Deep Autumn Color Palette: What to Wear & What to Avoid

Warm, alluring, and bright, the Deep or Dark Autumn color palette is certainly a sight to behold. This styling aesthetic is like a crisp, sunny fall day. Think about when the sun shines through orange and yellow leaves—that’s the Deep Autumn aesthetic! But how can you style your autumnal glow if you're a Deep Autumn? In this article, we’ll teach you everything there is to know, from your fashionable characteristics to what not to wear.

Things You Should Know

Deep Autumns have dark green, hazel, or warm brown eyes and a neutral-warm skin tone.^{[1]
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Melissa Young
Freelance Fashion Stylist

Expert Interview}
Deep Autumns look best in warm, rich tones like cranberry, yellow gold, and plum.
Deep Autumns shine in warm-toned makeup, like deep red lipstick and bronze eyeshadow.

Section 1 of 5:

Deep Autumn Color Palette Characteristics

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Warm hue The Deep Autumn color palette has a warm hue, meaning it has more yellow than blue undertones.^{[2]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

Expert Interview} This makes the palette one of the warmest seasonal palettes with colors with yellow tints.^{[3]
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- Hue is the primary color you see, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.^{[4]
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Dark value The Deep Autumn palette has one of the darkest color values among the seasonal palettes. This means the colors within the palette have a lot of depth and aren’t vividly bright or saturated.^{[5]
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- Value is how light or dark a color is.^{[6]
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Medium chroma The colors in the Deep Autumn palette have a medium chroma and are neither soft, muted, or bright.^{[7]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

Expert Interview} This gives the colors a rich warmth that saturated colors can’t convey.^{[8]
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- Chroma is how intense, saturated, or bright a color is.^{[9]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Know You’re a Deep Autumn

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If you’re a Deep Autumn, you likely have dark, warm eyes. Your pupil is also likely a bit darker than your iris.^{[10]
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You have a neutral-warm skin tone.^{[11]
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Melissa Young
Freelance Fashion Stylist

Expert Interview} Deep Autumns have neutral skin tones with a warmer, pinker undertone. This means that if you’re a Deep Autumn, you likely look best in gold metals and have a bronze or honey glow to your cheeks.^{[12]
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- Determine your skin tone by checking the veins inside your wrist. You’re probably a Deep Autumn if you have green veins.
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You have medium to dark brown hair. Chances are, if you’re a Deep Autumn, you have golden brown, auburn, or black-brown hair. Your locks likely have a honey hue to them that develops red or gold highlights in the sun.^{[13]
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- Still not sure if you’re a Deep Autumn? Ask a stylist, professional color analyst, or fashion expert for help! They can give you a personalized assessment and help you determine your seasonal color palette.

Section 3 of 5:

Styling Dos & Don’ts

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Wear warm, neutral, and deep shades.^{[14]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

Expert Interview} Deep Autumns look best in colors that bring out their golden glow. Think about the fall season. The colors you decorate your house with in November are perfect! Yellow-based shades with rich, earthy undertones are will pull out your natural features and make you shine.^{[15]
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Research source} For instance, try wearing:
- Off-white
- Dark vanilla
- Dark blue
- Cappuccino
- Dark brown
- Charcoal
- Dark teal
- Dusty rose
- Burnt orange
- Dusty peach
- Plum
- Eggplant^{[16]
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- Cranberry
- Forest green
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Avoid light and cool colors. If you’re a Deep Autumn, pale and cool-toned colors can wash out your natural depth and warmth.^{[17]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

Expert Interview} Whites, pastels, and frosty tones will look odd against your honey glow. So, if you want to look your absolute best, avoid these colors:^{[18]
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- Pure white
- Pastel pink
- Mauve
- Blue gray
- Silver
- Bright red
- Bright orange
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Pick high-contrast colors. Deep Autumns have a naturally high contrast between their skin tone and other features. So, if you’re a Deep Autumn, adhere to your organic depth by pairing light and dark colors together. The more contrast your outfit has, the better you’ll look.
- Pair colors from opposite sides of the color wheel for a complementary look, like mustard yellow and navy blue.
- Mix a dark neutral with a lighter accent for a simple contrast, such as dark brown and apricot.
- Keep it simple with a light neutral and a dark accent, like beige and emerald green.
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Choose patterns with contrasting colors. When it comes to patterns and prints, those with tones from a Deep Autumn’s color palette always look best. Opt for a print with high contrast, featuring a light and dark color, to make your natural depth pop amongst the details.^{[19]
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- In other words, choose prints with dark backgrounds and colorful images with light and dark accents.
- Avoid natural floral patterns (such as paisley and oriental designs), as these can be too light and dainty against your darker features.
- Stick with patterns that have larger elements that are loosely arranged or have a broad space between them.
With a neutral-warm skin tone, accessories with a yellow tone look best on a Deep Autumn because it highlights their natural warm glow. So, if you’re a Deep Autumn, avoid metals with cool undertones (like silver or white gold) as these can overpower your undertones and wash you out.^{[20]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

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Accentuate your features with warm-toned makeup.^{[22]
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Julia Dobkine
Color Analysis Expert, Certified Image Consultant, and Style Coach

Expert Interview} If you’re a Deep Autumn, you don’t have any blue undertones. This means you look best in warm shades that bring out your pink or honey glow. So, avoid dark and bright colors that don’t overpower your natural qualities.
- Opt for a salmon pink or deep red lipstick.
- Try a cream, apricot, olive, gold, or bronze eyeshadow.
- Choose a spiced cinnamon and terracotta blush.
- Stay away from thick black eyeliner and bright red lipstick.
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Choose a dark and rich hair color. If you want to color your hair as a Deep Autumn, stick with your natural color pairings and go with a dark, warm shade. This will enhance your overall appearance and make your skin and eyes pop.^{[23]
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- Warm and dark browns, caramel, and dark auburn are the most flattering on Deep Autumns.
- Bright colors, ashy blondes, and blue blacks are the worst hair colors for a Deep Autumn.

Section 4 of 5:

Deep Autumn vs. Dark Winter

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Deep Autumn is warm, while Dark Winter is cool. While these 2 color palettes look very similar, they’re not the same. Dark or Deep Winters have high-contrast features and cool undertones.^{[24]
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Research source} Deep Autumns, on the other hand, have a rich coloring with golden or honey undertones.
- Think of it like this: Deep Autumn is fire, while Dark Winter is ice.

Section 5 of 5:

Deep Autumn Celebrities

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These celebrities have a Deep or Dark Autumn color palette. They have a warm honey glow to them and contrasting features. Chances are, if you look like one of these celebrities, you’re probably a Deep Autumn.^{[25]
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- Angela Bassett
- Aubrey Plaza
- Brenda Song
- Chrissy Teigen
- Daniel Kaluuya
- David Tennant
- Denzel Washington
- Emma Watson
- Garcelle Beauvais
- Hailee Steinfeld
- Halle Berry
- Hugh Jackman
- Jason Momoa
- Jeannie Mai
- Julia Roberts
- Kate Mara
- Maya Rudolph
- Meghan Markle
- Millie Bobby Brown
- Ming-Na Wen
- Minka Kelly
- Natalie Portman
- Oprah Winfrey
- Rashida Jones
- Rebecca Hall
- Ryan Reynolds
- Serena Williams
- Sofia Vergara
- Zendaya

What Colors Should You Wear In The Fall?

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Where else should I get inspiration for choosing colors for autumn-themed clothes?

Melissa Young
Freelance Fashion Stylist
Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina.

Melissa Young

Freelance Fashion Stylist

Expert Answer

Inspiration for dressing in autumn can be found in various elements of your surroundings. Observing the changes in the environment during the fall, such as the colors of the trees, can be visually stunning. The vibrant oranges, deep greens, and warm mustard yellows, along with an array of neutral tones like chocolate brown or a rich cocoa color, offer a diverse palette to draw inspiration from. Use these colors as a starting point and build your wardrobe with pieces that resonate with your style and preferences.

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