Are you Intimidated by Color in your Wardrobe?
There's something comforting about an all-black outfit: it's considered timeless, it looks great on everyone, and putting those pieces together each morning requires little to no effort. But what about all the other colors out there? Are you intimidated by color?
Incorporating more color into your wardrobe might seem overwhelming at first, but the truth is it's pretty easy — once you learn the rules. It all boils down to finding out which colors best flatter your skin tone, helping you stand out in a crowd and radiate from the inside out. But keep in mind, fashion is about wearing what you want and like. So use these "rules" more as guidelines and then choose what you like, what you feel comfortable in and what fits your personality.
The key to finding your most flattering colors starts with your skin tone just like when trying to find the right hair color or makeup. There are only three categories: warm, cool and neutral so it's not too difficult. And there are several ways to tell which category you fall under.
First, check out your veins
If you can see your veins, you may be able to use their color to identify your tone. For example, if your veins look greenish or yellowish, then you may have warm tones. People with blue or purplish-looking veins usually have cooler tones. If you have neutral tones, then your veins may appear colorless or match the color of your skin.
Second, assess your jewelry
Many people are more attracted to either silver or gold jewelry because of the way it looks against their skin. If you like the way traditional yellow gold looks on your skin, you’re more likely to have warm or olive tones. Silver, platinum, and rose gold tends to look more flattering on cooler tones. If you tend to look good in both silver and gold and base your choice more on your outfit than your skin color, then you may have neutral tones.
Third, throw on something neutral
Neutral-colored clothing can also indicate your undertones. True white tends to favor cooler tones, while warm tones look better in off-white. Warm tones also tend to complement brown hues, while cooler tones look better in black. Like jewelry, if you have neutral tones, you can wear all colors with no effect on your overall look.
Fourth, think about your eye and hair color
Although you might play with different hair dye colors and eyeshadows, your natural eye and hair color may provide some insights into your undertones. Platinum and ash-colored dyes tend to complement cooler undertones, while mahogany and golden dyes look better if you have warmer undertones.
Fifth, consider how the sun affects your skin
Knowing the way your skin reacts to the sun can help determine your undertone, too. If you have a cool undertone, you’re likely to sunburn easily and perhaps apply sunscreen more often. If you tan but seem to never get burned, then you may have warm undertones.
Sixth, look at your eye color
While your eye color doesn’t have the final say, typically speaking, green and brown eyes signal a warm undertone, while blue or grey eyes belong to cooler undertones.
Go-To Colors From the Warm Color Family:
Oranges, reds, golden yellow, amber, and honey gold.
Go-To Colors From the Cool Color Family:
Warmer greens and blues such as olive, deeper turquoise, green moss, fern, pesto, and red-purples (think: magenta and orchid shades).
Some Neutrals to Try:
Taupe, hot chocolate, creamy whites, winter wheat, and latte.
Colors to Avoid:
Icy shades and jeweled tones (amethyst, sapphire, ruby).
Your Celebrity Inspiration:
Jennifer Lopez, Katie Holmes, Jessica Alba, and Beyoncé.
Advice for Cool Skin Tones
Go-To Colors From the Cool Color Family:
Bright blue, royal blue, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, deep purples, lavender, and lilac.
Go-To Colors From the Warm Color Family:
Shocking pink (in place of hot pink), cerise, ruby, and bright rose.
Some Neutrals to Try:
Gray, navy, and pristine white.
Colors to Avoid:
Oranges and yellows.
Your Celebrity Inspiration:
Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, and Lucy Liu.
Advice for Neutral Skin Tones
Go-To Colors:
You are best suited for neutral colors that fall in the middle of the color spectrum. Look for light peach, dusty pinks, soft rose, peony pink, placid blue, jade green, and cameo green.
Some Neutrals to Try:
Taupes, grays, or off-whites like vanilla.
Colors to Avoid:
Anything too bright or vibrant that can overwhelm, along with reds and yellows. If you do decide to wear yellow, try a soft version like cornsilk or buff.
Your Celebrity Inspiration:
Amal Clooney, Kerry Washington, Angelina Jolie, Rachel McAdams, and Julia Roberts.
For more information, Amazon sells a good book about this subject called "Color Me Beautiful". You can find it here if you are interested.
Next week we will break this down even further into Seasons. Stay Tuned :)
