Deep Winter color palette.
Deep Winter sits between Cool Winter and Deep Autumn — cool in undertone but deep enough in value that pastels and even mid-tones disappear. Colours need both depth and a cool direction; warm earth tones can sneak in occasionally but only when they're deep, like aubergine or pine.
The Deep Winter swatches
These are the same swatches Better in Style uses inside its personal color analysis report. Hex codes are shown so you can match fabrics, paints or screen colours exactly.
The colouring this palette is made for
Very dark, very high contrast. Hair is near-black or cool dark brown, often with a cool cast even in sunlight. Skin can range from very fair to deep, but the depth between skin and hair is striking. Eyes are dark — deep cool brown, near-black, or deep cool blue/green.
Best metals for Deep Winter
Silver, gunmetal, white gold, platinum. Polished gold tends to read garish here. Pewter and oxidised silver also work and add a little softness without going warm.
Anchor neutrals from your own palette
True black (#2F3133), cool ivory (#F7F3EE), deep aubergine (#682D3E), cool navy (#263D46) and deep cool charcoal. Black is genuinely flattering on Deep Winter in a way it isn't on most seasons.
Lean into
- Icy white, true black, true grey
- Deep emerald, pine and forest with cool cast
- Burgundy, aubergine and deep wine
- Royal blue, sapphire and midnight
- True red with a cool lean
Lean away from
- Pastels (they vanish entirely)
- Warm orange, peach, coral
- Mustard, gold and warm yellow
- Warm camel and tan
Shopping note
Deep Winter is the season most likely to suit true designer-classic palettes — the elegant black, white, navy, deep red look. The trick is making sure the red is cool (think cool ruby, not tomato) and the navy is cool, not denim-warm.