Sometimes I have trouble seeing if a color shade is warm or cool, especially navy blue and teal. Do you have any advice for how I can get better at it?

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

Understanding undertones

• Look for hints of red or orange. If the color leans that way, it’s probably warm.
• Colors with clear blue or green tones are usually perceived as cool.
• Navy blue can vary: some shades are neutral, others lean toward 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? Then the color is closer to your own undertone.
2. Does the skin get a pale or tired tone? The color is probably wrong for you.

This simple test works well for both navy blue and teal as well as other hard-to-judge colors.

Practice for better color perception

• Compare two shades at the same time – the differences become clearer.
• Study how the color changes next to neutral colors like gray or white.
• Feel free to use test swatches or a digital tool to see how the color harmonizes with your overall look.

When you practice regularly, it will become easier to see if a color 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 colors and find it hard to see which blues have a yellow undertone?. If you want a personal walkthrough, we recommend our digital color analysis.