Elias Pant
Carob
#A96A4A
Soft rust
A Soft Autumn color
Soft rust
anchor color 10 of 10 in Soft Autumn. Also called Muted Autumn in other systems.
By Kathleen Olsen · Updated November 11, 2026
- Hex
- #A96A4A
- RGB
- 169, 106, 74
- HSL
- 20°, 39%, 48%
Soft rust is the deepest warm color in the Soft Autumn palette: a muted, brown-leaning rust. It is what the season wears in place of the bright rust and burnt orange of True Autumn. Ten points from Soft Autumn's own dusty terracotta, and softer than any rust in the deeper Autumn palettes.
Where it sits
Soft rust is an anchor color in Soft Autumn. The nearest color on the same side of the warm–cool line is Golden brown #9C6B34, a True Spring color, at a distance of 13: close enough to mistake for it on a hanger, far enough to tell apart on a person.
At RGB 169, 106, 74 the red leads clearly, the green is in the middle and the blue is lowest. The wide gap between red and blue is the warmth; the moderate saturation is what keeps it soft. It is the color of worn saddle leather. Brighten it and it becomes the terracotta and rust of True and Dark Autumn; lighten it and add pink and it becomes dusty terracotta.
A Soft Autumn wears it as her rich color: a knit, a suede jacket, a skirt, boots, a bag. It gives the palette its autumn warmth without the saturation that overwhelms soft coloring. It works with oyster, warm taupe and soft chocolate, and it pairs well with sage green and muted teal.
Retail calls it rust, ginger, clay, cognac, tan and spice. Boden's Gingerbread and Warm Ginger, Frank & Eileen's Clay and STAUD's Carob have landed on it. Leather goods are often this color, which makes shoes and bags the easy place to find it. The version to avoid is the bright orange-rust, which belongs to True Autumn.
Easily confused with
The nearest color is Soft Autumn's own dusty terracotta at ten points, lighter and pinker. True Spring's golden brown is twelve points off and yellower. Dark Autumn's terracotta and camel are about fourteen points away, the first brighter and the second more golden. True Autumn's golden brown is sixteen points off. Nothing in another palette comes within twelve points, so this is Soft Autumn's own, though any Autumn can wear it as a quiet brown-rust.
The nearest named colors in other seasons, by perceptual distance (ΔE in CIELAB; under 10 is hard to tell apart on a screen, over 25 is a different color).
Golden brown #9C6B34
True Spring neutral · ΔE 13
Terracotta #C46A45
Dark Autumn anchor · ΔE 14
Camel #A9793F
Dark Autumn neutral · ΔE 14
Golden brown #A0692A
True Autumn anchor · ΔE 16
Bronze #7A5A2E
True Autumn neutral · ΔE 17
Warm burgundy #8C3A2A
True Autumn anchor · ΔE 20
In stock in this color today
As of November 11, 2026, 15 in-stock pieces across Boden, STAUD, Frank & Eileen, Christy Dawn and Marine Layer sample within a close match of #A96A4A. The dot on each card is the color we sampled from the garment itself; trust it over the photograph. Links are affiliate links: we earn a commission when you buy through them, at no cost to you.
What it's sold as
Retailers almost never use the palette name. These are the color names on the in-stock pieces that sample within a close match of #A96A4A today, so they are the words to search for.
- Boden
- Tan, Warm Ginger, Ginger, Gingerbread
- STAUD
- Carob, Cigar, Tan
- Frank & Eileen
- Clay
- Christy Dawn
- Carob Eyelet
- Marine Layer
- Camel
A retailer's name for a color says nothing about its undertone. "Navy" at one shop is a True Winter color and at another a Spring one. The sampled dot on each card above is what we trust.
Questions
Is soft rust a Soft Autumn color?
Yes. Soft rust (#A96A4A) is an anchor color in the Soft Autumn palette. No other palette on the same side of the warm–cool line has a color near it, which makes it a reliable test for the season.
Is soft rust the same as rust?
It is a muted rust. The rust shared by True and Dark Autumn is far more saturated and more orange. On a Soft Autumn that one arrives before she does. Look for ginger, clay and cognac as names.
Can a True Autumn wear soft rust?
Yes. It reads on her as a quiet brown-rust, close to her golden brown at sixteen points. It works well in leather and suede. Near the face her own brighter rust does more for her.
What colors go with soft rust?
For a Soft Autumn: oyster, warm taupe, buttermilk, soft chocolate, sage green, muted teal and soft olive. Rust with sage green is the pairing to try first. Avoid black, which makes it look harsh, and cool grey, which fights it.
Is soft rust a brown or an orange?
It sits between. It has more red than a brown and less brightness than an orange. In leather it reads as cognac, in knitwear as a soft rust. That flexibility is why it is easy to find.
The Soft Autumn guide · All in-stock Soft Autumn pieces · ← Warm mushroom · All colors