MUTED WARM : THE RULES OF WEARING COLORS

MUTED WARM

If you suit bronze or gold best, tomato red, olive and forest green, and other golden, dirty, burnt, earthy, spice colors in rich and muted tones. Your natural coloring is either fiery or muted, and your best colors are those who remind you of an autumn landscape and enhance your natural warm glow. Dusty cool pastels and cool intense colors, does not do you justice. So, try to keep your look in harmony with your naturally muted intensity. On a true MUTED WARM there will always be a dramatic difference between when wearing right and wrong colors, and they have a hard time borrowing colors from other groups without looking washed out. Some of the more saturated and darker toned MUTED WARMS can sometimes borrow colors from other warm groups.

Eva Mendes, Eva Marcille, Kandyse McClure, Sarika Hassan, Rachel Weisz, Carey Mulligan, 
​Isla Fisher, Julianne Moore, and Lily Cole.

IF YOU ARE A MUTED WARM, YOU MAY HAVE
Eyes: Can be any color, but is usually medium brown or light brown, olive green, hazel, dark hazel, blue, mixed blue, gray-green, mixed green, and sometimes even deep brown.
Hair: Medium golden brown, deep golden brown, medium chestnut, rich and warm red, auburn, ginger, strawberry blonde, may have red or golden highlights. 
Skin: Bronze, golden beige, neutral beige, warm beige, ivory, can be very pale or rather deep. May have freckles.
If your contrast level is very high, it may indicate that you are flowing towards DEEP WARM or CLEAR WARM.

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

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A MUTED WARM is what in classical terms have been called an autumn, and are typically those whose overall coloring is rather muted, deep, earthy and warm. 
MUTED WARM colors can appear to be rich and vibrant when seen on a person with MUTED WARM coloring, and their softness is only apparent when compared to a much brighter group, such as CLEAR WARM (for example).
This group has an undeniable richness and vibrance to their natural coloring, and a bronze, golden, or coppery glow in their skin and eyes, and although they might be stereotypically represented as a redhead, it is actually quite common to have naturally brown hair. Never the less, red will probably look very believable and great on you. 
Being such a warm and rich, but yet delicate group, it makes it possible for this type to transform dirty and muted hues into a warm, glowing, calm, but powerful and passionate, down to earth kind of beauty (when worn right). 
Some MUTED WARM's may have a slight coolness or a little higher intensity to a few of their features, such as dark or cooler hair or eyes, which means they are flowing into CLEAR WARM, DEEP WARM or SOFT WARM. 
The difference between the other earthy and warm groups; such as the more delicate, SOFT WARM, and the more intense DEEP WARM, is that the DEEP WARM has a much higher contrast level, can handle stronger colors such as black and hot pink, and usually looks overall darker and deeper. The SOFT WARM is almost a mix between LIGHT COOL and MUTED WARM, and is much softer, borderline neutral and a little cooler. 

The MUTED WARM is the warmest type there is, and it's features are brought to life by rich, warm, golden colors that are a little muted. Earthy and spicy are the key words to describe this look, and colors that are very bright, cool, too pure, or clear can be overwhelming and look blend and unbalanced on this delicate group. It is important to choose colors that will echo their own natural delicate coloring, and medium to low contrast level.
The odds are that black and pure white will wash you out. A deep chocolate brown and cream white would be better, especially without makeup. 
This group doesn't need contrast as much as it needs glow, so this means that you can look great in an all camel outfit only matched with bronze accessories, an all mustard yellow look, or a tomato red dress matched with a olive green coat. These are looks that would drain colors or wash out most other types, because they don't have enough natural warmth or softness. For the highest contrast MUTED WARM's, it is possible to stray a little from the color-chart, but never forget to balance foreign colors with your own features.
A MUTED WARM looks best in warm shades and has a warm undertone to their overall look. You can tell by the fact that they look great in cream, camel, olive green, golden browns, chestnut, coral, tomato red, mustard and golden yellow, beige, forest green, and peach. But also navy blue, some shades of warm muted blue and aqua, purple, teal and kelly green looks really good. Bronze and gold are the metallics that compliment a MUTED WARM best, because it has the right glow for their muted warm look. Silver can work on those who has some cool features, such as pale skin.
Deep to medium and light shades of hair color, will all work on the medium to light intensity of the MUTED WARM. More importantly, always choose warm colors. Ashy shades, black and platinum blond are not hair colors for this muted and warm shading. Most MUTED WARM's look faded and fake with these hair colors, as it drains color from the face. Whilst, deep warm brown, red, golden brown, strawberry blond and so on, makes the features appear more defined and fresher.

WORST COLORS ARE Cool dusty pastels and cool bright colors.
These colors does absolutely nothing for you. 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. A MUTED WARM needs golden, rich, dirty, muted and purely warm colors, to make sure your features are in focus and not the clothes or hair.  
You can tell when you are wearing the right colors from the distinctive bronze or golden glow a MUTED WARM's skin or overall coloring get about them when wearing warm, rich colors.

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Now that you know which "season" you belong to, and what type of colors that suits your warm intensity, you might feel that you sometimes also fit some colors that aren't that muted or all warm. This might mean you have a "soft" or "clear" tendency, and that you can get away with colors outside of your group, that are either softer, colder or brighter. But never go too soft and muted, all bold and bright, or all cold and icy. You can still run the risk of looking faded and dull, because you are above all EARTHY, and need hues that reflect that. These colors are based on your natural coloring, and might vary a little from one MUTED WARM to another, but that's what the "add on" is for. 


For example, you can be a 
MUTED WARM true, or should I say simply muted and warm (Julianne Moore or Kate Beckinsale). This is a classic MUTED WARM, and these women are a perfect example of how a MUTED WARM can be both fair as well as darker. A true MUTED WARM will look most probably have warm eyes, such as green, hazel or brown eyes, and a warm hair color, but can have variations in the skin-tone. You may have some cooler features, but you will still look your best in muted, golden, warm, rich, spicy and earthy colors. If you are a MUTED WARM true, the rules above should apply to you more or less perfectly.

MUTED WARM clear, (Eva Marcille and Eva Mendes) has the sharpest overall coloring of all the MUTED WARM's, and (usually) have deeper or brighter eyes and hair, and often a slightly darker/tanned skin. The MUTED WARM clear can actually have any variation, but what they have in common is that they all seem as if they are flowing a little into DEEP WARM or CLEAR WARM, although they're not actually deep or clear enough. Clear or bold colors can look flattering on this type, and so they can get away with a little more drama. But they are still a MUTED WARM, and the clear or deep colors wont look as natural and fresh as the earthy tones will, just as black and pure white will be a little too harsh on you. On the color-chart, the most vibrant MUTED WARM colors would be the best on this sub-group, so for the best look, combine rich earthy colors with some brighter elements. If you go too bold or bright the look will overpower you, so best to "brighten it up" in the smaller details, using accessories, pattern, or a lipstick. This trick can give you a freshness equal to the CLEAR WARM or DEEP WARM look, but never forget that your base always should be warm and muted. The sub-groups are not so much about what you can't do, but more about what you can do; like taking advantage of your "sub-features" to get away with even more colors. 

MUTED WARM soft, (Lily Cole) looks her best in MUTED WARM colors, but she's not as rich and warm as the rest of the MUTED WARM's. You may have lighter hair and fair skin, and maybe even some cold features such as blue eyes. The MUTED WARM soft is borderline SOFT WARM, so they are best to stick to deeper colors if they wish to color their hair (never lighter), because they are already a little too soft for their own colors. Because they do have some cooler features they can look good in some SOFT WARM colors, such as mulberry and powdery blue, but will look amazing in warm, golden, earthy colors that will turn up the heat on your overall look. 
The MUTED WARM soft don't have as much intensity as the rest of the MUTED WARM's, so their glow is a little different, and easily confused with the SOFT WARM (so, thats where they should borrow colors from).  Bronze will probably be better for you than gold, since it's a little softer, but both gold and silver works too. A MUTED WARM soft is still very much a MUTED WARM, and typically neutral and pure colors wont look as good. On the color-chart, the most muted and golden colors would be the best on this sub-group, so for the best look, stick too rich earthy colors when it comes to hair and makeup, and then you can feel free to borrow some cooler hues from your cusping group, the SOFT WARM.

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MUTED WARM VARIATIONS

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MUTED WARM soft 
Lily Cole

Lily Cole is a typical case of best with a deep warm hair color, and "too blond or too dark" looks very unnatural and drains the color from her face. 

MUTED WARM soft, is so delicate that it is borderline SOFT WARM, and can be a little neutral because they usually have some cooler features as well, such as blue eyes. Because of this they can look good in the softer SOFT WARM colors. But the MUTED WARM colors give the right kind of glow.

It is just remarkable how much more "wrong colors" a MUTED WARM soft can handle (black dress), as long as they have the right hair color and makeup. And it's even more impressive how bad a good color can look if the hair is colored to light or too dark as well (green and orange). 
Below I have collected a few images showing how too cool, pale or bright colors will affect the very delicate and slightly neutral MUTED WARM soft. 

When someone as soft as Lily Cole wears CLEAR COOL bright colors, you only see her clothes, and the girl disappears (or you have to struggle to focus on her face because the clothes makes your eyes drift). The only thing that saves the outfit is the warm beige jacket with yellow on it (even though the yellow is still too bright for her).

MUTED WARM true
Julianne Moore

The colors above are rich, warm, muted and earthy, and it's easy to tell that those colors add something to Julianne Moore's fiery look. The too cold colors below are a little too much or too little, even on someone as gorgeous as Julianne Moore.

Some shades of dusty or deep blue and aqua is actually a great color on the MUTED WARM, but these shades are a little too cool. Think warm blue. But the biggest problem in the image above, is the blond hair, which just makes her fade away. 

You may wonder why someone MUTED WARM true can look this amazing in a cool color such silver. First of all gold and silver are both slightly neutral, so most people can look ok in both, the right metal will just add glow. Second of all, Julianne Moore has a really pale skin, which can easily appear cool, and third, the whole look works because of the correct hair color and makeup, combined with a deep navy bottom. Navy blue is a great color on the MUTED WARM as well, and adds that extra depth that a MUTED WARM needs. The look would have been even greater in bronze, but silver is also an ok color for anyone with a pale skin.  

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MUTED WARM true
Isla Fisher

You can tell that gold looks better than silver and a muted and warm red is better than a true red, because the true red is too cold and bold. 

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MUTED WARM true 
Kate Beckinsale

It's easy too tell that the cold pink below makes Kate Beckinsale look a little flat, compared to the warm and muted colors above. 

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MUTED WARM true
Sarika Hassan

Indian actress Sarika, also looks her best in rich, warm, and muted hues. Too bright or cool colors overpower her muted look.

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MUTED WARM clear 
Rachel Weisz

A MUTED WARM clear, is not as delicate as the typical earthy type. Rachel Weisz for example has has a slightly richer and sharper look, because of her brown hair, hazel eyes, and that olive glow. Being a MUTED WARM clear, means that she still looks her best and more natural, in true warm and earthy colors, but CLEAR WARM colors are kind of ok as well. 
You can see the right kind of slightly clear purple-blue above, and the too faded and cool below. Still beautiful, but slightly dull.

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MUTED WARM clear
Eva Mendes

As you can tell, muted warm colors look really natural and gives a golden glow to the MUTED WARM.

A fantastic way for a MUTED WARM clear to flatter their natural "almost between groups look", is to combine MUTED WARM colors with accessories or pattern in CLEAR WARM or DEEP WARM colors (above). 

Just make sure the MUTED WARM colors are dominating the look, because some colors are just a little too bright for any muted warm 
(to the left).
The bright green, and greenish yellow are way too harsh and draining color from the usually golden skin tone of Eva Mendes. The pure white and royal blue just looks a little dull, and makes the makeup look a little fake. 

MUTED WARM clear 
Eva Marcille

A MUTED WARM come in different variations, and some can look almost CLEAR WARM, but "au naturel", you can tell where their true coloring belongs. Eva Marcille is so borderline clear/deep and so bright that she can look good with blond hair. Still, I find the deep red-brown to be even more gorgeous, and makes her skin look incredible.

Even though silver is ok on Eva Marcille, it is easy to see that gold matches her skin and eyes much better. 

Someone as seemingly deep as Eva Marcille could easily be mistaken for a DEEP WARM as well, but the deep makeup and black jacket makes her skin look uneven and tired, so that disproofs that.

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MUTED WARM clear
Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan can in some outfits look as if she is a CLEAR WARM, but the fact that MUTED WARM colors looks so natural and flattering on her and the clear colors are just a borderline too much (the colors look very bright on her), you can tell that she is actually a MUTED WARM clear (but kind of in the middle). As a child and without makeup you can tell that her coloring actually is a little more warm and delicate.

Also, you can tell that very cool blond hair is a really challenging look on her, as on most of the MUTED WARM. Also cool pink and blue clothing (pictures below) aren't looking too flattering.

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MUTED WARM clear
Jennifer Lopez

You can tell that golden, warm hues makes the skin glow (above) and the cooler dusty hues (below), makes the skin look dull and the makeup look a little fake, like she is wearing a thick layer of makeup, and too much bronzer. 

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TO DETERMINE YOUR COLOR GROUP, CLICK HERE

FOR THE RULES OF WEARING COLORS OVERVIEW, CLICK HERE

(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 from Google. Unknown source.)

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