Recent posts by Suz and others have really inspired me to delve into color analysis on a much deeper level than I ever have before. I've certainly thought about my colors in the past, but I've never thought HARD about my colors, if you know what I mean! Here was my initial post:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....t-and-warm

There are some very wise women in the ways of color here on YLF who were very generous with their insights, but I have to confess that--as a color newbie--I needed a little time to process their advice and do some wardrobe examining. So, as I was doing that, I did a little YLF archive diving and came up with some very helpful nuggets from:

Suz: who talked about eliminating "visual noise" from her closet (yes! I want to focus my closet so the colors are cohesive)

Vix: who said "both the Soft Autumn (neutral leaning warm) and Soft Summer (neutral leaning cool) palettes are approved for silver and gold tone jewelry" (yes, I'm a neutral!)

MsMaven: who said her "best colors are slightly muted, not too bright, not too pale or powdery, and not too muddy" (me, too!)

After doing a lot of closet examination and comparing colors against my skin, and studying the many seasonal color theories out there (on sites like 12 blueprints and chic fashionista), I have come to the conclusion that I am indeed a Soft Autumn, or, as Vix puts it a "Neutral leaning warm." This means that Soft Summer is my "best friend" season and I can wear some of those colors as well.

This whole concept of me being a "neutral" really makes sense, and goes a long way toward explaining why color analysts could never quite peg my season. I'm learning that I need to wear muted (not clear) colors since my own coloring is muted and neutral. I'm also learning that warm is better than cool for me, although my "soft/muted" qualities are more dominant than my "warm" qualities. I really can't wear super strong autumn colors like rust, for example.

Here's my DIY analysis:

For starters, here is my makeup (neutral as can be!):
Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in “nude”
YSL Touch Eclat in #2 “luminous ivory”

My best (Soft Autumn) colors:
Chocolate brown/Medium browns
Cognac/Terracotta
Olive/Army Green
Mahogany
Aubergine
Coral
Amethyst
Dark Amethyst
Green Aqua/Turquoise
Muted Teal
Ivory/Eggshell

My best (Soft Autumn) neutrals:
Ivory/Eggshell (light)
Browns/Cognac (dark)
Army green (mid-tone)
Denim blue (mid-tone)

Soft Summer colors I can wear:
Navy (ink blue or navy that is not too grey)
Taupe (if not too grey)
Burgundy
Periwinkle

So-so colors (I can wear these, but they need to be broken up/softened with accessories or another color):
Black
White

No-no colors (these wash me out and never look good):
Jewel tones
Pastels
Sour brights
Neon

So, that's where I stand in my ongoing quest to discover my best colors! Feel free to weigh in. I'd love to hear from other "Soft Autumns" and "Soft Summers" so we can compare notes.