Find Your Perfect Red: The Best Reds for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Colour Palettes

Discovering Your Best Red

Knowing your colour palette means understanding which shades truly suit you, brightening your complexion and making you feel instantly put together. Every colour palette has its own unique versions of red, with versions of this confident, passionate hue appearing across the spectrum.
However, even if you know your colour season palette, the difference between a brilliant red and a disappointing one can be surprisingly subtle. Your best red might be fresh and tomato-toned, soft raspberry or cherry, earthy brick or dramatic carmine, because reds vary enormously in depth, warmth and clarity.
This guide takes you through the best reds for Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter colour season palettes, including how to identify a red within your palette and choose between your reds.

True red, the shade of red for every colour palette

Interestingly, true red is one of the few colours that sits on the border between all four seasonal colour palettes. Because it has neither yellow added to warm it up, nor blue to cool it down, nor black, white or grey to add depth, lightness or softness, true red sits on the cusp of all four palettes. If you’re unsure which shade to opt for, this is the safest red for everyone!

However, it is more common for a red to be shifted slightly.

• The addition of yellow to a red warms it up, making it orangey or tomato-hued.
• Adding blue to a red cools it down, giving it a burgundy or carmine hue.
• Adding black or white darkens or lightens a red, while adding both in the form of grey adds a soft smokiness.

All of these variations shift into the four seasonal colour palettes, and even within that palette there can be variations that make one red better than another for a person who sits in that colour season palette. 
Read on to see what that means for your palette and your unique colouring.

The best red colour for the Spring palette

Shop the colours: Vermillion; Watermelon; Red Coral; Geranium; Poppy; Hibiscus; Geranium; Scarlet; True Red

The Spring palette is warm, light and clear. This means that the best reds for Springs share these characteristics. If you’re a Spring, embrace vibrant, uplifting reds that energise your look and reflect your fresh, light palette.

When it comes to identifying your reds, keep in mind:

• Always remember the key words for your seasonal palette: warm, light and clear. If these apply, you’re probably in the right place.
• Think of fresh produce and flowers, from watermelon and tomato to poppy and geranium
• Your reds might tend towards coral, orange or pink, but always with a hint of warmth. Imagine mixing them from paint; there would always be a drop of yellow in there.
• AVOID reds that get too heavy. You never want to drift into Summer or Winter’s wine or cherry tones; they will feel heavy and dull on your clear, light colouring. Also avoid rust or chestnut shades that drift into the depth of the Autumn palette

Which Spring red is right for you?

Shop the clothes: Vera Velvet Jacket; Short Tie Wrap; Cashmere Gauze Stole; Cotton Weekend Skirt; Soft Tailored Wide Leg Trouser; Printed Paisley Sleeveless Dress; Soft Tailored Blazer; Jasmine Top; Ponte Wide Leg Trousers

Although every red within this palette will work for you as a Spring, if you know your sub-type (also known as a sub-season or tonal direction), you can identify your very best reds within this clear, warm and light palette:

• Warm Spring - the warmest tones, with the most orange and tomato tones
• Clear Spring – The most vivid, punchy clear tones, including true red
• True Spring – classic clear, warm, energetic Spring reds
• Light Spring – fresher, lighter watermelon and sorbet shades

How to wear red as a Spring

• Opt for the classic formula of light neutral + dark neutral + red colour splash
• Colour block: pair red with another single bright shade like cobalt, coral or leaf
• Contrast your red with much lighter or darker shades in your palette to help it pop
• Try a more tonal option, such as red with camel, tan and chocolate, if you prefer a lower impact look – this can work well for Warm Springs in particular.

The best red colour for the Summer palette

Shop the colours: Watermelon; Strawberry; Camellia Pink; Raspberry Crush; Cherry; True Red; Beaujolais; Rumba Red

The Summer palette is cool, light and soft. This means that the best reds for Summers share these characteristics. If you’re a Summer, embrace muted, smokey and plum-hued reds that harmonise with your look and reflect your timeless, elegant palette. Many Summers shy away from reds, but choosing the right shade can give your palette an unexpected lift without fighting for dominance.
When it comes to identifying your reds, keep in mind:

• Always remember the key words for your seasonal palette: cool, light, and soft. If these apply, you’re probably in the right place.
• Think of berries and late summer fruits: watermelon, cherries and cranberries, as well as plum and wine shades.
• You'll tend towards the burgundy, plum, or pink hues, but always with a hint of coolness and softness. Imagine mixing them from paint; there would always be a drop of blue and grey in there.
• AVOID reds that lean tomatoey or rust red. You never want to drift into Spring or Autumn's orangey or chestnut tones; they will feel heavy and dull on your cool, soft colouring. Also avoid overly intense carmine and scarlet shades that drift into the vibrancy of the Winter palette.

Which Summer red is right for you?

Shop the clothes: Cotton Rib Vest; Bias Cut Linen Skirt; Cashmere Gauze Stole; Faux Wrap Cap Sleeve; Short Sleeve Everyday V Neck T-Shirt; Short Sleeve Linen Shirt; 1/2 Sleeve Button Front Rib Top; Cotton Rib Shirt; Short Sleeve Linen V Neck Dress; Side Stripe Trousers

Although every red within this palette will work for you as a Summer, if you know your sub-type (also known as a sub-season or tonal direction), you can identify your very best reds within this soft, cool and light palette:

• Cool Summer – More vibrant cherry reds and deep burgundy hues will work well for you
• Soft Summer – opt for the most muted rose and red pear reds, even those with a hint of brown to them.
• True Summer – muted burgundy and raspberry shades are the best balance of your seasonal palette characteristics
• Light Summer – fresher, lighter watermelon and sorbet shades

How to wear red as a Summer

• Opt for the classic formula of light neutral + dark neutral + red colour splash, but be careful not to overwhelm your colouring with too much contrast – you may find blue denim, silver grey and soft red more flattering than navy, soft white and cherry.
• Tonal colour block: pair red with another single shade in a different version of red, or a deeper pink or purple to colour block without too much light/dark contrast.
• If you sit at the cooler end of the Summer palette, try contrasting your red with much lighter or darker shades in your palette to help it pop

The best red colour for the Autumn palette

Shop the colours: Vermillion; Red Coral; Geranium; Poppy; Scarlet; True Red; Cardinal Red

The Autumn palette is warm, deep, and soft. This means that the best reds for Autumns share these characteristics. If you’re an Autumn, embrace rich, warm and earthy reds that add richness to your look and reflect your deeper, warm-toned palette.

When it comes to identifying your reds, keep in mind:

• Always remember the key words for your seasonal palette: warm, deep and soft (think rich, rather than muted, when considering softness of colour). If these apply, you’re probably in the right place.
• Think of trees in September through to November; russet and red leaves and rich red-brown tones abound.
• Your reds might tend towards orangey, tomato hues or into much deeper chestnut colours, but always with warmth and depth. Imagine mixing them from paint; there would always be a drop of yellow in there.
• AVOID reds that get too cool or rose-toned. You never want to drift into Summer’s blush tones or Winter’s deep ruby shades; they will feel grey and dull on your deep, warm colouring.

Which Autumn red is right for you?

Shop the clothes: Scoop Neck Modal Vest; Short Sleeve Darcey Crew; Cashmere Gauze Stole; Vera Velevet Jacket; Soft Tailored Trousers; Jersey Maxi Skirt; Soft Tailored Blazer; Havana Shorts; Ponte Wide Leg Trousers

Although every red within this palette will work for you as an Autumn, if you know your sub-type (also known as a sub-season or tonal direction), you can identify your very best reds within this soft, warm and deep palette:

• Warm Autumn - the warmest tones, with the most orange and tomato tones
• Deep Autumn – clearer true reds, as well as browned-off burgundy shades
• True Autumn – think autumn leaves with rust and chestnut shades
• Soft Autumn – muted versions like red pear and musk red.

How to wear red as an Autumn

• Opt for the classic formula of light neutral + dark neutral + red colour splash, but be careful not to overwhelm your colouring with too much contrast – you may find chocolate brown, rich buttercream and rust red more flattering than marine navy, soft white and true red.
• Tonal colour block: pair red with another single shade in a different tone of brown or red, or a deeper purple to colour block without too much light/dark contrast.
• If you sit at the warmer end of the Autumn palette, try contrasting your red with other brights in your palette to help it pop.

The best red colours for the Winter palette

Shop the colours: Pillarbox Red; Scarlet; True Red; Tango Red; Carmine Red; Cardinal Red; Beaujolais; Rumba Red; Deep Claret

The Winter palette is cool, deep, and clear. This means that the best reds for Winters share these characteristics. If you’re a Winter, embrace bold, jewel-toned reds that add richness to your look and create high impact when paired with your neutrals or other brights.
When it comes to identifying your reds, keep in mind:

• Always remember the key words for your seasonal palette: cool, deep, and clear. If these apply, you’re probably in the right place.
• Think of precious ruby gemstones, or vibrant red holly berries in the depths of winter, as well as darker wine shades.
• Your reds might be very clear and bright or tend towards the deeper end of the palette, but always with full intensity. Imagine mixing them from paint; saturation would always be at maximum, and you might even mix a bit of black or blue into your red to deepen it further.
• AVOID reds that are muted and rose-hued, or warm coral shades. You never want to drift into Summer’s blush tones or Spring's coral-hued versions; they will feel insipid and cheap against your clear, cool colouring.

Which Winter red is right for you?

Shop the clothes: Camden Coat; Cashmere Gauze Stole; Ponte Wide Leg Trousers; Havana Chinos; Jersey Maxi Skirt; Cotton Rib Shirt; Pointelle Jumper; Faux Wrap Cap Sleeve; Relaxed Linen Shorts

Although every red within this palette will work for you as a Winter, if you know your sub-type (also known as a sub-season or tonal direction), you can identify your very best reds within this soft, warm, and deep palette:

• Cool winter – pink-hued cherry reds and deep burgundy hues will work well for you
• Deep Winter – true reds, as well as burgundy shades with a hint of brown to them
• True Winter – vibrant jewel ruby shades, as well as fuchsia-reds.
• Clear Winter – true reds, with plenty of saturation and vibrancy.

How to wear red as a Winter

• Opt for the classic formula of light neutral + dark neutral + red colour splash for maximum impact, pairing you red with white and navy or black for a classic finish
• Bold colour block: pair red with a contrasting hue like green, pink or blue for maximum impact.
• If you prefer a more tonal look, opt for charcoal and silver greys for an expensive look that still pops.

Can the same red work for more than one seasonal colour palette?

The same red can be coded for multiple seasons. This is particularly relevant for red, where True Red is one of the few colours that can sit in all four palettes, but plenty of versions of red share characteristics that work for multiple palettes.
Reds that cross between palettes include:

• A red that is particularly warm and tomato-hued will work well for Warm Springs and Warm Autumns
• A red which is cool and burgundy-toned will work well for Cool Summers and Cool Winters
• A red which is light watermelon or strawberry hued will work well for Light Summers and Light Springs.

You can see that sub-season matters here – a red that is superb on a Light Spring might work well on a Light Summer as they share that ‘Light’ characteristic, but it will lack the coolness and intensity that a Cool Summer demands as it sits so far away from that end of the Summer palette spectrum.

There is a red for everyone

If you’ve ever lacked confidence wearing red, remember that there is a red for everyone. The key isn’t deciding whether you can wear red or not; instead, it’s about understanding which part of the red spectrum belongs to your seasonal colour palette, and which options within that palette work for you.