Sometimes I have trouble telling whether a colour shade is warm or cool, especially navy blue and teal. Do you have any advice on how I can get better at it?

Determining whether a colour leans warm or cool can be tricky, especially when the shade falls in between. Navy blue and teal are common examples where the undertone makes a big difference. Here are some ways to train your eye.

Understanding undertones

• Look for hints of red or orange. If the colour leans that way, it’s probably warm.
• Colours with clear blue or green tones are usually perceived as cool.
• Navy blue can vary: some shades are neutral, others lean towards a warmer, slightly red undertone.

Test near the face

Hold the garment or fabric near your face in daylight:

1. Does the skin look lively and fresh? The colour is likely closer to your own undertone.
2. Does the skin look pale or tired? The colour is probably wrong for you.

This simple test works well for navy blue, teal, and other hard-to-judge colours.

Practice for better colour perception

• Compare two shades at the same time – the differences become clearer.
• Study how the colour changes next to neutral colours like grey or white.
• Use test swatches or a digital tool to see how the colour harmonises with your overall look.

With regular practice, it will become easier to tell whether a colour is warm or cool, even in tricky tones like navy blue and teal.

Also read I’m trying to learn more about warm and cool colours and find it hard to see which blues have a yellow undertone?. If you want a personal walkthrough, we recommend our digital colour analysis.