How to tell if a color suits you
Hold the color right under your chin, in daylight, with no makeup.
- It suits you if your skin looks more even, shadows under your eyes soften and your eyes look brighter.
- It doesn’t if you look tired or sallow, redness stands out, or people notice the color before your face.
Step 1: Match your undertone
Warm undertones look best in golden-based colors: coral, rust, olive, warm teal. Cool undertones look best in blue-based colors: fuchsia, royal blue, emerald, raspberry. Neutrals can lean either way. If you don’t know yours, take the undertone test.
Step 2: Match your depth
Light coloring is easily overwhelmed by very dark colors, and deep coloring can look washed out in pale pastels. Pick colors that sit in roughly the same lightness range as your own coloring, at least for anything worn near your face.
Step 3: Match your contrast
Compare your hair, skin and eyes. If there’s a big difference, such as dark hair and light skin, you can wear bold color combinations and sharp black-and-white. If they’re close in shade, tonal outfits with softer, blended colors look more natural on you.
The two-color mirror test
- Stand facing a window, hair pulled back, no makeup.
- Hold one top or scarf under your face, then swap to a second color.
- Take a photo of each from the same spot and compare them side by side.
- Keep the winner and test it against the next color.
Photos help because you can compare them at the same time, instead of relying on memory.
Neutrals and accents
Your neutrals are for the big pieces: coats, trousers, shoes and bags. Your accents do the most for your face, so use them for tops, scarves and jewelry. A wardrobe built on 3 neutrals and a handful of accents mixes and matches easily, and that’s the structure the color booth gives you.
What about black and white?
Pure black and bright white suit high-contrast, cool coloring best. If black makes you look drained, try charcoal, navy or chocolate instead. If bright white looks harsh, try soft white, ivory or cream.
Colors that suit almost everyone
Colors that sit between warm and cool are often called easy to wear: teal, a medium blue-red, plum and soft white are common picks. They’re a safe choice for a gift or a group photo.
Questions
Should I stop wearing colors that don’t suit me?
No. Wear them away from your face, in trousers, shoes or bags, or add one of your best colors near your face with a scarf or collar.
Does makeup change which colors suit me?
It can soften the effect. Foundation evens out skin tone, and lipstick can balance a color that’s a little off. Your natural coloring still matters most.
Does hair color change my best colors?
Yes, especially contrast. Going much lighter or darker, or going gray, can shift which colors look best on you.