Who should/shouldn't wear the spring trend for "nude" colors? - YouLookFab Forum

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Who should/shouldn't wear the spring trend for "nude" colors?

April

Veteran

There are a lot of muted, nude and nude-like shades around for spring and while I love the way this looks on mannequins, I'm wondering who you all think this palette most flatters? Or put another way, what coloring types should stay away from these shades, which seem like they could easily wash out and drab-ify some people.

Dressing

29 replies

Latest reply was from Becky

Louise

Veteran

I'm pale skinned and like you say these would wash me out. However it would probably work for me if i added a bright scarf, cardi or layering t underneath x

Tricia

Veteran

I have fair skin and dark hair - I wore a champagne-colored bridesmaid dress for my brother's wedding a few years ago and I looked like I was dead. So I'll be giving this trend a pass!

April

Veteran

You have darker hair, though, Louise, and maybe that -- in addition to skin tone -- makes a difference to how successfully you could wear these?

April

Veteran

We must have posted at the same time, Tricia -- so you think darker hair doesn't rescue this for the fair-skinned?

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I am blond with pink tones, and I am probably steering clear of most of the neutrals. That said, I picked up those amazing Franco Sarto Tazers that Angie blogged about, because a nude shoe is definitely a color I can use a lot of this year, and I would love to find a pretty neutral everyday bag for the spring. I think I will be better off sticking with accessories as neutrals than going the whole outfit in pale colors.

I also tried on a great Maggie London dress in tan, but with so much brown and black in the pattern it didn't wash me out at all. It's not on the Macys website but I am going to keep an eye on it in the store as $120 was too pricey for a jersey dress for me.

Queen Mum

Veteran

have you tried anything in this color on April? I'm thinking maybe you need to be dark skinned as well as dark haired to pull this off.
And, what shade of "nude' are we talking here? camel? beige? off white?

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I find that it depends on the shade -- as a pale-skinned person with yellow skin undertones and blonde (at least for the moment) hair, I can wear the nude tones that tend toward the cool end of the spectrum, but not the warm ones -- i.e. the shades that tend toward a cool pink rather than a warm beige. Tricia, you are absolutely right, there are nude shades that can make a person look DOA!

Dashrashi

Veteran

I think nude (and beige generally) looks best on people with vivid, fairly golden coloring. More Jennifer Aniston than Nicole Kidman.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I look sickly in all pastels, and I have dark hair and Polynesian skin. I read somewhere that you have to find the "nude" that matches your skin tone for it to work... so for me that ends up being more of a tan color than the "nude" that is everywhere. Muted shades have to stay away from my face, unfortunately.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I think it's all about finding the right shade, as others have said. I have a lot of pink in my skin, and a pink/nude seems to work for me.

Kari

Veteran

I absolutely cannot wear them near my face. "Nude" colors will be for my microfishnet hose or shoes only. I'm already lamenting the loss of the jewel tones I love in favor of a pastel-dominated color palette.

Maya

Veteran

By Caucasian-nude standards (sorry, I don't know a better way to describe it), I am considered dark (although on the overall spectrum of skin colors, I am definitely medium and most makeup pros tend to agree with me). So that said, I cannot wear any of these colors nor would I want to. I could probably wear darker nudes, for women with caramel/brown/tan coloring, since there would be more contrast, but I still wouldn't want to. I don't understand the whole nude look on shirts. I always have to do a double take because it looks like the person forgot to put on a top. I can understand nude shoes, but why a nude shirt? The only way in which it makes sense is if you want to wear a high neckline under a layering piece. Imogen has demonstrated it and it works.

I'm with Kari--this seasons color palette makes me slightly nauseous.

Dawn

(website)

Not me anyway! I really dislike most of the colours for this season as they make me look unwell. I'll be sticking with my jewel colours for the summer!

Even if I go by the nude colour that is close to your skin colour, I have to buy cream anyway as I am that pale.

Tricia

Veteran

Yeah, even with dark hair I didn't think it worked for me. Could just be me, though - I'm another one who loves darker/jewel tones and loathes pastels.

Beth

Veteran

I'm with Kari. Nude for me means fishnets and shoes only:)

taylor

Veteran

I can't do nudes , or pastels against my face...I need high contrast...I LOVE nude shoes though:)

cciele

Veteran

Another no-nudes-or-pastels gal over here! Ugh.

Ele

(website)

I'll definitely join the "I hate pastels" brigade, but I'm in quite a different place on nudes. I guess because to me, "nude" isn't a specific colour, but rather a group of shades that depends a LOT on the context. I think of nude as skin coloured, and obviously "my nude" is going to be very different from Angie's (lighter) or Maya's (darker). I firmly believe (though I can see that I'm on my own here) that everyone looks good in the right nude- a shade close in tone and value to their skin colour. Nature doesn't get it wrong, after all

Of course, whether you like the "naked" look is a whole other story. I love it, especially paired with small amounts of black or brights, but I get that it isn't going to be everyone's cuppa.

April

Veteran

Ele, you're not completely alone -- when I saw the outfits recently featured in the windows at AT, I really liked the look. I remember them being all taupes, beiges, creams, and dove colors without splashes of color, but I can't swear to that. They were, however, displayed on mannequins without heads and so provided no information about the all-important "how does this look next to my face" question.

The verdict seems to be that this trend is going to look amazing on Halle Berry but could be deadly on those with different coloring, unless we get the shades just right. Next question: HOW do you know if something matches your skin in the lighting of the average dressing room?

Anonymous

A slightly peachy nude color seems to work on me. I have a thrifted JCrew shell and matching cardi that see plenty of use. They seem to go with everything. ( I seldom wear them together.) However, I tried on a beautiful pair of pants in the same color. Although they were a rare perfect fit, there's no way anyone should wear "nude" pants unless you want people to do double takes to see if you are going pantless. The affect from even a short distance was disturbing.

Ele

(website)

Good question, April. I have NO idea how you'd do that- I guess go to the front of the store and ask someone to honestly tell you how it looks, near the window. Not helpful in a mall, obviously.

A pretty nude dress has been on my "casually searching for" list for years. Maybe there will actually be options for me this spring.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I love the monochrome nude look but it is tricky to work on everyone. I can wear nudes and have always had some shade of nude in my wardrobe. I do not like huge contrast or really bright color- my coloring cannot take it. That is when I look washed out. The whole warm and cool thing is very subtle and hard to generalize about. Like most color info- you have to try shades and be able to judge how they make your complexion look. Writing or theorizing just does not work. I do not think adding a bright scarf near the face works with this look. The whole point is to have a subtle romantic, dreamy feel- very diaphanous. I personally love this look and am happy to see it in stores. I love the tea stained and slight peachy shades

Maya

Veteran

I think the reason I don't like nude shades is because they try to mimic skin coloring, only without any of the dimension or variation that makes everyone's unique coloring interesting. It's basically just a very flat and dull version of your skin tone.

When there is a LOT of texture or shimmer, I can appreciate nude shades more. I still wouldn't wear them myself because I don't like "natural" colors, but they are perfectly fine for other people.

Anonymous

During the Oscars lastnight I noticed the women wearing the blush color where fair skinned with dark hair.
I've seen Nicole Kidman wear blush well. She looks like an angel in blush with her fair skin and hair.
I think beautiful skin is complimented by the blush color. Not for me.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I have been wondering about this too. Blush colours have featured in a lot of fashion mags in the UK, including Feb Vogue.

I think to wear it well you need to have perfect, flawless, glowing skin - which most actresses seem to have. They also have people to help them pick the right shade that looks good on TV and in photographs, which isn't necessarily the same thing to looking good IRL. J.Lo's dress from last night looked very different on TV to me, than when I saw it in the newspaper tonight.

Perhaps Angie might do a post?

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I do wear blush on a fairly regular basis, the pieces are usually ruffled and I always add a red lip for contrast. I'm on the look out for a new top in blush to wear the metallic accessories. Maya I'm starting to notice that I'm often yin to your yang in terms of style but I love the way you dress.

hanna

(website)

i'm going to be in the minority here and say that i've actually been craving girly, floaty pieces in delicate hues -- pale blues, blush pinks, creams. i'm not sure they suit me, per se... but then again i've never really let that stop me from wearing something i really like

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Let me know whether this post covers all the questions:

http://youlookfab.com/2010/02/.....p-neutral/

Becky

Veteran

I've been helping my mom shop for a mother of the bride dress for my sister's wedding in August, and at least 75% of what we've seen has been nude tones (champagne, blush, etc.) or black, neither of which appeal to my mom. Who knew it'd be such a battle to find a *color*?