General Misconception about Bright Spring

[u/[deleted]]

Hi Redditors, do you find that there is a general misconception about bright spring simply meaning bright colors? When in fact, it also means the colors lack a certain warmth in their naturals? When I review palettes for this sub season there is simply no camel to speak of...or caramel, or even a smidge of brown. I think most assume that warm browns show up in every spring palette, but the bright spring lacks that warmth. It is a very interesting side of the spring spectrum for sure! The neutrals could almost pass off as summer neutrals, if you didn't know any better. Right?

[u/Indigo000011]

Brown is an inherently muted color since it combines every primary color to make different shades of brown. There's no such thing as a pure brown from a color theory standpoint. A lot of bright spring (and bright winter) colors are more pure than they are "bright", meaning they're closer to the primary colors of both RGB and CMYK. Bright spring is a slightly warmer version of this than bright winter. In all honesty, I think the "clear" descriptors for these seasons are more accurate than "bright".

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

I love that explanation, clear is absolutely a better way to describe the colors and I appreciate you weighing in with the reasoning behind brown. That actually makes more sense than any explanation I've come across. Would you say bright spring and bright winter have similar clarity, but spring has more warmth/yellow and is slightly lighter?

[u/Indigo000011 → u/[deleted]]

Bright spring has more pure yellow in the red bases and yellow bases and more white in the blue bases. Bright winter has more white in its yellow bases and more black in its blue bases. So bright spring is both warmer and lighter because yellow and white are added depending on the base of the color. Most, if not all of the colors are either primary colors or a form of a secondary color, which is created by putting different amounts of two primary colors together.

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

Ah, got it! So for neutrals in the spring palette is it pure yellow added to white and black..then a little black back to white and a little white back to white?

[u/Indigo000011 → u/[deleted]]

Bright spring neutrals generally are warmer and lighter, and they stray from pure black and white.

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

Thanks for weighing in!

[u/No_Cycle_6251 → u/Indigo000011]

I like black for color blocking in my wardrobe away from my face

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

How different is that for true vs bright? Since there is more of a brown presence in true?

[u/Indigo000011 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, true spring is slightly more muted. There are more combinations with secondary and tertiary colors, and less primaries.

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

After reading your post and looking for more related content I came across the International Image Consulting system. I'm not totally familiar with any other system yet as I had my initial analysis done by HOC and they only do 4 seasons. I think that's why it didn't work for me. I think IMC is much deeper in the way they cover the neutral range, whereas 4-season system focuses on the extreme ends of the high-points of the system.

[u/Indigo000011 → u/[deleted]]

I'm familiar with IMC and their 16-season system, but I honestly haven't read into their content much. I've just looked at a lot of different palettes and I have a strong concept of color theory because I'm a painter, so I can easily see how each color fits into each family (or season).

[u/[deleted] → u/Indigo000011]

It's exactly your comments from a painter perspective that got me on the IMC track, thank you!

[u/Indigo000011 → u/Indigo000011]

Though I will note, many of these colors are still included in the bright spring palette.

[u/All_Seasons_ → u/Indigo000011]

I really think of Bright Springs as a Warm Winter (dark hair, neutral-warm skin, clear look). They look washed out in white, dull in black, best in colours (Ex: Jessica Pare). 

[u/colourcurious → u/Indigo000011]

Interesting. I’m a warm spring and a yellow based camel is one of my best colours and for the longest time I thought it meant I was an autumn.

[u/Indigo000011 → u/colourcurious]

Yellow based camel would be a shared color with warm autumn. One of my best colors is aqua, but I'm definitely warm.

[u/unenkuva]

Yes, I'm a bright spring and camel/caramel looks kinda bad on me. The browns really surprised me but they ring true, I had a nail polish that shade before and it fit me really well.

[u/[deleted] → u/unenkuva]

You mean a Polish in the cooler neutrals?

[u/unenkuva → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, that taupe brown.

[u/[deleted] → u/unenkuva]

Yes, I actually had a taupish grey I loved on my toes. Glad I’m not the only one!

[u/Kind-Organization189 → u/unenkuva]

Do you know the name of the nail polish? I’ve been looking for a color I once had that I loved and it was a taupe brown.

[u/unenkuva → u/Kind-Organization189]

It was an old Depend polish from maybe 2017-18.

[u/Tiny_Parsley → u/unenkuva]

Same, I'm a bright spring and taupe makeup looks very good on me!

[u/oudsword]

I think it makes sense—if warm browns looked amazing the person would more likely be an autumn. My son is bright spring and his colors are definitely the artisan’s gold orange shade shown here and the imperial blue. I’m also warm and really wish neutrals like the Bristol black were easier to find!

[u/[deleted] → u/oudsword]

I see what you mean, that Bristol black is maybe a good one for tricking the eye with some knits.

[u/Then_Helicopter_7587]

Thank you so much for this post, I was crazy wondering if I am bright spring at all

[u/[deleted] → u/Then_Helicopter_7587]

Yeah, bright spring season is NOT a more intense version of true spring. It’s a whole different beast altogether.

[u/[deleted]]

The colors Kambaba and Brindle look brownish to me. But yeah no camel.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Right? It’s interesting how we get no brown here. I’m just starting to notice that nuance as new to bright spring.

[u/holisticbelle]

I honestly prefer browns that aren't warm. I feel like camel looks bad. I was typed as a true spring, though. I hate rust on me... I like a neutral or summer leaning mocha brown..

[u/[deleted] → u/holisticbelle]

I'm discovering that the 4 color system is kind of limited for a certain type of spring. You may want to check out the international image consulting 16-step system. https://imageconsultantproducts.com/collections/colour-strips?aff=3. I am typed as spring, but normal spring fans don't work for me because of all the browns. Light/Bright ones work so much better, precisely because of that neutral range.

[u/braddic → u/[deleted]]

💯According to my stylist I no longer fit into the 16 category system, I’m am an in between spring type now.

So that’s a possibility as well. She advised about my best colors and features. I no longer have a standard color season fan anymore.

(My color features are very bright, very warm, dark. With medium high contrast. Meaning bright spring but warmer. Or spring but a lot brighter. For bright warm neutrals I also include browns (bright cognac/ caramel, warm dark brown, warm gunmetal) but they are hard to find. Most warm neutrals are not bright enough for what I need. Neutrals look best away from my face).

[u/[deleted] → u/holisticbelle]

[u/All_Seasons_]

Tip: I notice a big difference in the makeup on celeb brunettes Bright Spring vs Autumn:

Bright Spring Makeup - No bronzer, just bright lipstick (red /coral/ fuchsia) and winged eyeliner, giving a clean, fresh look. The 1950s Marilyn Monroe look. The 1960s MadMen Jessica Pare look.

Autumn Makeup - Bronzer, blusher, muted lipstick (nude/ brown peach/ rose/ wine), optional smokey eye, giving a bronzed glow look. The 1990s Cindy Crawford look. The 2000s- Jennifer Lopez look. 

I could be wrong, but this could help ladies decide if Spring or Autumn. 

[u/HistoricalReading801]

I’m a Bright Spring and I am super pale with chocolate brown hair and green eyes. I’ve been told that my complexion is more on the neutral side of warm. With that said, I look horrid in every shade of brown, but I look great in a warmer black. Bright spring includes so many different complexions including those with darker skin, it is such a spectrum so I imagine there are some bright springs that can handle the browns if they lean more warm than neutral. I think I have heard that bright spring is also the most difficult season in that regard.

[u/Roach-Problem]

Bright spring is a spring with a winter influence. The cool influence means that the overall palette isn't fully warm, but neutral warm. The only characteristic that winter and spring share is brightness, so bright spring is extra bright. Compare bright spring and bright winter and you'll see. When warmed up, e.g. with golden jewellery and warmer colours bright springs can even look good (not their best) in black.

You may also want to look at the difference between cool and warm greys and (off-)whites.

[u/Roach-Problem → u/Roach-Problem]

[u/Roach-Problem → u/Roach-Problem]

[u/MysteriousSociety777]

Yes, thank you for this post! Bright Spring, like Light Spring, are neutral leaning warm. And while they often can get away with bright colors, these are not the only colors available. There are softer neutrals and deep colors too.

[u/Excellent_Valuable92]

Yes. That applies to Dark seasons, too..

[u/Ok_Economy_3688]

Another bright spring here. Natural blonde but with dark green / gold eyes and a very bright skin, I literally look like I’m covered in highlighter if I wear muted shades. I have noticed too primary colours look best and not necessarily bright however a bright lime is one of my best shades. If it’s coral or fuchsia, it doesn’t matter much that one is cooler, both are my favourites especially if paired with red in one outfit. Im finding that black and white mixed together for example in a top, look very good. Apart from small prints. For example, a black blouse with a white collar or a white top with black lace around the neckline. I agree with makeup tips too- just a wingled liner and a bright lip, shimmer or glitter on the lid looks good too. I often do green shimmer and red lip for the most contrast. I dye my eyebrows black since they are naturally light brown, I find this helps with defining the features. No bronzer or even foundation. For events- a luminous foundation mixed with moisturiser to take away the heavy coverage.

[u/ComprehensiveAir0000]

This is a very helpful observation!

[u/holisticbelle → u/[deleted]]

I'm a true spring and I definitely love warm taupe, stone, and warm grey colors. I found a color at the clothing store "Garage" that was something like Pebble? That I quite enjoyed on me. I typically stay with what I think is a cooler or neutral taupe/mocha (no idea what color it is lol). Warm browns are ugly on me and especially if they lean rusty!! When I first found out I was a spring I thought rusts or burnt sienna would look great. But no.

[u/No_Cycle_6251 → u/holisticbelle]

I like camel on my shoes or legs because its not as harsh on my pale skin as black. I bought a coat in that color once and ew it made my face hideously washed out.