The video is here at YouTube.
(The text below is the same as the video except for Panel 4 at the end.)
The right navy blue can be a Top 5 colour for many people.
Because traditional navy (for example, flight attendant, school uniform, banker navy) is a cool colour, it can be a super substitute for black for Winters and can act as a wardrobe neutral for Summers.
Because it's dark, the 5 types of colouring with Winter influence, meaning the 3 Winters and the 2 warmer Seasons of Dark Autumn and Bright Spring have their versions that look amazing.
Warmer and lighter Seasons of colouring have adaptations.
Panel 1: Navy in 12 Seasons
Do you look at this and think, "They all look the same. How much does it really matter?"
Don't worry, you're not alone. Think of them like swatches at the paint store. In 2 square inches, they look a lot the same. In 2 square feet, like on a wall, they look so different, you're headed back to the paint store. Clothes are the same, enlarge it to an item of clothing and place it where others will see it, meaning next to your own colours, and the differences become significant for your appearance and the rest of the outfit.
Panel 1, shopping information: https://urstyle.fashion/styles/3085601
Limit the information by looking only across the middle row. Those, you probably can tell apart. They’re the True Seasons, the main groups. Stick with your True Season and you're already looking better.
Let’s say you belong to the ¾ of the world whose colouring is a blend of 2 True Seasons. Those are the Neutral Seasons, pictured in the upper and lower rows, for a total of 8. The board shows your how your navy blues might look.
You might find the board useful,
a) to include or exclude a particular item from any of the squares. Say you’re a Bright Spring. Could you put the sweater you want to buy into that square? Could it hang in the same closet without looking faded, blackish, or neon?
b) to have a general idea of all the colours that don’t serve you so don’t buy them. Part 2 of looking great in your clothes.
c) to have an idea of the darkness range of your Season so you can stay in the vicinity.
d) to know your best neighbour. Say you’re a Dark Autumn who is quite close to True Autumn. Their navy blue versions may work just fine. Dark Winter's might not.
Panel 1, Spring and Summer side
You’re a Light Summer or Soft Summer who can’t find quite the right navy but there’s a gorgeous True Summer blouse in your style and price range? If your analysis showed Summer as the best of the 4 True Seasons, this is probably a good purchase.
Summers love blue and may opt for Winter navy. This is not the best decision because Winter has other differences, such as brightness. Summer faces may flush red or have other detracting effects.
Spring is a warm, light Season, so cool, dark navy is adjusted. To warm a colour, add yellow. Blue turns greenish. Spring have many turquoise blues, as well as sailor or azure blues that have greenish tones. Blue is particular in that it harmonizes better with warm colour compositions (like outfits) by adding red, so you find periwinkle or orchid as navy variations in Spring. The green and red tones will be seen in Autumn navy as well.
Spring and Summer are both overall light Seasons. They have many wardrobe neutral options besides navy or blue, including pebble, sand, ginger ale, clear syrup, and plenty more depending on the Season.
Panel 1, Autumn and Winter side
True Autumn could dismiss traditional navy. Their versions are greener and redder to work with the warmth, as teal and bronzed purple. By being dark and red, they might seem Winter but they're not bright enough to slide into a Winter palette. The bluer top above could be Winter, probably is in real life, but it was the closest example I found. I'll show you a purse in the final image that's closer to the Season periwinkle navy.
Soft Autumn's items reach medium-dark value, with less colour pigment than the other groups. Some darkness is coming from gray and if we don't count that as colour pigment, you can see that the amount of colour is not a lot.
Dark Autumn has dark teal and a recognizable navy without enough pigment for Winter.
The 3 Winters have many versions of navy blue. Dark Winter is dark with the least colour pigment, but the distinction is minor because Winter overall has a lot of colour.
True Winter navy can be a level lighter and may look more purple. Winter wears darkness and coolness easily and Dark Winter navy works.
Bright Winter is lighter and more pigmented. Whether the other Winters would wear it well depends on the particular colour and person.
Panel 2: Autumns and Springs
Panel 2, shopping information: https://urstyle.fashion/styles/3089036
Another comparison, showing the differences we've mentioned.
The True Spring coat may be too bright. I'd buy it, check it in person, and make sure it could be returned. You might look at the Bright Spring colours and think they belong in Dark Winter. Maybe they do but might still be workable with a Bright Spring palette. There will always be a colour or two from any palette that could work in several others, as long as the overall presentation holds together.
Panel 3: Winters and Summers
Panel 3, shopping information: https://urstyle.fashion/styles/2987267
Although Winter can find traditional navy, do shop with the palette. Most navy in stores isn’t Winter in the same way that most black isn’t True Winter.
Summer navy is lighter and softer. Staying inside the darkness limits is an easy way of avoiding Winter's choices.
Panel 4: A few more navy blues
Panel 4, shopping information: https://urstyle.fashion/styles/3088909
1 is another example of Light Summer.
2 is an example of the darker, more saturated side of True Summer. The video mentions Men's or Corporate palettes and this might be a colour you'd see.
3 might be a Soft Autumn navy. Once you think you have a match with the swatch in the palette, ask yourself if the colour works with the other swatches in the strip, and whether it looks good with the other palette colours. For example, it might ben similar to blues in Soft Summer but the rest of the colours didn't seem to hold up to this blue, they faded or lost energy. Soft Autumn balanced it with neither palette nor coat detracting from the other and the other colours looked rich.
4 is another Dark Autumn option. Not the brightest or darkest for the Season, maybe the quieter side.
5 is an example of a navy that might work in a few Seasons. True Summer might be fine (minus the brass rivets), perhaps Soft and Dark Autumn and Dark Winter.
6 is the True Autumn periwinkle (medium-dark blue-purple) that I was unable to find in a garment. The pearls seem too bright, which is how white clothing looks with Autumn colours, pulling the attention away from the purse.
Pins for the 12 Seasons have been added to show you what the colours might look like in a store. The colours were not verified in person, they help you get started and show options and how the colours work with other items. You can find the link in the second purple banner from the top (scroll back to the top, find it beneath the paperback book banner), with the P symbol.
Comments or questions?
I'd be happy to answer. Please leave them in the comments section of the video on YouTube, link at the top.