We’re sure you’ve experienced this before: you order a dress online, only to discover that it appears washed out and utterly different on you than it did on the model. To prevent this from happening again, here are some guidelines for determining which colours look best on you based on your skin tone. So, before you indulge at your favourite store, consider the following suggestions.
Lighter skin tones
If you have a fair complexion, choose darker tones such as maroon, navy, emerald green, and royal purple. The contrast will draw attention to your features and brighten your face. If you’re on the pale side of the colour spectrum, avoid wearing pastels and softer neutral tones. The colours will merge with your skin in an unpleasant way, making it appear washed out. Unfortunately, black and white are not ideal for the minimalist dressers out there. While some contrast is beneficial, black and white contrasts excessively, making you appear pastier than usual.
Medium skin tones
Wearing warm tones like rich oranges and yellows is a terrific choice for those of you with warmer olive skin tones. If you want to mix things up and wear cooler colours, choose ones with a warmer undertone. A bright turquoise in the blue family or a deep magenta in the purple family will go a long way.
Try to avoid colours from the opposite end of the spectrum, notably icy blues and purples.
Darker skin tones
You should thank your lucky stars that black, white, chilly, warm—nearly anything works for you! Whether you choose a mustard summer dress or a cornflower blue pantsuit, you can rest easy knowing that your wardrobe may be as varied as your personality. The main colour we encourage you to avoid is brown (which, to be honest, shouldn’t be difficult), because who wants to wear brown when they might be wearing lapis lazuli?
