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Colour--Do You know What Looks Good on You?

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

I am curious. A couple of people commented on my K/R thread that my sense of what colours looked good on me was remarkable. That kind of surprised me. I don't think I have any special "eye." I think it is simply due to the fact that I wear just about all blues and cool reds well--my colouring is actually not all that hard to please! (Just say no to brown, orange, mustard or lime, please--iow, no warm colors (except one lone yellow) at all.) As I have gotten older, I have noticed that the muted (or "dirty") tints of hues do not work as well as they used to--the stronger and clearer the colour the better.

But what about you?
Do you have a good, clear sense of what colours flatter you?
Do you wear them around your face?
Do you care--or are you in the just "flattering enough" camp, lol!

Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from Cerinda

Deborah

Veteran

Interesting questions Alana. I like black and believe I can wear it in a flattering way. There are colours that I know look good on me but I don't like them! They don't support the style aesthetic I like. And I definitely wont wear colours that don't look good against my skin tone. JFE is fine for outfits but not for colours for me. Having said all this, I am very limited in the colours I do wear so maybe I am not really qualified to respond?

deb

Veteran

Surprisingly, I have always had a sense for colors also. We must have similar coloring because I cannot wear the same colors as you but I will add pastels to the list.

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Deborah--of course you are qualified to answer. You know what looks good on you. Full stop. Whether you choose to wear them (or not) is another question--and a good one.
Deb--see, maybe our complexions make this part of life easy for us. (Wouldn't that be grand?)

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Interesting question here ... I always thought I looked terrible in blue, but I adore navy; and in fact I think the most common colour in my closet is navy! I know that deeper jewel tones look good on me ... I don't put too much thought into it.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm generally in the "flattering enough" camp.

Honestly, when it comes to colour, I think it's not binary. Colours aren't either great or awful against a person's complexion. A few are really flattering, some are pretty good, some are not so great, and another few are truly dreadful. I think all of the colours I wear fall into the positive half of the spectrum, or at least the upper two thirds. Luckily, there are so few colours that I feel like wearing, and most of them are neutrals and they don't make me look gross. I don't wear colours that are truly awful against my skin. I recently discovered one: I bought at pale lavender tee shirt, and when I got it home and tried it on in natural light, I was not happy. Pale lavender is definitely not my colour! It quickly joined my workout gear, only to be worn when running alone in the woods.

A comment about black. People talk a lot about how black is generally an unflattering colour, but I just don't see it. I think it falls into the "not too bad" range for most of us. On me in particular, I think it's pretty good -- probably not my very best colour, but still, pretty good -- and I'm fairly certain that whatever "season" I am, it's not winter (the "season" that's supposed to wear black well). And black is one of my favourite colours. So I wear it. All the time, right up against my face. (Although I normally wear open neck tops, never turtlenecks, so there is always skin showing, too). I don't worry about adding scarves or earrings in one of my "truly awesome" colours, and those things mess with my style, anyway.

Marley

Veteran

I have a pretty good sense of the colors that work for me - blues, rasberrys, pinks, grays - yep, the cool colors. I look horrible in yellow, coral, citron, red - the warm colors! I also don't look good in black, but I do wear it around my face sometimes (not as often as I used to.)

I really do think that identifying what colors are most flattering on you is a good guideline to use when planning your wardrobe capsules. Also, when someone wears a color that is very attractive for their hair, eye color, etc. - I notice it! AND when someone wears a color that is not attractive on them - I notice that! All of those colors that fall somewhere in between, I seldom notice. So for me - one of my goals is to only wear those colors that look absolutely great on me! When it comes to style, I'm fine with JFE - but with colors, I'm not - I want them to always be my very best!

gardenchick

Veteran

Was just thinking about this and then saw your post.
Yes, I am very aware of color because my mom and I had our "colors done" about 15 years ago. It was a little bit life changing! I've attached a picture of my colors, which I try to use when picking out clothes. Most of these colors have a high happiness factor for me.
According to the woman who did our colors, I'm 70% spring and 30% winter. I've mostly forgotten what that means, but it made sense in the context of her system.
"The color lady" (as we refer to her) also shared that there are different kinds of colors: neutrals, elegantly, dramatics. I've been thinking about this lately because of how trendy neutrals are now. I have some neutrals in my color palette..but those elegant and dramatics are more energizing for me to wear most of the time.

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Gigi

Veteran

I know pretty well what colors flatter me, although I am sometimes surprised when I try on something that seems like it will flatter but it doesn't. It's amazing how small differences in a color can make a big difference as to how flattering something is.

When I first started YLF, I did some research as to what my season was, and that helped me pinpoint additional colors that would flatter me but that I hadn't ever worn. So I started trying to buy more clothing in those colors. However, now that I have been doing this for a year, I am less stringent about it and am adding colors back into my wardrobe that aren't necessarily as flattering as my seasonal colors. For instance, like gryffin, I have begun wearing black near my face. I too think that it's not my very best color, but it's certainly not bad. And I like it, so I want to wear it. And I have been having a crush on mint green this year, which is one of my all-time most dreadful colors. But I don't care. If I like the color, I will wear it—although the large, large majority of my wardrobe is in colors that are flattering to me.

Style Fan

Veteran

I usually wear colours that flatter me because I am drawn to warm earth tones. I had my colours done in the early 80s with a group of friends and I was already wearing my colours. I hated pink and pastels from the day I was born. Okay from the day I can remember. I have always loved browns, olive green, autumn leaves colours, etc.

My house is decorated in terra cotta and olive green as well.

If something is in style and I don't like it then I don't buy it. I do not own one gray item. I look dreadful in gray. My DH looks amazing in gray. He has lots of gray. I love it on him.

Anonymous

I too select colors that flatter me. This wasn't always the case. When I was younger, I was truly ignorant of the effect that colors can have. A friend took me aside and showed me the difference. With her help, I came to realize that there are colors that literally make me look like a corpse. I avoid those colors like the plague.

I don't have an eye for this type of thing like others do. I had to have people help me along the way. I am grateful to those people. As I get older, I wonder if my colors will change and how I will know to make changes in my wardrobe.

krishnidoux

Veteran

So interesting what you noticed about age and colour. I find, like you, that with age brighter and more saturated colours look better that ones mixed with grey or other muted tones. Could it be the hair? Blond works best for me now, as opposed to darker shades, brunette or red, which I sported with no problem when I was younger.

Ever since I have discovered to match colours with my own colouring, I find that I can take most advantage of colours in my wardrobe. I base it on my hair or my eyes, simply.

- Anything that picks up the colour of my eyes.
- Any colours analogous to my eyes
- Clothes reproducing the shades of my hair
- Bookending with beige, taupe, cognac footwear

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think we have similar coloring Alana. I have medium brown hair and slightly olive skin and brown eyes. When I was younger I didn't think much about color and sometimes wore colors that are not me at all -gold and warm reds. I know I look best in blues, greens, bright pinks and blue-reds. Black and white work quite well for me too as does navy. I thought grey was good but lately have been questioning that as well.
My best friend has a Siberian grand parent so has coloring similar to many Asian people and LOVES warm greens and to use Sterling's phrase, the more intense ones make her "look like a corpse". I personally feel the wrong colors make my skin look like the puddle on the road after a car ran through it.

kerry

Veteran

Yes and no. I know blues generally work well (I have blue eyes like you) but I'm not always sure which blues are best. I know there are some colours that definitely DON'T work even though I love them (yellow I'm looking at you!)

I like Aziraphale's continuum of colour. It's liberating to think many colours fit in the middle of being flattering enough and not dreadful.

Over time, I go back and forth with how much colour I have in my wardrobe and how saturated it is. I had a love affair with kelly green for a few years but am finding it too bright right now. I guess it's all the neutrals and pastels that are trending right now.

Joy

Veteran

I also ignore that I probably should not wear black and wear it anyway, but near my face it's best if it's a soft black or textured. Just yesterday cleaning out a bookcase I found the color pallet that I got when having my colors done in the 80's. Big changes since then. It was filled with colors that are now my worst...olive greens, dark teal, reddish purple, burgundy and jewel tones. Since then I'd moved to muted lighter colors, to brights, to clear midtones and even some pastels. Aging and changes in hair color are the biggest factors. Now jewel tones seem to emphasize wrinkles and dark circles. Skin no longer gets a summer tan.
If you had your colors done years ago, they are probably wrong now.
I do pay attention to how colors look and feel best in those that flatter, but they do change even with the light in different seasons if you are really into it.

Traci

Veteran

I'm not even sure anymore which colors actually flatter me and which colors I just plain prefer. I've not quite been able to figure out what the unifier is between the colors that flatter me. I'm jealous of those who say a specific color flatters them because I don't have that. There's a shade to just about every color that works for me.
In general, I like/am flattered by- Magenta leaning purples, cognac, cream, cobalt blues, periwinkle, blush, camel, saffron, emerald and kelly green and charcoal. I find myself not looking so great in bright white, aqua blue/green and chocolate brown.
I often think of the colors that look good on me as being make-up colors. I could see my blues as an eyeliner, my cognac as a bronzer, the blush as...wait for it...blush. I don't know if that family has a name.
I've always figured this is largely related to my skin tone. I have a heavy dose of yellow to my skin, yet I'm rather pale and can have a tendency to go ruddy. All that needs some balancing, I think.

Mona

Veteran

I look good in mostly warm colours but not that great in cool colours. so basically I am the opposite of you. One colour that I actively dislike is black especially around my face. My skin looks too harsh and it accentuates every little pore and pimple.

missvee

Veteran

I think I've always known which colours I "like" but whether they've been the most flattering, well that's where trial and error comes in. Most of my clothes are in autumn colours but recently I've been converted to blush as a neutral, thanks to YLF :-). It's so versatile I can't believe I hadn't considered it before.
And as I get older I "demote" some former faves like chocolate brown ( too dark near my face) and oatmeal ( too grey near my face).
So I guess in a long roundabout way what I'm saying is that yes we might instinctively know what colours look good on us, but experimenting can open up even more possibilities.

Alassë

Veteran

I had to learn about seasonal colours - I liked typical little girl pink & purple best and wondered why pink never looked quite right on me.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I do now...

I had my colours done a gazillion years ago, and followed it for a while, but then got away from it. I always had an inherent knowledge of what looked good and what didn't, so tended to trust my gut. But I also got things that my gut wasn't happy with, because they were in style, available, I wanted variety, whatever.

But when I did the DYT program, the lightbulb really went off for me. Literally. I NEVER wore bold colours before, but when I put them on, my skin lights up. So I've purged all the brown, beige and grey, and moved over to colours that do this for me. And the reaction I get on here helps confirm that it's the right move! I miss having the variety of neutrals I once had, but really, why would I wear colours that aren't good on me? I also have a much better handle on why and what contrast works for me, fabrications, design lines, etc. All stuff I kinda did naturally, but didn't understand. Understanding makes for a lot less mistakes!

I pretty much don't do "JFE" with colour, especially next to my face. I'm pretty fastidious. But I do have a few of exceptions.

rachylou

Veteran

No, I don't think so. Esp. now that I took the colour test and learned I don't see blues that well. But I do know when I'm striking and dressed to kill in terms of overall effect.

I pick the colours I wear based on how I feel about them, not how they feel about me. I tell myself I'll get my colours done one day...

rabbit

Veteran

I am mostly in agreement with Aziraphale. I have a general sense of the colors that look good (cool, bright, deep -- pretty sure I'm a winter - pale skin, dark hair, dark eyes), but I like to break rules sometimes because I'm going for a different visual effect, or something works better with my style.

So for example I have a few things in taupe, wheat, silver gray, peach and palest pink. These colors could be too muted for me (the peach too warm - that one I avoid right near my neck), but in the right tonal outfits they introduce a pale delicacy and focus attention on eyes and lips which I like on occasion. Also they work better in the summer when my skin is very slightly darker in color.

There are colors I pretty much always avoid (neons, yellow, warm tones). And colors that unexpectedly look good but I just can't see working with my style (kelly green).

E

Veteran

Like Alana, I had to read about seasonal colours for it to 'click': what's most important for me is that colours be soft/muted instead of bright/clear. I'm easily overwhelmed by colours, but I didn't realise that until 3 years ago. I feel very liberated now that I know (& I see the confirmation whenever I try on a clearer colour in a dressing room) and am very happy with my muted palette: I use similar colours to decorate because I find them so soothing. It also makes it very easy to mix & match clothes, as they all work together. I also look better in cooler colours than warmer, generally. So cool, muted colours are no-brainers. But I think of colours as a spectrum too: in addition to my most flattering, there are ones on either side (either cool but less muted or muted but warmer) that are good enough for me to allow them in if I really like the item's other characteristics! The majority of my closet is muted & cool though.

I don't wear black, because while it's not my worst colour (that would be things like grass green, neons, pretty much any yellow), it does make me look sick & tired: I'd need to add a lot of extra makeup to counteract that effect. It is also so saturated that it overwhelms my best colours, so the outfit doesn't look as good. I just don't see the point of wearing it, although of course it makes certain items harder to shop for. I do wear dark charcoal greys though and some navies that are darker than ideal. I like the contrast they make with my skin & hair, even though they require blush!

Colour is very important to me, more important than fit actually! I won't even try a garment on if I don't like the colour & online ordering is really difficult unless there are free returns, since colours don't always match up. But even before I narrowed it down to my best colours (still a wide palette), I shopped/dressed in terms of colour. It's just an essential part of how I see & interact with the world.

jennifer

Veteran

I'm pretty sure that I would be a True or Warm Autumn meaning that I'm primarily flattered by warm based muted colours and some warm brights . My best contrast is probably medium to strong contrast. Column of colour in light or dark works but mid-tones often feel off if not given enough contrast. I'm not 100% following my season though. I may need to tighten up my laxness in that ,as my closet size is a bit much and colour flattery can be a good purge peramiter. It also helps the neutrals work together better. Yes , I know all neutral outfits CAN be done and work but when you're craving a spot on match for a nice textural column of colour ,it's annoying to have bought something else thinking " it'll go with EVERYTHING " only to find - no it doesn't.
Case in point : as a Autumn I'm not supposed to wear black ( yeah that didn't last- BTW if you look closely black has different undertones to the dye there's yellow,green and blueish ones especially if you buy from different stores/ brands.)
So if I am shoe / boot hunting then I need ( theoretically at least ) warm neutrals like dark chocolate and chocolate brown, cognac, tan and caramel ,cream,ivory,saddle and rust . Mettalics in gold, copper ,bronze and champagne - possibly some pewters.
Winters definitely have it easier in the shoe shopping . When is black NOT available ? And matchable from year to year to year?
Sorry for the slight rant . Adding hard to fit feet/ankles/calves makes shoe shopping a bit of a chore . I've overbought in some colours because of fit and availability and had holes in other colours because I didn't prioritize a list a budget carefully for them. Ah well. Room for future improvement !

Keturah

Veteran

I have a fairly good sense of what colors flatter me. Also, color is emotional for me. I find that colors that make me really happy and make me feel really good usually do flatter me. For instance, I've always and still dislike sour citrus colors, pastels, most yellows, soft tones, or earth tones. They make me feel sad, bored, blah and unhappy just looking at them. And when I wear them, I really do look pretty bad in them.

But I am forever entranced with black, rich nude shades, and any color that is rich and saturated. I dislike brown clothing, but really love it for belts, shoes, and the like. I hate peach, but rose beige is nice and feels chic and lovely to me.

E

Veteran

Jennifer, I agree that those who can wear black shoes have it a million times easier! Ideally, I wouldn't even be wearing dark chocolate brown or cognac: I'd be in grey & navy blue & taupe & cool cocoa brown shoes. That's even more impossible though in current retail.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Color is a real struggle for me. A make-up artist told me I have a mix of cool and warm tones to my skin so that might be why. I've had a lot of trial and error, costing me a lot of money, to figure it out. Coral, a warm color, and teal blue are my power colors. Teal blue isn't exactly warm but it picks up my eye color, as do shades of green. I have also read that coral and teal are colors that look good on many people.

I am starting to rule out blueish reds and purples. But burgundy looks ok on me. Faded black is about the worst color on me, but a very deep shiny black can look ok I think. Grey is not a great color, but if it's got a blue tone to it, it can look ok. So there's the cool color that works on me, as well as the fact that lighter shades in general work with my hair color.

Alana did you say you work retail in paint? That could be why you have such a great sense of color.

ETA - totally agree with aziraphale's assessment of colors -- that it's not a binary thing. Very well said.

DonnaF

Veteran

Probably most of the colors I wear are JFE. I avoid the ones that are Truly Dreadful -- because they make me FEEL dreadful. Coral must be one of my best colors because every time I wear that color I get compliments. It lights up my face without being overpowering. But coral is a bit girly for me, and I tend to favor a darker, more urban and androgynous vibe. I suppose if coral ever becomes the *It* color, I will stock up just to get the compliments flowing.

Sal

Veteran

I do have a sense of colour and what is flattering, and which colours work together. I think I mostly can combine colours in an outfit to have a well balanced look.

I have a couple of colours that are unflattering that I avoid totally- burgundy, beige. Three are colours I like but only wear in certain ways- white only with lots of skin, black with make up.

Anonymous

Wow Alana- you've really hit something with this post! It's an interesting question, and I had to read through all of the other posts and think about this for awhile, because I think our answers can give us a clue as to our style direction, the look we want to achieve and where to spend our $$. Not rocket science, but something I realized I don't really think about much.

It's happened organically for me - the narrowing down and realizing which colours (if any) I want to have in my wardrobe. If allowed to go nuts in a store, I'd go straight to (in summer) the turquoises, lime greens and oranges. I love those colours and wear them well. But as I got out of my 30's and 40's , I felt all of that colour dated and aged me. Those pieces rarely made it out of the closet, and if they did, they were really special, funky pieces I'd wear with something to toughen it up a bit: like an army jacket or jeans. In winter, I know I look good in purple and green , but I don't want to wear those colours. Interesting, how what I know works with my skin tone and what I get compliments on - I don't want to wear! Anything I ever buy in a colour rarely gets worn. So now, I'll throw some colour in with a scarf (fall and winter) and with a pair of gloves. Summer - I wear the crazy coloured stuff to mow the lawn in

I've noticed I decorate my house a bit to scratch that colour itch - especially in the summer when I do my sunroom up in turquoise and orange accents and accessories against a latte coloured background.

wow - so after blathering on about all of this stuff - I just learned something! Thanks , and have a lovely, Canadian long weekend!!

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