It is said that Winters need contrast in their outfits to look their best. But what kind of contrast, and how should it be used?
The concept of contrast is most often understood as value contrast. Value is a color characteristic that indicates how light or dark a color is on a scale from black to white. In simple terms, low value indicates a dark color, and high value indicates a light color.
However, another type of contrast is color contrast. And by color contrast we mean how different colors are used and in what proportions. We also often refer to the use of neutrals and “color” colors in this regard.
The following examples illustrate:
– medium value contrast (medium value of a strong pink or magenta paired with low value of black)
– low to medium color contrast (a neutral that is black paired with a strong color)
Who are these combinations for? For all three Winter types (Dark Winter, True Winter and Bright Winter), but especially those whose natural pigmentation has a moderate range of lightness and darkness, and low color variation between skin, hair and eyes.
Speaking of Winters and contrast, it’s impossible to forget the most obvious combination: white and black.
Each of the three Winter types has their best versions of white and black, which, when worn together, provide maximum value contrast (i.e. very light vs very dark). However, for individuals whose natural coloring has some color variety (moderate color contrast), such a combination seems boring and predictable. Hence the need for an additional color beyond just the neutrals.
The attached examples show:
– high value contrast (low value black combined with high value white, silver, or light gray)
– low to medium color contrast (2 or 3 neutrals combined with a single bold color, in this case cobalt, purple, magenta, or fuchsia)
Who are these combinations for? For example, for “stereotypical” Winters with very light skin and very dark hair, who have moderate color contrast between skin, hair, and eyes.
Do all Winters have high contrast?
Not necessarily. In modern color analysis, how we respond to colors is more important than the colors we see on the surface of our natural pigmentation. One of my recent clients is a Dark Winter with exotic beauty: her rather dark skin, black-brown hair, and hazel eyes make her value contrast medium at best. Does it mean she is not a Winter? No, it simply means that she needs to wear her colors in a way that is aligned with her natural contrast to look her personal best.
The examples below show:
– medium to medium-high value contrast (medium value of cobalt blue combined with high value of white or low value of black)
– medium to medium-high color contrast (two “color” colors, i.e. cobalt blue and pink/magenta, anchored in a neutral, in this case, white or black)
Who are these combinations for? They would look best on Winters with fair skin and moderately dark hair, who have greater color variation between skin, hair, and eyes.
If you are a Winter, which of these types of contrast do you find working for you best?
