How Seasonal Color Analysis systems vary

When you haven't been trained as a color analyst and are just reading books and the internet, it comes as a confusing shock when you come across systems that cover up the hair and disregard eye color.  This is just one subtle way that color systems vary.  It's one that seems like it cuts out such important elements, especially if you're going for coordination of colors in clothing.  This is especially troubling when eyes are so fascinating.  But here are of the ideas behind it.

Apparently it was Kentner that first suggested ignoring eye color (at least at first), and yet she is the author of "A Rainbow in your Eyes."

"Kentner insisted that skin color was the key to determining the base color that all the others must rest on, not hair or eye color.  She believed that skin color alone would determine whether one was a Summer, a Winter, a Spring, or an Autumn. This can cause confusion, because the color of the hair may be the first thing that strikes the observer's eye (particularly if the hair color is dramatic).  Okay, so skin tone is the determinant for one’s primary palette of colors.  Then, if the hair color itself dictates a different season, this would become the secondary palette of colors."

Kentner also says in her book "Yin and Yang the inner story":

IMPORTANT, do not try to find a person’s color type (Season) from the shape of the face or the features! When the Color Analysis is over and Body Typing begins we may use the Yin and Yang designations to help us suggest the clothing lines an individual needs.

I just got Christine Scaman's book "Return to Your Natural Colors."  (Her book does not assist you in determining your own type, emphasizing the importance and value of being draped in person, to visually witness the response of the skin to calibrated color samples. Once you know your type, the book is for further understanding it.) She made a statement that at least further explained the delay of consideration of the color of eyes and hair (representing the Sci/Art method):

"While it seems reasonable that hair and eye colour might be used to find a Season because they are more intensely coloured than the skin, the problem is that neither changes in a measurable way when different colors are placed near them.  The skin, on the other hand, changes radically.  Remember than any Season can have any hair color and eye color.  Although eye colour is maximized in correct apparel colour, the colour of the eye is only loosely related to Season." p.41

According to Lora Alexander, of Pretty Your World:

"Here is a the 12 Season Color Theory in a nutshell:

Each person will have 1 of 6 dominate “characteristics” in their coloring which is the primary determining factor in analyzing them: they are

Deep...Dark and rich. Think Cher or Kim Kardashian

Light...Light and delicate. Think Gwenyth Paltrow or Heather Locklear

Soft...Soft & muted. Think Sarah Jessica Parker or Jennifer Aniston

Clear...Clear & bright. Think Courteney Cox or a young Liz Taylor

Warm...No cool undertones. Think Reba McIntyre or Sarah Ferguson

Cool...No warm undertones. Think Christy Brinkley or Liz Hurley"   

Pretty Your World

"[Lora likes] this chart because it shows why someone, as an example, who is a Soft Summer might look good in an olive color (traditionally an Autumn color), because they are a blend of Summer and Autumn. Some of those ‘traditional’ autumn colors might pop up the Soft Summer. The same goes for all the seasons. Notice that where seasons blend, you will find the colors to be more neutral than strictly warm or cool. Unless your dominant characteristic is Cool or Warm, the remaining seasons are a blend of both warm and cool. So that’s why it’s important to not begin your analysis looking for only warm or cool, unless it’s the most obvious trait. You need to look for the 6 dominant characteristics first: Light, Dark, Warm, Cool, Soft, Clear. Then when you figure out the secondary characteristic, you will find your season. Note: this is only when you do the dominant/secondary method. Other systems will usually begin determining your undertones first. "  Pretty Your World

Wright has different colors, especially orange for Winter.

Kibbe is so different you almost have no idea there is a caygill relation. More types. 

Zyla is sort of like Kitchener, I think. 4 seasons but then what 4 or 6 archetypes per season?

to be continued...