I’ve spent the last several years wearing mostly black.
Sure, I like black, but there’s more to it than that. Black is just so easy. It’s timeless, it looks great on just about everyone, and besides, getting dressed requires almost zero effort.
However, I woke up one day and realized that I’m missing out on all those other colors out there. I mean, why does everyone else get to have all the fun? Besides, I’m getting tired of people asking me if I’m a hair stylist.
It was time to stop being so intimidated by all those pretty hues.
So, I started introducing a little blue here and there, mostly royal blue and sapphire hues. Not to brag or anything, but I look good in blue.
How to Find Your Colors
Okay, you might be wondering why I went with blue, and how I knew it’d work. After all, I’ve been wearing all black for a big chunk of my adult life.
The key to incorporating more color into your wardrobe comes down to finding out which of those colors best flatter you personally. No, not everyone is going to look flawless in fuchsia.
Just like with hair color and makeup, it all comes down to your skin tone. Skin tones are categorized as warm, cool, or neutral — but if you’ve ever visited a makeup counter for a foundation match, I’m sure you already know that.
Most people already understand the three categories of skin tone already, and likely already know which one they fall into. There’s no special quiz to figure out which you are. You just simply need to take a look in the mirror (but looking at the shade of your makeup doesn’t hurt, either!). It’s best to do it in natural light.
So, let’s talk color. Which colors will look best on you, based on skin tone? And which colors should you avoid?
If You’re Warm
If your skin has a greenish or yellowish undertone with veins that look green or a greenish blue, you fall into the warm category.
In the warm color family, look for reds, oranges, and golden yellows or honey gold. For cool shades, opt for warmer greens and blues like olive, deep turquoise, or mossy green. Cooler red-purples are also great, like magenta or orchid.
For neutrals, opt for warm greys, browns, and creamy off-whites.
It’s likely best if you avoid jewel tones and cooler, icy shades.
If You’re Cool
If your skin has more of a pink tone to it and your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
Reach for ruby, hot or shocking pink, or vibrant rose. For cool colors, jewel tones like sapphire, emerald, and amethyst look stunning. Even bright blues and lavender look good — the key here is that they are all on the cooler side of the spectrum.
For neutrals, opt for cool greys and cool whites.
It’s best to skip oranges and yellows; they likely won’t look great with your skin tone.
If You’re Neutral
If you can’t tell if you’re warm or cool, congrats! You’re skin tone is neutral.
Your best bet is to go for neutral colors that fall in the middle of the color spectrum. Your skin will glow in jade green, dusty pinks, peaches, soft yellows, and calm blues with a hint of grey.
For neutrals, check out shades of taupe, vanilla, and greys.
Really, the only thing to avoid is anything so bright it will overwhelm, like harsh reds and yellows.
