Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter — you’ve probably heard of the four seasonal color types that help determine which color tones suit you best. We recently took part in a color consultation where the focus was mostly on clothing, makeup, and hair. Naturally, as staff at a bag retailer, we were curious: how does the color of a bag fit into this concept? According to the style coach, a perfect look based on color theory also includes matching your bag to your color type.
To help you get an idea — or if you’ve never heard of the seasonal color theory before — we’ve compiled the key info here. Maybe you're planning to buy a new handbag or a trendy backpack soon. If so, color theory can be a great guide through the colorful jungle of options!
Color types? What are they, and why do they matter?
As we all know, skin, eye, and hair color vary widely from person to person. Think of the cool-toned blonde, the classic Snow White type, or the redhead with freckles. The basic principle of color theory is that the shades that suit us best are those that harmonize with our natural appearance — our skin, eyes, and hair. Choosing colors that fit your type can have the effect of a beauty treatment: your face looks fresher and stands out more, while skin imperfections and dark under-eye circles appear softened.
There are four types, based on two key color characteristics. The first is temperature — warm vs. cool tones. Warm colors have a higher yellow content, while cool colors contain more blue. The second factor is intensity, meaning how light or dark a color is. By combining these two elements, we get four seasonal color types, which mirror the color palette of nature throughout the year.
Assigning specific colors to each type isn’t always easy. What’s important to understand is that a single color can vary depending on its combination of warmth/coolness and light/dark tones. For example, blue can range from turquoise and dove blue to petrol or navy — each variation suited to a different color type. To help navigate this, there are special color charts available. You can even order a color fan to take with you when shopping for your next favorite bag.
Our tip: Save a color chart of your type to your smartphone — that way, you always have it with you and don’t need to carry anything extra.
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Spring type: warm, light colors
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Summer type: cool, light colors
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Autumn type: warm, dark colors
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Winter type: cool, dark colors
How do I find out my color type?
During a professional color consultation — for example, through an adult education center — the consultant will assess your skin undertone, eye color, and natural hair color. Using color drapes, they test which shades make your skin and eyes glow. With a good eye and a variety of clothing items in different colors, you can also try this at home. Or you can take one of the many online color type tests. That said, determining your exact color type isn’t always simple — mixed types are very common.
Should I strictly follow color theory when choosing a bag?
Color theory outlines quite specifically which shades suit which types — often with surprising results. For instance, black, a classic and popular bag color, is officially recommended only for winter types. Warm golden brown tones like cognac, also frequently seen in bags, are ideal for spring and autumn types. So does this mean we need to avoid certain shades just because they don’t match our type?
Of course, we’ve all seen how some colors don’t suit us or others — and color theory explains why: our skin, eyes, and hair contain warm or cool, light or dark pigments in varying degrees. That’s especially relevant for clothing, makeup, and jewelry, since they’re worn close to the face. But a bag isn’t worn near the face — and that makes it the perfect opportunity to wear a color you love, even if it’s not “ideal” for your color type.
The key is still to ensure that the bag color harmonizes with the overall outfit. For example, don’t pair a black leather bag with a delicate summer outfit in pastel pink. But give up black altogether just because you’re not a winter type? Definitely not! Black bags are a timeless favorite — and for good reason. Plus, feel free to borrow colors from other types. Especially when it comes to lightness or darkness of a shade, spring and autumn, or summer and winter types can share colors across their groups.
In the end, choosing according to your color type is a personal decision: Do you want your styling — from makeup to bag — to follow it strictly? Or would you rather ignore the rules and wear what you love? Consider color theory as a helpful guide and source of inspiration. Pay closer attention to it when it comes to garments worn near your face. But when it comes to your bag, color freedom reigns — as long as it suits the overall look.
