where Soft Summer is cool-neutral. Soft Autumn is a Autumn palette and Soft Summer is a Summer palette, so they sit on either side of the warm–cool divide.

Soft Autumn FAQ

What colors are in the Soft Autumn palette?

The Soft Autumn palette includes soft ivory, mushroom, soft camel, khaki, soft brown, coffee, olive, moss, warm sage and muted turquoise, among others. It is warm-neutral in undertone, medium in value and muted in chroma, and its dominant characteristic is soft.

What colors should a Soft Autumn avoid?

Icy colors, black, and saturated jewel tones. The palette on the opposite side of the seasonal wheel, Bright Spring, is usually the least flattering overall.

Can a Soft Autumn wear black?

Pure black is usually too harsh for a Soft Autumn. The deepest shade in the palette, coffee (#6F5646), is the closest substitute for suits, coats and evening wear.

What are the best neutrals for a Soft Autumn?

The most versatile neutrals in the Soft Autumn palette are soft ivory (#EFE6D2), mushroom (#B8A898), muted turquoise (#6FA3A0), soft teal (#5F8E86), soft brown (#8C6E57) and coffee (#6F5646).

What is the difference between Soft Autumn and True Autumn?

Soft Autumn is warm-neutral in undertone where True Autumn is warm; Soft Autumn is medium in value where True Autumn is medium-deep; Soft Autumn is muted in chroma where True Autumn is rich. Both belong to the Autumn family.

What is the difference between Soft Autumn and Soft Summer?

Both share the same value (medium) and chroma (muted). Soft Autumn is warm-neutral in undertone where Soft Summer is cool-neutral. Soft Autumn is a Autumn palette and Soft Summer is a Summer palette, so they sit on either side of the warm–cool divide.