One of the 50 colors the analysis judges
Lavender, season by season.
Lavender is a light, cool purple softened with gray. Light Summer, True Summer and Soft Summer wear it at the face; Light Spring wears it as an accent, and four seasons wear it below the waist.
- Undertone
- Cool undertone
- Depth
- Light
- Clarity
- Muted
Also sold as lilac, pastel purple
Last updated
The color
What Lavender is, and why it works or fails.
Lavender is purple thinned with a lot of white and a little gray, named after the flower's dried buds.
On the three scales a color is judged by, it is light in depth (how light or dark), muted in clarity (soft and a touch dusty) and cool in undertone, leaning blue. In cotton and linen it looks fresh and pale; in cashmere it turns powdery. Next to pure white it reads as a color, next to gray almost as a neutral.
Lavender asks for a face as soft and light as it is. Summer colorings, with cool skin, ash or soft brown hair and gentle contrast, sit at the same level, so the color adds a little pink-violet to the cheeks and the face looks rested. On a warm, golden coloring the cool violet makes the skin look yellow by comparison. Depth works against it on the Winters and Dark Autumn: their dark hair and strong contrast make a pale, dusty color look faint, and the face seems heavy above it. Further from the face that gap matters less, so the three Winters and Soft Autumn wear it below the waist. Dark Autumn, warm and dark, shares neither reading with it.
How to wear it
Where each season puts Lavender.
The verdict the analysis gives Lavender for each season, where it goes, and the reason.
- Light SummerLight Summer and lavender share a pale, cool, gentle character, so a lavender shirt or knit can sit right under the chin.
- True SummerTrue Summer has a little more depth than lavender, which is enough for the color to look fresh and cool on it, especially paired with soft navy.
- Soft SummerThe gray in lavender matches the grayed-down quality of Soft Summer coloring, and the violet adds a touch of life to the cheeks at the collar.
- Light SpringAs an accentLight Spring matches lavender's lightness but runs warm, so the cool violet works as an accent, a ribbon, a bag or a pair of flats, away from the face.
- Soft AutumnBelow the waistSoft Autumn shares lavender's softness and differs on undertone, so the violet stays below the waist, as a pleated skirt or chinos under a camel knit.
- Dark WinterBelow the waistDark Winter shares the cool undertone, but its depth makes pale violet look faint at the face, so wear it below the waist, as wide trousers under black.
- True WinterBelow the waistTrue Winter can take lavender's coolness, but its clear contrast asks for stronger color up top, so lavender goes below the waist as jeans or a skirt.
- Bright WinterBelow the waistBright Winter's vivid, high-contrast coloring outshines dusty lavender near the face; below the waist, as a pleated skirt or chinos, it lightens a royal blue top.
- True SpringTrue Spring's fully warm, clear coloring turns lavender gray and chalky beside the face; coral or camel puts warmth at the collar.
- Bright SpringLavender's powdery, cool violet goes flat against Bright Spring's vivid, warm, high-contrast coloring; coral or emerald matches the energy of the face.
- True AutumnTrue Autumn's rich, golden coloring makes pale, cool lavender look chalky and the skin yellow beside it; mustard or rust is the color to choose.
- Dark AutumnLavender is too light and too cool for Dark Autumn, whose depth and warmth make it look faded; terracotta or wine gives color with real weight.
Pairings
Worn by the same seasons.
The colors the seasons that wear Lavender also wear at the face: the ones most likely to share a wardrobe with it.
Lavender
Lavender: common questions
Lavender is cool. It is a purple lightened with white and dulled with a little gray, and its violet leans blue. On cool skin it brings a soft flush to the cheeks; on warm, golden skin it makes the face look yellow by comparison. Lilac, a slightly pinker version, behaves much the same.
Other light, soft colors sit at the same level: dusty pink, dusty blue, mint and light gray. For contrast without harshness, soft navy works well. Lavender with charcoal or black is sharper and suits the Winters, who wear the lavender below the waist and the darker color on top.
Below the waist, yes. Dark Winter, True Winter and Bright Winter share lavender's cool undertone, but their coloring is darker and clearer than a pale, dusty violet, and at the collar it looks faded. Lavender trousers or a skirt with a black, white or jewel-tone top work well.
For a man with Summer coloring, yes: a lavender shirt or knit sits at the face as easily as light blue does, and it works with gray suits and navy trousers. Men with Winter coloring wear it lower down, as chinos or shorts, and most warm colorings skip it.
The 50 colors
Your own 50 verdicts.
A season page shows how a season treats Lavender. Your analysis places you in one season from your answers and five photos, and gives every one of the 50 colors its verdict and its reason, for you.
A cool, pale purple that the light drains away entirely.
Seasons that wear Lavender, and how to find yours
Color seasonLight Summercool and light with low contrast
Color seasonTrue Summerfully cool and softly muted
Color seasonSoft Summercool and grayed down
Seasons · 9 min
Find your undertone at home (warm, cool, or neutral)
Three daylight tests to find your undertone at home: wrist veins, gold vs silver, white paper. Plus how to read a neutral or olive result.
Seasons · 12 min
Seasonal color analysis, explained
What seasonal color analysis measures, how undertone, value and chroma name the 12 seasons, and how to get a rough read on yourself at home.
Method · 8 min
How to take photos for an accurate color analysis
The light, the angles, and the white paper trick. How to take five photos that give a color analysis something real to work with.
- All 50 colors
Which side of Lavender are you on?
A short questionnaire and five photos. Your key arrives by email, usually within 10 minutes.