How to Choose Clothing Colors for Your Skin Tone & 6 Tools to Use
Dante Kim
May 17th, 2024
Get your color analysis done
in 60 seconds with WhatColors!
Get your color analysis done in
60 seconds with WhatColors!
Get your color analysis done in 60 seconds with WhatColors!
Choosing the right skin tone colors can make a huge difference in the way you look and feel in your clothes. Understanding your skin tone colors can help you feel more confident and comfortable in your wardrobe choices. Have you ever felt like you just couldn't pull off a certain color? That's probably because it wasn't quite right for your skin tone. Knowing how to choose clothing colors for your skin tone can help you find those colors that make you look and feel amazing.
Table of Contents
What Is a Skin Tone?
Skin tone refers to the genetically determined amount of melanin in the outermost layer of skin, while skin complexion includes overall appearance, such as texture and color variations. Skin tones range from light to dark, with light skin tones being more prone to sunburn and dark skin tones having more built-in protection against sun damage.
Factors like sun exposure and genetics determine skin tone, and those with medium skin tones typically tan well. Understanding your skin tone can help you determine the most flattering clothing colors to wear.
Related Reading
• Best Colors For Pale Skin
• Color Theory Fashion
• Colors That Look Good On Brown Skin
• Warm Skin Tone Colors
• Best Colors For Cool Skin Tone
• Clothing Colors For Pale Skin
What Is a Skin Undertone & How to Identify Yours
Undertones are critical in identifying the right colors for your skin because they hint at the subtle hues lying beneath your skin's surface. While your skin tone may vary due to factors like sun exposure or acne, your undertone remains constant and impacts how different colors look on you. The three basic undertones are cool (with red and pink tones), warm (exhibiting yellow, peach, and golden hues), and neutral (a mix of cool and warm shades).
Methods to Identify Your Skin Undertone: The Vein Test, Jewelry Test, and More
There are various ways to determine your skin's undertone, and the most common methods include the vein test, jewelry test, white cloth test, and the white vs. cream test.
Vein Test
Check the veins on your forearm; if they appear green, your undertone leans warm, while a bluish tint indicates a cool undertone
Jewelry Test
Determine if gold or silver jewelry complements your skin better; if gold looks better, you likely have warm undertones, while silver suggests cool undertones.
White Cloth Test
Observe how your skin appears next to a white cloth; a yellow cast suggests warm undertones, while a blue or pinkish hue indicates cool undertones.
The White vs. Cream Test
Put on white and off-white clothing and see which color enhances your skin tone better; if white is more flattering, you have warm undertones, and if cream suits you more, your undertones are cool.
Transform Your Style with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis App
Unlock your colors and transform your style with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis app. Download our app for free today on the App Store or Google Play store.
Related Reading
• Cool Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• Best Clothing Colors For Asian Skin Tone
• Brown Skin Warm Skin Tone Colors
• Best Colors For Neutral Skin Tone
• Getting Your Colors Done
• Colors For Olive Skin Tone
• Colors For Winter Skin Tone
• Warm Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• House Of Color Cost
• Olive Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• Colors For Autumn Skin Tone
• Hair Colors For Your Skin Tone
• Neutral Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• How To Do Your Own Color Analysis
• Cool Hair Colors for Your Skin Tone Chart
• What Colors Are Best for My Skin Tone
• What Colors Go With My Skin Tone
• What Colors Suit My Skin Tone
Types of Skin Undertones & Best Colors for Each
Cool Undertones: Finding the Right Colors
For individuals with cool undertones in their skin, colors like purples, greens, charcoal gray, and deep blues will complement their complexion well. Darker colors such as gray, brown, burgundy, bottle green, navy, and bolder shades of blue can also create a striking contrast and add depth to their look.
When it comes to what colors to avoid, it's best to steer clear of soft pastels or bright shades, as well as neutrals like white, light beige, or stone. Instead, opt for richer hues such as sand, camel, khaki, and slate gray to enhance your cool undertones. You can still experiment with bold shades like crimson to express your style confidently.
Warm Undertones: The Art of Color Choices
Individuals with warm undertones can play around with a wide spectrum of colors. Opt for shades slightly brighter or darker than the middle ground to enhance your complexion. For instance, choose pale beige over warm sand for light neutrals or go for a bolder shade of purple like magenta instead of mauve.
Warm undertones may want to steer clear of shades too similar to their skin tone, such as pistachio, mustard, olive, and mocha brown, which can cause a blending effect and make you appear washed out. If you're aiming for a standout look, consider incorporating white pieces into your ensemble to make a bold statement.
Neutral Skin Tone: Embracing Versatility
Individuals with a neutral skin tone have the flexibility to experiment with a wide array of colors, thanks to their balanced undertones. While wearing bold, bright colors is perfectly fine, it's essential to maintain a sense of balance in your outfit. Incorporate a pop of color or two that complement each other harmoniously.
Bright red can be a winning choice for men with neutral skin tones. Avoid wearing yellow, as it might not contrast sharply enough with your skin. While black and navy are wardrobe essentials, consider limiting these colors to make the most of your skin tone's exceptional versatility.
How To Choose Clothing Colors For Your Skin Tone
When dressing for your skin tone, it's important to consider not only the colors you wear but also the season. Choosing fabrics that suit the weather is pivotal. Opt for breathable materials in summer and cozy ones in winter. Layering is another great way of adding seasonal pieces into your wardrobe. Don't forget about footwear - select shoes appropriate for the conditions you're dressing for.
6 Best Tools to Help Choose the Best Clothing Colors for Your Skin Tone
1. WhatColors
WhatColors helps you find what colors to wear based off of your skin tone. Get your season based off on our skin tone, thanks to our patented color match technology. Get the perfect colors based off on your season. Avoid colors that are a definite no. Based off on your skin, eye and hair color find the perfect nail colors with our WhatColors Nail Color Generator.
Unlock your colors and transform your style for free today with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis app. Download our app for free today on the App Store or Google Play store.
2. Adobe Color
Adobe Color, a tool that helps designers explore color options, can help, Foote said. Its “extract theme” tool will make a palette based on the colors in your face. Upload a photo of yourself standing in front of a window with no shadows and your hair pinned away from your face. Then move those little circles around so they’re sampling the colors from different spots in your photo — I put them on my eyes, hair, lips and neck.
Screenshot or save the resulting palette, and examine whether the shades are warm or cool. Do they have a yellow undertone, like Kelly green, or a blue cast, like emerald?
3. C Color
Your C Color Spectrum is determined by the C Color Quiz. C Color Spectrums are categories of hundreds of thousands of colors. Each of the four C Color Spectrums are classified by the temperature, saturation and predominant base of one of the primary colors of either blue, yellow or red.
4. My Best Colors App
The My Best Colors App, created by Colorwise.me, is a self color analysis application that is established from the seasonal color analysis theory and approach. Smart Color Picker analyzes the colors of garments and objects.
The Color Matching Mode searches for a color that is most similar to a color in the client’s palette. The Overlay Mode freezes the color of the square swatch to determine how the captured color and chosen color coordinate. Manual toggling between the seasons is an option.
5. My Color Palette App
The My Color Palette App is a fashion color stylist that employs the seasonal color analysis approach. A questionnaire is provided, regarding hair and eye color contrast and skin temperature.
The hair and eye categories are light contrast, medium contrast and strong contrast. The skin categories are warm and cool. A personalized seasonal color palette is generated for the client.
6. Dressika: Seasonal Colors App
Dressika acts as a personal fashion assistant and virtual fitting room. The app makes use of the seasonal color analysis approach to create a Look Book. Over one hundred colors from the seasonal color palette of a client are chosen to create the Look Book. Personal Look Books can also be established.
Related Reading
• Best Clothing Colors For Cool Skin Tone
• Colors For Summer Skin Tone
• At Home Color Analysis
• Colors For Spring Skin Tone
• Clothing Colors For Yellow Skin Tone
• Best Clothing Colors For South Asian Skin Ton
Try AI Personal Color Analysis For Free Today
Our skin tone plays a key role in determining the best colors for our wardrobe and makeup. WhatColors is a customer-friendly app that helps you find the perfect colors to wear based on your skin tone. By using our patented color match technology, you can discover your season and avoid colors that don't suit you.
Unlock Your Perfect Colors with WhatColors
Get ready to amp up your style game with the WhatColors app! Our AI Personal Color Analysis app is designed to help you find the ideal colors for your clothing and makeup based on your skin tone. Unlock your perfect colors today and elevate your style effortlessly.
Enhance Your Look with WhatColors Nail Color Generator
Struggling to find the perfect nail colors that match your skin tone, eye color, and hair color? Look no further than the WhatColors Nail Color Generator! This tool is designed to help you discover the best nail colors that complement your unique features. Download our app for free today and transform your style with the perfect nail colors.
Get your color analysis done
in 60 seconds with WhatColors!
Choosing the right skin tone colors can make a huge difference in the way you look and feel in your clothes. Understanding your skin tone colors can help you feel more confident and comfortable in your wardrobe choices. Have you ever felt like you just couldn't pull off a certain color? That's probably because it wasn't quite right for your skin tone. Knowing how to choose clothing colors for your skin tone can help you find those colors that make you look and feel amazing.
Table of Contents
What Is a Skin Tone?
Skin tone refers to the genetically determined amount of melanin in the outermost layer of skin, while skin complexion includes overall appearance, such as texture and color variations. Skin tones range from light to dark, with light skin tones being more prone to sunburn and dark skin tones having more built-in protection against sun damage.
Factors like sun exposure and genetics determine skin tone, and those with medium skin tones typically tan well. Understanding your skin tone can help you determine the most flattering clothing colors to wear.
Related Reading
• Best Colors For Pale Skin
• Color Theory Fashion
• Colors That Look Good On Brown Skin
• Warm Skin Tone Colors
• Best Colors For Cool Skin Tone
• Clothing Colors For Pale Skin
What Is a Skin Undertone & How to Identify Yours
Undertones are critical in identifying the right colors for your skin because they hint at the subtle hues lying beneath your skin's surface. While your skin tone may vary due to factors like sun exposure or acne, your undertone remains constant and impacts how different colors look on you. The three basic undertones are cool (with red and pink tones), warm (exhibiting yellow, peach, and golden hues), and neutral (a mix of cool and warm shades).
Methods to Identify Your Skin Undertone: The Vein Test, Jewelry Test, and More
There are various ways to determine your skin's undertone, and the most common methods include the vein test, jewelry test, white cloth test, and the white vs. cream test.
Vein Test
Check the veins on your forearm; if they appear green, your undertone leans warm, while a bluish tint indicates a cool undertone
Jewelry Test
Determine if gold or silver jewelry complements your skin better; if gold looks better, you likely have warm undertones, while silver suggests cool undertones.
White Cloth Test
Observe how your skin appears next to a white cloth; a yellow cast suggests warm undertones, while a blue or pinkish hue indicates cool undertones.
The White vs. Cream Test
Put on white and off-white clothing and see which color enhances your skin tone better; if white is more flattering, you have warm undertones, and if cream suits you more, your undertones are cool.
Transform Your Style with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis App
Unlock your colors and transform your style with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis app. Download our app for free today on the App Store or Google Play store.
Related Reading
• Cool Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• Best Clothing Colors For Asian Skin Tone
• Brown Skin Warm Skin Tone Colors
• Best Colors For Neutral Skin Tone
• Getting Your Colors Done
• Colors For Olive Skin Tone
• Colors For Winter Skin Tone
• Warm Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• House Of Color Cost
• Olive Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• Colors For Autumn Skin Tone
• Hair Colors For Your Skin Tone
• Neutral Skin Tone Colors To Wear
• How To Do Your Own Color Analysis
• Cool Hair Colors for Your Skin Tone Chart
• What Colors Are Best for My Skin Tone
• What Colors Go With My Skin Tone
• What Colors Suit My Skin Tone
Types of Skin Undertones & Best Colors for Each
Cool Undertones: Finding the Right Colors
For individuals with cool undertones in their skin, colors like purples, greens, charcoal gray, and deep blues will complement their complexion well. Darker colors such as gray, brown, burgundy, bottle green, navy, and bolder shades of blue can also create a striking contrast and add depth to their look.
When it comes to what colors to avoid, it's best to steer clear of soft pastels or bright shades, as well as neutrals like white, light beige, or stone. Instead, opt for richer hues such as sand, camel, khaki, and slate gray to enhance your cool undertones. You can still experiment with bold shades like crimson to express your style confidently.
Warm Undertones: The Art of Color Choices
Individuals with warm undertones can play around with a wide spectrum of colors. Opt for shades slightly brighter or darker than the middle ground to enhance your complexion. For instance, choose pale beige over warm sand for light neutrals or go for a bolder shade of purple like magenta instead of mauve.
Warm undertones may want to steer clear of shades too similar to their skin tone, such as pistachio, mustard, olive, and mocha brown, which can cause a blending effect and make you appear washed out. If you're aiming for a standout look, consider incorporating white pieces into your ensemble to make a bold statement.
Neutral Skin Tone: Embracing Versatility
Individuals with a neutral skin tone have the flexibility to experiment with a wide array of colors, thanks to their balanced undertones. While wearing bold, bright colors is perfectly fine, it's essential to maintain a sense of balance in your outfit. Incorporate a pop of color or two that complement each other harmoniously.
Bright red can be a winning choice for men with neutral skin tones. Avoid wearing yellow, as it might not contrast sharply enough with your skin. While black and navy are wardrobe essentials, consider limiting these colors to make the most of your skin tone's exceptional versatility.
How To Choose Clothing Colors For Your Skin Tone
When dressing for your skin tone, it's important to consider not only the colors you wear but also the season. Choosing fabrics that suit the weather is pivotal. Opt for breathable materials in summer and cozy ones in winter. Layering is another great way of adding seasonal pieces into your wardrobe. Don't forget about footwear - select shoes appropriate for the conditions you're dressing for.
6 Best Tools to Help Choose the Best Clothing Colors for Your Skin Tone
1. WhatColors
WhatColors helps you find what colors to wear based off of your skin tone. Get your season based off on our skin tone, thanks to our patented color match technology. Get the perfect colors based off on your season. Avoid colors that are a definite no. Based off on your skin, eye and hair color find the perfect nail colors with our WhatColors Nail Color Generator.
Unlock your colors and transform your style for free today with WhatColors’ AI Personal Color Analysis app. Download our app for free today on the App Store or Google Play store.
2. Adobe Color
Adobe Color, a tool that helps designers explore color options, can help, Foote said. Its “extract theme” tool will make a palette based on the colors in your face. Upload a photo of yourself standing in front of a window with no shadows and your hair pinned away from your face. Then move those little circles around so they’re sampling the colors from different spots in your photo — I put them on my eyes, hair, lips and neck.
Screenshot or save the resulting palette, and examine whether the shades are warm or cool. Do they have a yellow undertone, like Kelly green, or a blue cast, like emerald?
3. C Color
Your C Color Spectrum is determined by the C Color Quiz. C Color Spectrums are categories of hundreds of thousands of colors. Each of the four C Color Spectrums are classified by the temperature, saturation and predominant base of one of the primary colors of either blue, yellow or red.
4. My Best Colors App
The My Best Colors App, created by Colorwise.me, is a self color analysis application that is established from the seasonal color analysis theory and approach. Smart Color Picker analyzes the colors of garments and objects.
The Color Matching Mode searches for a color that is most similar to a color in the client’s palette. The Overlay Mode freezes the color of the square swatch to determine how the captured color and chosen color coordinate. Manual toggling between the seasons is an option.
5. My Color Palette App
The My Color Palette App is a fashion color stylist that employs the seasonal color analysis approach. A questionnaire is provided, regarding hair and eye color contrast and skin temperature.
The hair and eye categories are light contrast, medium contrast and strong contrast. The skin categories are warm and cool. A personalized seasonal color palette is generated for the client.
6. Dressika: Seasonal Colors App
Dressika acts as a personal fashion assistant and virtual fitting room. The app makes use of the seasonal color analysis approach to create a Look Book. Over one hundred colors from the seasonal color palette of a client are chosen to create the Look Book. Personal Look Books can also be established.
Related Reading
• Best Clothing Colors For Cool Skin Tone
• Colors For Summer Skin Tone
• At Home Color Analysis
• Colors For Spring Skin Tone
• Clothing Colors For Yellow Skin Tone
• Best Clothing Colors For South Asian Skin Ton
Try AI Personal Color Analysis For Free Today
Our skin tone plays a key role in determining the best colors for our wardrobe and makeup. WhatColors is a customer-friendly app that helps you find the perfect colors to wear based on your skin tone. By using our patented color match technology, you can discover your season and avoid colors that don't suit you.
Unlock Your Perfect Colors with WhatColors
Get ready to amp up your style game with the WhatColors app! Our AI Personal Color Analysis app is designed to help you find the ideal colors for your clothing and makeup based on your skin tone. Unlock your perfect colors today and elevate your style effortlessly.
Enhance Your Look with WhatColors Nail Color Generator
Struggling to find the perfect nail colors that match your skin tone, eye color, and hair color? Look no further than the WhatColors Nail Color Generator! This tool is designed to help you discover the best nail colors that complement your unique features. Download our app for free today and transform your style with the perfect nail colors.