LIGHT COOL : THE RULES OF WEARING COLORS

LIGHT COOL

If you suit silver best, but gold is ok. Blueish reds and pinks, and in general delicate, light, powdery, dusty, and cool colors are your best shades. Your natural coloring is the most delicate and understated of all the groups. You receive compliments in pastel shades and overall light, bright, delicate, and cool tones. Your best color will probably be light blue, because it mirrors your naturally cool and delicate look. Too much contrast is distracting on you, and monochromatic color schemes compliment your naturally low contrast level in a much better way. You might be a natural dark blonde or have light brown/red hair, but you were probably blonde (for red heads, strawberry blonde) as a child. This type is the typical cool and fair skinned blonde, and even though their skin can seem a little warm, it's actually beige with a pink undertone. However, some LIGHT COOLs are so neutral they flow into their sister group the LIGHT WARM, and some so soft that they start flowing into their neighbour the SOFT COOL. For this type, the most important thing is to keep it light, because bold, earthy, too dark and overpowering colors, does not do you justice.​​

Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Diandra Forrest, January Jones, Jennifer Morrison, Meryl Streep, Bryce Dallas Howard, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Jodie Foster.

IF YOU ARE A LIGHT COOL, YOU MAY HAVE 
Eyes: Grey, blue, grey-blue, grey-green, green, soft brown, or slate. Usually very light, or muted.
Hair: Light, medium, to deep ash blond and brown. Little or no red tones, or pale and soft red-haired. Your natural hair color is usually dark blonde or light ash/neutral brown, and was probably blonde as a child. 
Skin: Cool beige, gray beige, neutral beige, pale neutral beige, or soft beige. Pink toned, blue or mostly blue veins. Also some cases of green veins on pink toned skin. 

​Don't be too concerned with whether or not the people in the photos match your identical color combination, such as skin, hair color, and eyes. The most important thing is that you have the right contrast level, have a LIGHT coloring, and look good in the colors on the chart. If you do feel the need to identify with the LIGHT COOL "poster girls", best to google the names above without makeup, natural hair color and in daylight. Makeup, lighting, spray-tans, hair dye, and photoshop can change the overall appearance a lot. ​

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The LIGHT COOL coloring is the most delicate and understated of all the seasons, so to not overpower your naturally delicate look, balance and harmony is especially important for this group. The reason for this, is that the LIGHT COOL has an overall low contrast level. In other words, your eyes, skin, and hair are all relatively light and don't differ greatly in how dark or light they are. The best way of seeing your contrast level accurately, is by using a black and white photo. A photo of a LIGHT COOL, will probably look more like a grey toned photo though. 
​Being a LIGHT COOL means that you have a lightness to you overall look, a cold undertone to your natural hair color, eyes, and skin, and a preference for the cold, soft, powdery, light and delicate colors. ​This group doesn't need a lot of color to pop, but rather a need for the colors to match their own intensity. Because of this, the most important thing for this group is to keep the colors light and delicate. When venturing outside of your own color family, remember that even though being light is more important for you than cool, you're still a cool toned group. In general, blue shades will look better on you than red. ​Also, Silver and platinum are the metallics that suits you best, but gold can work pretty well too. Monochromatic or low contrast color combinations, such as multiple shades of blue (or another LIGHT COOL color), is the best way of doing "color blocking" for this delicate type. Prints and patterns should be done in the same delicate way, unless you want the outfit to steal attention from your face and hair. The best neutrals for this group, is nude, beige, soft white, stone, grey and greige. Something in grey or navy blue, is your version of black. Colors that are normally too bright and strong, can sometimes be worn as long as they're used on a small enough surface or far enough away from the face, such as on shoes and accessories. Sometimes even for skirts or pants, depending on the overall look. 

The LIGHT COOL, is in classical terms a light summer, and is not as cold as their PURE COOL neighbour (the classic summer). The reason for this is that the LIGHT COOL is sort of a mix between traditionally light and cold summer colors, and light and warm spring colors. It's kind of like you mixed a PURE COOL with a LIGHT WARM, and the result was a LIGHT COOL. This group is mainly cool toned and light, but has a hint of warmth that gives them a higher tolerance for warm hues, and makes them flow into the LIGHT WARM. You would think that the LIGHT COOL would have more in common with the PURE COOL since they're both summers, but it's not always that straight forward. Because of the many similarities between the two LIGHT groups and the fact that their color charts are both equally bright and light, it can sometimes be really difficult to separate the LIGHT COOL from the LIGHT WARM. They actually have so much in common that some are basically borderline the other group. These similarities, makes the LIGHT COOL and the LIGHT WARM, sister-groups. That means that one group can look can look pretty good in the colors on the sister-group's chart, and the other way around. However, one of the color charts will be better than the other, and you can tell the difference by which of the colors best bring out your natural glow and which are only ok on you. Light blue, ballerina pink, and lilac is a good example of colors that look very similar to those on the sister-group chart, and can therefore be easily shared. Some however, will be a less typical LIGHT COOL and lean more against the other groups bordering on the LIGHT WARM. The range of differences and variations of the people in any color group is probably as extensive as the colors on the the color charts. So, where you in particular will fit in, can be determined by how much PURE COOL you have in you, how much LIGHT WARM, or even SOFT tendencies. Try to imagine where you would fit on the color chart. Would you be one of the colors closer to the coldest shades, the warmer ones, or the softest ones? This affects what cusping group you're bordering on, and what colors you can borrow from where. One size does not fit all, so you have to experiment to determine where your comfort zone is. If in doubt, stick to your own color chart only, but if you want more options, testing what works and what doesn't is the only way. The LIGHT COOL colors will still be the absolutely best look and best suited for a makeup free face, but for those who want to have fun with fashion it's a good way to get more options. 

​Another trick to borrowing from cusping groups, or if you want to wear a color that's not even close to your preferred hues, such as black. Is to balance the look with the help of your own color chart. E.g. wear light pink lips, flattering eye makeup that's not too dark, but still gives you a little extra contrast, and make sure you hair color is perfect for your type. This will provide a color buffer that will absorb some of the fading of your natural coloring. Or, combine a soft white or light grey shirt with your black suit, for a lower contrast look and to mix in some of your own colors with this otherwise dark and harsh look. In some instances (like if you dye your hair a dark color) it can also be a good idea to use makeup to crank up your contrast level or to make sure you don't "lose" your features. This is more of a fashion statement advice and not one for a natural look, as bold is not a natural look for a LIGHT COOL. For example, a dark smokey eye combined with a black dress will wash this type out. To sum it up, for a natural look when wearing a too dark or bright outfit, go for a fresh faced makeup look, using your best colors. ​This will make sure your face wont lose it's wholesome natural glow, even though the dark/bright outfit might overpower you natural coloring and steal some of the attention. The extra fresh face, will compensate for the draining of your colors that usually happens when you wear the wrong colors, and make sure you still look like your beautiful self. The better the condition of your skin, the easier it will be to get away with the wrong colors. The more sensitive you skin is, the more you have to cheat to not look drab in the wrong shades. So, maybe just stick to your good colors if you want to keep it safe. It's a little bit like with the body types, you can't break too many rules at a time without it starting to affect your overall look. ​
It's obviously best to stick to the colors that suit you, the reality though is that most people still love wearing dark and bold colors. And in that case, chances are that people will be looking at your clothes and makeup and not you. So, it's good to know how to go about it to not be overpowered, or look tired and washed out. Something to keep in mind when venturing outside of the LIGHT COOL comfort zone

For a group this delicate and light, you should always compensate for the rule you break with adding a little extra of your best. LIGHT COOL's looks their best when they don't have a competing color nearby. Delicate coloring needs delicate colors. 
Natural or light colored makeup, a soft and light foundation color, soft eye-brows, a soft colored eye-liner, and light lipstick, is the LIGHT COOL's go-to makeup look. The key-word is natural and light, as on this type it's more than enough and will still look like a full makeup look. A dark smokey eye, deep red lips, or black eye-makeup in general can be a risky look (unless you want a goth look). A grey-brown, grey, or blue liner/eyeshadow will give a similar look, and come of dark enough for an edgy look on a LIGHT COOL. Some people like that goth-like and grungy, un-fresh look for effect, but it should be avoided if that's not what you're going for.
Also, be careful with fake tans and bronzers in general. Anything too warm toned can end up looking orange and fake. If you're warm toned a cold shade can make your skin look orange too, which is also a good test to use when in doubt about your undertone. If you or the color looks orange without actually being orange, either you or the color is too cold for the other. Embrace your delicate light skin and features. After all, it does make you look like the queen of winter, snow and ice. ​To best bring out the look nature gave you, you have to compliment your cold undertone and your low contrast level with colors similar to your own. 
Coloring your hair can have a very altering effect, and a naturally light hair can be a great base for many fun looks. But, if you want the color to look natural, pick a color that suits a light and cool. Don't go too far away from your natural shade. Platinum, soft, ashy, and icy shades of blonde are all great hair colors for this group. Neutral tones, light brown, or light golden shades, can also work quite well as this is not a 100% cold color group. Blonde highlights, baylage and ombre are some other great looks. If you want red hair, go for a soft and or cold to neutral red. Black and dark hair is usually a terrible choice for this naturally low contrast group, but as black still works well with pale and cold skin tones, I have seen some people pull it of. They usually have to commit to helping out their low contrast look with makeup, so that their features don't disappear next to the hight contrast hair. For example, Dita Von Teese and Katy Perry are two people who have pulled it off very successfully. However, I have seen Katy Perry without makeup, and her eyebrows and lashes are very light in comparison to her dark hair. So, she does look a bit faded with black hair, au natural. 
Balance between cold and warm, in a soft and light way, is the best styling advice for this type. 

Many color systems would be much stricter with these "color sharing" rules, but I feel it's important to include how to cheat with colors so that you can have more fun with fashion. Instead, I want to underline when you can cheat and when you really shouldn't. Also, a harsh or drab look, might be your form of self-expression, so the point is to give you the information on how colors affect you, and leave it to you to decide what to do with it. 
Looks does not determine your worth, but knowledge is power and knowing what suits you gives you the power to take control over your fashion choices. 
To sum it up, this is a very delicate color group, so borrowing colors is a tougher game than for most. Try to stick to your own colors, or borrow from cusping groups if you must. If you are in a sub-group that is already flowing into a different group, it's preferred to borrow from that group. Lastly, unless you are about 50/50 another group (like a neutral), it's still a makeup affair to even borrow colors from sister-groups. These rules apply to all the colors groups, but I go into this in greater detail for the LIGHT COOL, because it will have a bigger impact on a delicate coloring and low contrast level. A high intensity group can handle more than a low intensity group.
Don't get too focused on the skin, eye, and hair color though, there is always some unicorn person out there who breaks the mold. If these are your best colors, this is your group. I've found that what looks good on you, is far more important than what you look like. 

WORST COLORS ARE Wild and bold colors, and deep and dark colors. Dark, deep, bold, and wild colors, will overpower this light colored type and drain color instead of reflecting it. Keeping your colors light is so important that it's easier to get away with warm shades (if they're as light as the colors on your own chart), over darker ones. The LIGHT COOL, has a delicate and light palette, so you should avoid colors that are bright and strong at the same time. Harsh contrasts will wash you out, and soft, powdery colors with a cool undertone will complement and harmonize with your natural coloring. Those who have a visibly pink undertone to their skin has to be even stricter with the rules, because it makes you even more susceptible to an irritated skin look, if underlined by the wrong colors. 
Remember that your biggest "no colors" are the ones that will clash with either your eye, skin or hair color, no matter if everything else tells you it should be great. 

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Now that you know which "season" you belong to, and what type of shades that suits your light and cool coloring, you might feel that you sometimes also can wear some colors that aren't that cool. This might mean you have a "soft" or "neutral" tendency, and that you are flowing into a different group, such as the LIGHT WARM or the SOFT COOL. But, never go too warm, bold, or earthy, you still have to make sure you don't overpower your overall light look, as it can wash you out. You are above all a LIGHT COOL, and need hues that reflect that. These colors are based on your natural coloring, and might vary a little from one LIGHT COOL to another, but that's what the "add on" is for. 
Basing your type on looks alone might not be the safest way to find your sub-group. For example, I have seen a LIGHT COOL true with green eyes and an overall coloring that said MUTED WARM and a LIGHT COOL soft that looked more like a SOFT COOL, but during the color analysis the LIGHT COOL colors all matched perfectly, and the SOFT COOL and MUTED WARM colors were a little too dull, warm, and dirty for them.
All three LIGHT COOL sub-groups have a slightly different take on warmth, because they are flowing in slightly different directions. "The true" is flowing towards the PURE COOL, and will be the coldest of the LIGHT COOLs and true to their summer nature. "The soft" is flowing towards the more earthy summer, the SOFT COOL, and can borrow some of those colors. "The neutral" is flowing towards the LIGHT WARM, and can get away with a lot of LIGHT WARM colors with ease.
​​It might be difficult to find someone with your exact color combination to compare yourself with on the chart, so if you can't quite decide, try the group you lean towards the most and work your way from there. If that's not quite right either, try the next. A good tiebreaker for people who wonder if they're a LIGHT COOL, is that a LIGHT COOL must look great in powdery, cool, baby-blue, and that blue should be better on them than red, as this is a mostly cold group. If not, look towards the LIGHT WARM, or other groups that might fit. 

​All the sub-groups look good in the same colors, they just have a different set of "best colors", a different approach to combining colors and prints, and are cusping towards different (sister) groups.
The best way of finding your sub-group, is to figure out which ones are your "best colors", or if you suit LIGHT COOL colors almost equally as good as some colors on a different chart. If you can go anywhere but the LIGHT COOL, you're most likely a "true". 

For example, you can be a 
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LIGHT COOL true, or should I say simply light and cool, and the closest to the PURE COOL (Kirsten Dunst, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meryl Streep, and Jennifer Morrison). In traditional systems, I would call this type a light summer, and they will usually find themselves in almost all color systems out there. This type will usually have blue eyes, grey, grey-blue, slate, but can also have green, mixed, or something similar. Their skin tone is most likely a type of beige, with a pink undertone. The veins on their arm is most likely blue, or mostly blue. They're naturally light skinned, and great at making pale look good. In fact, the pale skin and blonde hair can make them look like a snow queen, when other people would look winter drab. Don't get too focused on the skin, eye, and hair combo though, the most important thing is that you have a cool, or at least neutral skin color, with a pink and or blue undertone. This type is usually a natural blonde, dark blonde, or light brunette, and was probably blonde as a child. Because of this, most of them look their best with blonde hair. Anything from a blondette, dark blonde, icy blonde, soft golden blonde, platinum blonde, highlights, ombre, baylage with light colors, and similar, is a great look for them.
This sub-group is about 50/50 PURE COOL and LIGHT WARM, and can sometimes borrow colors from both the PURE COOL and the LIGHT WARM. Just be sure the pure colors don't overpower your delicate coloring, or the warm colors get too warm (you're not a neutral). Light colors make this group pop, and dark colors can dim their light and delicate look. This type is usually their best when hair color, makeup, clothing, and everything they wear look light, soft and balanced. Monochromatic color schemes or delicate prints, are a good way of mixing colors for a safe and gentle look.
Their "best colors" are dusty, light, soft, and fresh hues on the LIGHT COOL chart. If you are a LIGHT COOL true, the typical light summer look should work more or less perfectly for you. 

LIGHT COOL neutral, a.k.a "The summer flowing into spring" (Naomi Watts, January Jones, Diandra Forrest, and Emma Stone). ​Some LIGHT COOLs, such as the LIGHT COOL neutral, is taking the sister-group phenomenon one step further and is actually flowing into it's sister-group, the LIGHT WARM. The LIGHT COOL neutral can therefore use colors from both groups with great success. It can sometimes be really difficult to decide which of the groups the neutral belongs to, but the trick is to see how they react to the coldest and warmest colors on the LIGHT COOL and LIGHT WARM chart. A LIGHT COOL should look great in a shade of light and cold grey-blue and grey-brown, and less striking in "true spring" shades of green. For example, if tomato red looks orange on you (and make sure it is red and not orange) even though it looks nice, it means that you are a little more cool toned. If bright yellow, grass and apple green looks just a little too bright on you, and berry colors looks great, thats a sign of cool toned too. If cold pink looks more calm and natural on you than peach, you are most likely a LIGHT COOL neutral. This sub-group is above all LIGHT, and for some there are just minor differences that keep them in the COOL family. The LIGHT COOL neutral, is pretty much borderline LIGHT WARM and can handle a lot of LIGHT WARM colors (depending of level of neutrality). I some cases they use LIGHT COOL colors in the winter when they are pale, and can use LIGHT WARM colors in the summer when they have a tan. Be careful with spray tans though, it can look a little orange on cool toned types, even if they're a neutral. Going for a full LIGHT WARM look, might come off a little unbalanced and sometimes fake.
Another way to take advantage of this neutral ability, is to combine LIGHT WARM and LIGHT COOL colors in one look. The absolutely best way to do this would be to keep the look dominantly cool toned for makeup (foundation, blush, bronzer, eyebrows, eye shadow, eye liner), and then experiment more with clothing, accessories, and maybe lipstick. The hair is also a good place to experiment with warmer shades, so the LIGHT COOL neutral can choose between a neutral towards warm or a cold hair color without much difficulty. For the neutral LIGHT COOLs closing in on a 51/49 LIGHT COOL/WARM look (like January Jones), they can pick and choose between a spring and summer look, as long as they keep it light and bright. Sometimes even so much, I have seen CLEAR WARM colors work. The LIGHT COOL colors will still be their absolutely best look and best suited for a makeup free face.
This sub-group's biggest enemies are not warm colors, but rather dark, deep, dirty, and bold colors that are very saturated, because that will wash them out. Remember that for this sub-group it's not so much about what you can't do, but more about what you can do.

LIGHT COOL soft, a.k.a "The summer with a little hint of autumn" (Michelle Pfeiffer, Jodie Foster, and Bryce Dallas Howard). The LIGHT COOL soft is a LIGHT COOL with a hint of earthy warmth, giving them a cold with "a dash of neutral" quality. As opposed to the bright and sunny warmth of a LIGHT COOL neutral, the LIGHT COOL soft is flowing into the SOFT COOL instead. This sub-group will usually have either, blue, grey, grey-blue, slate, grey-green, or green eyes. They might have blue, or a mix of blue and green veins without being a warm group. The skin color may appear neutral beige or fair, and have a pink undertone (which keeps them in the cold color family). Hair will usually be a natural dark blonde to light brown, but was probably blonde to strawberry blonde as a child. The strawberry blondes may grow up to be like Bryce Dallas Howard, a natural red-head that looks their best in LIGHT COOL hues and dull in most colors typically associated with natural red-heads. If you wan't to dye your natural red hair, pick a soft red or a cold red. Look at Bryce Dallas Howard and the colors she picks, they're not too warm and not too wild, but usually a soft copper or a type of mahogany. Be careful with going red unless your a natural one. For the brunettes and dark blondes, a little soft golden, higlights, ombre, baylage and so on, is a very good soft look, but still light and delicate enough. Leaving the roots dark, can be the most delicate way of going blonde for this type. Some golden tones can also work pretty well on this type. Neutral is the best color choice, and icy blonde might be a little too purely cold. It all comes down to the skin color of each individual. Especially with age or for those with visibly pink areas on their skin, very bright blonde hair can become a little aging or harsh.
The LIGHT COOL soft, is still a blonde type, so it's always a good idea to keep it in the blonde family (or red if that's your natural color). The key is natural and soft. The fact that this type is borderline SOFT COOL, is why dark blonde or light brown hair is such a good look on them (or red for the natural red-heads). They still look their best in LIGHT COOL colors and can look good with blonde hair, so they're not an actual SOFT COOL and rather just someone who shares some qualities with their neighbouring group. It's this combination of cold, warm, and neutral features that aren't quite warm and muted enough to be an actual autumn-mixed type, that defines the LIGHT COOL soft. Many identifying with this type have probably never really found a perfect match in classic color systems, although summer was probably their closest fit. The LIGHT COOL soft is often confused for the PURE COOL or SOFT COOL (summer or summer-autumn mix), as they have some similarities. The dominating feature of the SOFT COOL is summer with a hint of autumn, and the PURE COOL is colder and not as bright as the LIGHT COOL. For the LIGHT COOL soft, the dominating feature is light summer, but with a dab of autumn. Because of this mix, the LIGHT COOL soft look their best in the softest colors on the LIGHT COOL chart and can borrow some colors fromt the SOFT COOL (as long as they aren't too far from the look of the colors on the LIGHT COOL chart. Too saturated colors will overpower you even more easily than the rest of your fellow LIGHT WARMs.

Last, but not least. Remember that the only thing that really matters is what looks and feels good on you. The rules are only there to guide and help you, not control you.

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LIGHT COOL VARIATIONS

LIGHT COOL neutral 
(Naomi Watts)

Being a LIGHT COOL neutral, like Naomi Watts, means that you are flowing into LIGHT WARM. Light and bright hair colors will always be better on you, and neutral shades can be a really great look. 

As a LIGHT COOL neutral, a typical LIGHT COOL look (above) is the best look on her. However, a LIGHT WARM look (below), looks almost just as good. Ps! The lighting in the photos change the appearance of the skin tone and hair to appear a little warmer than they are. It would still look good on her in a colder light too though.  

This a little too saturated look (below), is a good example of how not all LIGHT WARM looks work for the LIGHT WARM neutral, and that the LIGHT COOL colors are more natural on them. 

Too dark and bold colors, as seen below, is not as fresh on her. As mentioned before, dark colors are the worst on the LIGHT.

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LIGHT COOL neutral 
(Emma Stone)

Emma Stone is a natural blonde, and a green eyed, LIGHT COOL neutral. Which means that she is right on the cusp of COOL, flowing into WARM. She looks good with LIGHT WARM colors as well as LIGHT COOL colors, but the LIGHT COOL shades look much more natural and focused on her. The peach (below) looks good on her with a tan, but it looks a little fake and too orange as well. This is what happens wen a LIGHT COOL neutral, goes too far into LIGHT WARM mode. She should have kept at least one leg in LIGHT COOL color town. 

As you can tell by the photos below, a middle way between LIGHT COOL and LIGHT WARM colors, is a much better way of taking advantage of the neutral coloring allowing her to choose from two groups. 

She still looks her most natural and fresh in LIGHT COOL colors though (below), which shows that she is still a LIGHT COOL, and rather a LIGHT COOL neutral. 

Even though dark red hair can look good on a LIGHT WARM neutral, it does not make you a dark or earth colored type. So, stay away from deep, dark, or earthy colors, as they are not for you. The deep red above works because it's not too dark, but a lighter red would be better. The dark green and dark blue outfits below, is getting a little to harsh for her, even with makeup. None of these are makeup free colors, but some are still better with makeup than others. For a LIGHT COOL neutral, it's actually better too go LIGHT WARM than to goo dark.

Emma Stone is a natural blonde, but even though she looks natural as a red head, her natural hair color is still better help when it comes to pulling off colors that are actually too dark. If you compare the photo with red hair with the blonde, both in similar dark and deep colors, you can tell that even though her outfit steals away attention from her face in both the photos, she looks a bit more fresh faced with her natural blonde hair color. It's about keeping the balance and not going too much into a different color look than what's natural for you. She's probably not this light blonde naturally, but something close in dark blonde I imagine.

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LIGHT COOL neutral
(Diandra Forrest)

Diandra Forrest is a model and a natural soft red head. Even though she might come of as a SOFT COOL, SOFT WARM or MUTED WARM, or even LIGHT WARM, she does have all the qualities of an ice queen just as any LIGHT COOL. She doesn't have a purely cool coloring either, and that's why she's a LIGHT COOL neutral. 

Now that you've seen that LIGHT COOL colors are great on her, here are some examples of why she's a LIGHT COOL neutral. The fact that the golden blonde, and those more typically LIGHT WARM colors looks so fresh on her too, means that she can get away with both. I would say that LIGHT COOL colors is her best look and safest makeup free colors, but with a full look those LIGHT WARM colors look really fresh too. 

The reason why she's not a SOFT COOL, is because yellow is surprisingly good on her, and a SOFT COOL/WARM can't handle most shades of yellow.

Also, the SOFT COOL look, does look ok on her, but it's a little too dark for a natural look, and works better as a fashion statement. There are a couple of colors that overlap on the SOFT and LIGHT COOL color chart, so that is also why a look that shouldn't still works.
As for the not so good looks, black is not the best on a LIGHT COOL, but because her hair and makeup is so right for her, she still looks like a snow queen in that black dress. The black and red below, is too bold for her, even with makeup. So, be careful not too overpower your delicate look, even with the right makeup and hair.

LIGHT COOL neutral 
(January Jones)

January Jones is also a LIGHT COOL neutral, and as you can see, she is so much in the middle of COOL and WARM, that she looks fresh in both LIGHT and CLEAR WARM colors (bright purple and yellow, above). Her borderline warm look, helps her pull of both looks really well. She's a good example of that some LIGHT COOL neutrals are so neutral, they can pretty much be both. As seen in the photos above, she looks really well in not only LIGHT WARM colors, but also a CLEAR WARM color (the purple). It's a tad too bold, but not enough to be bad.

As you can tell by the color chart, the LIGHT COOL is not as cool as the PURE COOL, and so their best red is actually a little orange (and more similar to the LIGHT WARM kind of red). Don't go too orange though, because that will be too bold and warm for you. The red looking orange, is also a good indicator that you're still a LIGHT COOL. It looks good on you, but the orange look when it's actually just a warm red gives it away. On a LIGHT WARM, you would not perceive that shade of red as this orange. 

January Jones is one of those LIGHT COOL neutrals that are so neutral, they can pretty much be both (above).

With the right hair and makeup, black or other dark colors can look pretty good on a LIGHT COOL. But, if you go too winter (like in the photo above), it can start to look a little harsh. Still works, but those are not her makeup free colors. In the photo below however, it has taken a turn for too deep, and makes her look a little faded and dull. A deep look is not for the LIGHT COOL.

These LIGHT WARM and CLEAR WARM colors below, is what alerted me to the fact that she was still leaning a little more to the LIGHT COOL. The bright yellow, the hot pink, and the peach, did clash a little with her skin which it shouldn't on a LIGHT WARM. There is also a visible pink undertone in the natural day light photo, in the khaki green shirt.

In the photos below, you can tell why January Jones is a LIGHT COOL neutral, and not fully a LIGHT WARM. The LIGHT COOL shades just look so much more calm, natural, and youthful on her than the LIGHT WARM shades above. Also the fact that her skin actually has a pink undertone, not a peach one. A tan or a fake tan however, does really give her the ability too look pretty good in LIGHT WARM colors too. The powdery blue and dusty pink is definitely some of her best shades (below)

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LIGHT COOL true
(Amy Poehler)

Since the LIGHT COOL and the LIGHT WARM are so similar, it can sometimes be really difficult to separate one from the other and figure out which is which. In situations like this, the only way is to compare what you look like in one color compared to the other. As you can tell, Amy Poehler looks her best in LIGHT COOL colors, and even though the LIGHT WARM, yellow look below is fine on her, it's still a little too much. She could maybe even be a LIGHT COOL neutral, but because it appears to only be the makeup that makes it work, she still lands in the LIGHT COOL true. 

This deep blue, metallic dress, is just too bold for a LIGHT COOL true, and it's important to separate the soft, dark blue on the LIGHT COOL chart, with a highly saturated one like this. They might both look dark blue, but one is softer than the other. 

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LIGHT COOL true
(Reese Witherspoon)

Reese Witherspoon is another perfect example of the sometimes warm look a LIGHT COOL true can have, that in reality is just beige skin with a pink undertone. Tan does not necessarily mean warm. 

The cold red above looks really flattering on her. Just make sure you don't pick a red that's too bold or deep, as this group doesn't go for cold colors in a typical cold way, and need a soft lightness to everything. 
​Below, you can see what a hue that's too deep can do. It's just a little too dark on her and steals away attention from her features. The black pattern doesn't help, but even without that, this shade of blue would have been a little too bold. 

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LIGHT COOL true
(Gwyneth Paltrow)

Gwyneth Paltrow is a LIGHT COOL true "poster girl", with very typical coloring.

Powdery cool pink and other powdery cool colors, like soft types of blue, are great on the LIGHT COOL true. Next to icy grey, silver, and soft white, it really gives this type an ice queen look few others can pull off. 
Dusty colors such as grey, beige, greige, and so on are other great soft colors for this delicate type. 

Blush is another stunning shade, and even though it looks a little warm, it's very much a LIGHT COOL color. It's a great example of how to use the small hints of warmth in this color group.

Finally, if you want to wear black, make sure you have some of your best colors to help you out. The icy silver look below, is a great example of this. The silver close to her face counteract the black and makes sure it doesn't steal a lot of color from her. 

LIGHT COOL true 
(Jennifer Morrison)

Jennifer Morrison is a LIGHT COOL true, and that means that your best look is light and cold. Light, and cool hair brings out the best in you, and dark hair, makeup, and clothing in al forms is probably not doing you any favours. If you must, then go bright, not deep. As you can tell in the photos above, soft red hair can be a good look on many LIGHT COOL's in any sub-group. The reason why the soft red is better than the ashy, dark  brown, is that it's a much softer color and not as harsh on the skin. A dark blonde or light brown is really as dark as the LIGHT COOL true can go without running the risk of looking dull or washed out. Compared to the photos below with blonde hair, you can tell that this look is much more soft, natural, and fresh on the LIGHT COOL true. Which is typical for a LIGHT COOL true, as they are usually their best as a light blonde. They are also not purely cool toned, so light is more important than warm, even for the LIGHT COOL true. 

The bright orange, and the black and red  contrast (below), is also a bit too bold for this type. Even though the makeup and hair was right for her, the red the right shade and so on, the black became too dark and the orange too bold. How you combine colors is also really important for this type, as some contrasts can be amplified or softened by what their paired with. If you want a black coat to work, you need to use a color that is light or soft instead of another really saturated color. Even if it's from your own chart. 

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LIGHT COOL true
(Meryl Streep)

Meryl Streep is a good example of the way hair color might change with age on a LIGHT COOL true. Also, that white or grey hair can look great on this type, and not as aging as on other types.

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LIGHT COOL true
(Kirsten Dunst)

Kirsten Dunst is another LIGHT COOL true that provs that red hair can work for most, as long as you pick the right shade. She's also one of the LIGHT COOL's that have sensitive skin, so the colors she wears are quick to affect the overall look of her skin. 

Because of the LIGHT COOL sister-group (the LIGHT WARM), even the LIGHT COOL true can look pretty decent in yellow. Even when it's not their shade of yellow (above).
Below, you can tell that dark colors are much more of a difficulty for such a low contrast level type. 

Earthy colors are not very great on them either, and can look a little dull (below). Since light and bright is their most important feature, colors that are too far away from that, will be their worst.

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LIGHT COOL true
(Katy Perry)

Katy Perry is a natural dirty blond, and a LIGHT COOL true. However, she has transformed herself into a CLEAR COOL bright, and gets away with it. 
With little or no makeup it overpowers her, or in the worst case washes her out. Her natural features are so light compared to the intensity of the black, so it only works really well with a full face of makeup.

If you want to have dark hair, there are ways to make it work. You just have to do it right. Katy Perry is a LIGHT COOL true, that means that her dominant features is both light and cool. If you're a soft or a neutral you can handle some warm colors. As a true cool, you should rather aim for a darker look on the COOL side of the chart, rather than a WARM. First of all, a full face of makeup, with penciled in eyebrows, and eyeliner, always helps to keep up with the contrast of a darker hair. But, more importantly, notice how picking dark colors from the LIGHT COOL charts, helps the look to still stay in the right shades. It even looks really nice. Also, picking black hair, keeps the hair color at least cold so that it matches her skin tone. Keeping her skin pale, keeps the look from getting too fake. 

Katy Perry is a LIGHT COOL true, but it can sometimes be hard to tell if you don't catch her in a natural makeup look. Above you can see examples of her with blonde hair and a somewhat natural makeup look. Below the dark eyebrows and slightly too earthy colored, dark, and dirty makeup and outfits, make it look a little unnatural. However, that's the look she likes, and she always finds a way to make it look pretty. Katy Perry is a good example of someone who really has fun with fashion, and always makes it work even when it shouldn't. 

It is actually quite incredible how well Katy Perry has been able to turn her LIGHT COOL true coloring into looking so well in these CLEAR COOL bright looks. The fact that she has a light skin tone, does help, as black is a cold toned hair color. That combined with the fact that her eyes are bright blue. She's just one of those people who has figured what color group they have enough similarities with, to be able to change into that look. If she wanted a DEEP WARM look, that would be a lot harder for her. 

Katy Perry has actually been so successful at creating a "CLEAR COOL bright" look, that the navy blue look (below) actually does come off a little dull on her (The way it would on a "bright"). This just proves that going bright is better than going deep for a LIGHT COOL. If you want to change your look, you can. You just need to find a way to balance the look, so that you don't lose your natural glow.

LIGHT COOL soft
(Michelle Pfeiffer)

Michelle Pfeiffer is a LIGHT COOL soft, which means that she is flowing into SOFT COOL. But, only a little bit. She looks her best in LIGHT COOL colors, and the softest shades on the LIGHT COOL colors chart are her best matches. She is a LIGHT COOL, with a hint of SOFT COOL. Not enough to be an actual SOFT COOL, but enough to share some qualities. One of these are that extremely light hair might be a little harsh on them. Softer hair colors, highlights and similar, keeping the roots darker, or leaving it the natural dark blonde, is the best look for many of them. After a certain age, very blonde hair might be too much, even though they were super blonde as a child. It's for most of the LIGHT COOL soft's, because of their skin tone, and that it's not as cold or bright as the rest of the LIGHT COOL's. ​

To sum it up, because of this SOFT COOL connection, this type can use some SOFT COOL colors, but more importantly it affects how their skin color responds to blonde hair. The LIGHT COOL soft have a slightly warmer tone to them, but not in the direction of LIGHT WARM (like the neutral), but rather more in the direction of earth toned, just like their SOFT COOL neighbour. Not so much that they are actual SOFTs, but just enough to make them a slighty different type of LIGHT COOL. They may have both green and blue veins on their wrists. ​

Typically for the LIGHT COOL soft, is that they have a skin tone that is a little closer to a SOFT COOL skin tone, and can therefore look just as good brunette or blondette, or even better than as a blonde. This is the biggest difference from from the LIGHT COOL true. They're still a LIGHT and not a SOFT dominantly, so they shouldn't go darker than their natural shade (light brown/dark blonde), as that would be too harsh. 

The best look for many of this type, is to change from blonde to blondette or dark blonde with age, as it can be a much softer look for your slightly softer features. ​

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LIGHT COOL soft 
(Jodie Foster)

The LIGHT COOL soft, is dominantly cool, but is a little softer in appearance and coloring than a true and a neutral (see a full explanation above). They often have light brown or dark blonde hair naturally, and was anything from very light blonde to dark blonde as a child. Most adults aren't light blonde naturally and often ligthen their hair to stay a blonde, but in this sub-groups case, it's often a good idea to keep the hair natutal (or at least natural looking).

As you can tell from these photos, dark blonde hair is a little softer on the LIGHT COOL soft's skin.
Bright blonde is not a bad look, and I would say it looks good on them. Dark blonde is just a little better for their skin tone. Black hair is an example of a hair color that's actually bad on this type, but since we're on the topic of best looks, I'm being as specific as possible. 

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LIGHT COOL soft
(Bryce Dallas Howard)

Don't be fooled by her natural red hair and green eyes, because Bryce Dallas Howard, is actually a natural LIGHT COOL soft. She looks her best in soft and cold shades of red, and since the LIGHT COOL is not as strictly cold as the typical summer, red hair can actually look really great on this type. For Bryce it's her cold skin tone  with a pink undertone and cold green eyes that makes her a LIGHT COOL, and you can tell by how radiant she looks in all the LIGHT COOL shades below. 

Bryce's natural hair color is a soft red (below), but other shades of soft copper or mahogany red is also a really flattering look on her. 

Here's Bryce with blonde hair (above). It looks nice on her, but not as good on her as her natural soft red, which might be confusing in a LIGHT COOL group. However, since she is a LIGHT COOL soft (unlike Emma Stone) very bleached hair is not necessarily the best for this sub-group. Also, her makeup us a little too orange in this photo, and so it would probably look better if her face was the same fair shade as in the oher photos. You can also see on her neck, that her natural skin tone has a pink undertone. So, this is also a good example of the rule about cool toned group and fake tans and bronzers. If a LIGHT COOL looks orange like in this photo, it's a sign that their makeup is too warm toned. She's still pretty, it just doesn't look natural.

An orange red color works pretty well on a LIGHT COOL, so it's not as efficient on the typical, "is cold red better than warm red" test. The fact that the red looks so orange, is a point towards cold toned, but it can be confusing without other colors to compare her coloring with. A better test, is trying other other warm colors, that's not at all on the LIGHT COOL color chart. As you can see below, orange it self, or shades of bright or mustard like yellow, will let you know this red head is not a warm toned one. Not terrible, since the LIGHT COOL has the LIGHT WARM as as sister-group, but you can tell it clashes a little with her skin tone.

Another good test to figure out if this red head is a LIGHT COOL, is too see them in deep and dark colors (below). As you can see, the black and deep shades of blue is just a little too much for the delicate and light Bryce. The colors are cold, so they don't really clash with the skin, but it's more of a too dark and harsh situation going on. These looks are meant for a DEEP COOL and or CLEAR COOL. 

Below, you can see her in a shade of true red, which is a neutral red. This is just a little too bold for a LIGHT COOL. So, be careful and take notice of the softness of the darker and brighter shades. This shade belongs on a CLEAR COOL. 

Below, there's a good comparison of a warm toned red-head (Jessica Chastain, left) and a cold toned red head (Bryce Dallas Howard, right). The skin color is the most obvious difference, as well as how well the light blue shade looks on Bryce. The brown shade of that metallic dress that Jessica is wearing, would look really dull on Bryce. Normally an icy blue shade like that would be quite bad on a typical earth-toned red-head. Which proves that there are actually naturally born red-heads that look their best in cold toned colors. Skin tone and eye color are always the strongest indicator of undertone.
​The lesson is, not all red-heads are autumns or warm toned.

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to determine your color group, click here.

for the rules of wearing colors overview, click here.

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(My sources are "Color me beautiful", thechicfashionista.com, http://visual.ly/, http://www.truth-is-beauty.com/, the 12 seasons system, the 16 season system, and the basic four element system. I have made alterations and created my own system. Photos in this post are random pictures from Tumbler, Pinterest or borrowed via Google. Unknown source.)