What color of clothes makes people with yellow or black skin look the whitest from the perspective of color theory?
How to Find the Right Colors to Match Your Skin Tone
I’ve previously written an answer on how to find the right colors to match your skin tone and how to create “contrast” and “illumination” effects to make yourself look brighter.
Looking back now, it’s basically the same few points, with not much difference.
First,
- If you feel dark, don’t wear black
Black will make you look even darker, especially if you have a yellow, black, yellow, black skin tone. Stay away from black.
For example, even if a guy has a dark yellow skin tone, wearing black is not a problem because it looks more “dignified,” assuming there are no major body flaws. Imagine a woman with a dark yellow complexion, she won’t achieve the desired feeling when wearing black.
If you like little black dresses, try to have a larger area of bare skin, such as shoulders and arms. Here, it is also important to note that the top, bottom, and shoes should not all be hollow/fitted/lace, as it will look tacky and cheap.
For yellow-black skin, showing more skin is okay, as shown below.
Exposed neckline and bare arms, with a well-tailored waist and downwards design, are okay.
This recommendation works for both warm and cool skin tones.
Don’t easily attempt the style shown in the picture below, unless you have an ABC aesthetic.
- Choose colors that “illuminate” you
You must first determine your warm or cool skin tone.
Method 1: Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in different lighting conditions. If they appear blue or purple, you have cool skin; if they appear greenish, you have warm skin.
Method 2: Use gold/silver accessories to decide. If your skin looks better, softer, and whiter in a gold-colored environment with gold jewelry or a gold background, you have warm skin; otherwise, you have cool skin.
Cool skin tones are relatively less picky about colors. For warm skin tones, try to avoid highly saturated purplish cool tones, with rose red being a typical example.
In addition, coral and beige colors are color palettes that yellow-black skin should avoid, and the same goes for choosing lipstick… it can easily make you look sickly or dull.
Also, the entire macaron color palette, such as light yellow, light blue, and light pink, regardless of warm or cool skin tone, is not recommended as the main color for clothing, as long as it’s not pure white.
- Add some accessories
Add some subtle accessories to increase luminosity. Warm skin tones actually suit warm-toned pearls very well, give it a try, pearls aren’t really outdated. Choose inexpensive irregular-shaped baroque pearls or pearls from Shi’s family, they are also okay.
That’s it.
I am here to help you create your own “beauty transformation,” goodbye~
Principles of matching foundation and clothing colors
When it comes to the topic of colors, everyone always brings up the color wheel!
There are many types of color wheels, but they all mention diagonal contrast as the basic structure – the most intense and impactful contrast, which is the style of color collision and mix-and-match. But there was also a saying before that because the contrast is strong, if the skin is dark and you want to appear fair, you should avoid diagonal choices.
Black is opposite to white, yellow is opposite to purple, dark is opposite to bright.
So people with yellow or dark skin should avoid white, purple, bright colors, and light and soft colors…
To be honest, this concept of matching clothing colors has really been ingrained in my childhood. Because when I was a child, my skin was either black or yellow, and my clothes were either black, brown, dark gray, dark blue, or dark green…
But the problem is that these colors didn’t make me look fair, but made me look older. In sixth grade, I was considered mature like a college student, and I lacked the youthful and vibrant energy, in short, I lacked the bright and colorful youth.
But later I discovered that clothing color matching is not that simple to understand. Not to mention that different color tones, brightness, and saturation can produce various colors, but also our skin tone system is very complex.
To be frank, if your skin is brown-yellow or close to the darkened skin of African natives, no matter how much you want to appear fair, it is unrealistic. It is better to reflect your own characteristics.
Those who truly care about this topic are precisely those who do not have such yellow or dark skin, probably the sisters who choose foundation colors like “three fair,” “wheat,” “healthy,” or “natural.”
And I feel that what’s more important than looking fair is to have a healthy complexion, which coincides with choosing foundation and even follows the same principle – first distinguish whether your skin undertone is warm or cool.
For example, if you carefully look at the six foundation colors in the third row above, how would you differentiate the undertones?
I always say that it’s difficult for me to choose a foundation color because I have olive undertones. However, there are very few foundation colors in China that cater to olive undertones. Usually, “light” colors tend to have cool undertones, making the pink undertones more evident to the naked eye. However, such “light” colors make my neck appear greenish-yellow and dull, giving an obvious artificial appearance.
Therefore, choosing the right undertone when selecting a foundation is crucial in order to have a healthy complexion, and this complexion is more radiant than simply looking fair.
The principles for selecting foundation colors also apply to matching clothing colors!
Because we are East Asian, if we choose warm-colored clothing for cool undertones, our complexion will appear cooler, but the visual effect will actually make us look fairer.
However, warm undertones are not as lucky. Choosing cool colors will make the skin appear yellower or even reddish-brown. But choosing similar colors to the skin tone will make the overall complexion appear dull.
Therefore, if you are unfortunately one of those with warm undertones and belong to the fair complexion category, I have some suggestions to share. Let’s go back to the beginning of the color wheel:
[1]. In the warm-toned section on the right side of the color wheel, find the shade closest to your skin tone; it should roughly fall within the yellow, yellow orange, and orange sectors,
[2]. Avoid the sector where the shade from step 1 is located, as well as the two adjacent sectors,
[3]. In the remaining sectors on the right side, avoid shades with a number larger than the selected skin tone, and the remaining shades are safe options.
Sounds complicated? It’s actually not. Let me demonstrate with my own example:
Step 1: My skin tone is closest to the shade 8 in the yellow sector.
Step 2: Avoid shades in the yellow green, yellow, and yellow orange sectors,
Step 3: In the remaining sectors of red orange, orange, and the numbers 9 and below in the red and green sectors, all shades are safe for me.
Of course, shades 8 and 9 in all sectors are generally suitable as long as the selected number is smaller than your own. However, for warmer undertones with smaller numbers, there are still many limitations if you want to choose a safe shade with a good complexion.
The above is the most basic approach to choosing colors in outfits, without considering individual pieces or color blending techniques. Find the right shade for yourself first, and then consider the next steps.
Choosing Cool or Warm Colors for Your Skin Tone
When it comes to dressing for individuals with yellow or dark skin, there are three strategies to consider: forgetting about your skin tone and emphasizing your best features with confidence; choosing colors that do not accentuate your black or yellow skin, but rather brighten your complexion; and using products like BB cream to cover up your yellow or black skin.
The first and third strategies are not within the scope of this discussion. This article primarily focuses on which colors make yellow and black skin appear fairer.
Determining Cool and Warm Skin Tones
Our skin tones are not simply categorized as yellow, black, or white; there are cool and warm tones. Even within Asian skin tones, cool skin tones tend to have a pinkish undertone, while warm skin tones typically have a yellowish undertone.
The most effective method to determine your skin tone is by using gold and silver jewelry. If silver earrings make you appear whiter and brighter, then you have a cool skin tone. If gold earrings have the same effect, then you have a warm skin tone.
Matching Cool and Warm Colors
After determining your skin tone, you can refer to a color chart to determine which colors suit you best. The colors above the chart are warm colors, with the warmest colors at the top, while the colors below the chart are cool colors, with the coolest colors at the bottom. The conclusion is simple: cool skin tones should wear cool colors, while warm skin tones should wear warm colors. The colors closer to the middle of the chart are generally suitable for everyone.
This principle applies not only to clothing but also to eyeshadow and lipstick choices. For example, yellow skin tones look great with orange-toned lipsticks. Whenever I wear most shades of orange lipstick, it looks magical.
Brightness and Saturation
In addition to cool and warm colors, there are two other key elements to consider: brightness and saturation. Brightness refers to the intensity or lightness of a color (from light red to deep red, for example).
Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of a color, such as the difference between the grayish-toned “mullberry” color and highly saturated colors. The lower the saturation, the more forgiving a color will be in terms of clothing choices.
However, friends with yellow or black skin tones still have several limitations when it comes to color selection. It is important for people with yellow or black skin to remember that they should not assume that dark-colored clothes are always flattering for their skin tone.
Apart from black, white, gray, and brown, the key to wearing colorful clothing for yellow or black skin tones is to choose low saturation colors. However, in addition to saturation, hue and brightness are also important factors.
“Hue” refers to the position of a color on the rainbow spectrum.
“Brightness” can be understood as whether a particular color is closer to black or white.
Returning to the color principles for individuals with yellow or dark skin who want to appear fairer, the following should be considered:
✲ Choose cool colors with low brightness, such as dark green, avocado green, and navy blue.
✲ Choose warm colors with high brightness, such as grayish pink, butter yellow, and taro purple.
✲ Avoid orange and khaki color schemes!! These two color schemes are similar to the skin tone of yellow-skinned individuals and will further accentuate the darkness or yellowness of the skin.
✲ For purple color schemes, the saturation must be very low!! Purple is the complementary color for yellow skin tones, and the higher the saturation, the more it highlights the yellow in the skin.
In reality, as long as the saturation and brightness are properly balanced, some colors may surprise you.
Self-Testing Skin Tone and Clothing Color Matching Techniques
I. Understanding Skin Tone and Applying the Right Solution:
There are many methods online for self-testing your skin tone. Start by understanding which category your skin tone falls into: cool or warm, yellow one or yellow two.
1. Vascular Test:
This is the simplest method. Observe your wrist under natural light. If the color of your blood vessels leans towards green, it indicates warm-toned skin. If the color leans towards blue and purple, it indicates cool-toned skin.
This is the easiest method, clear at a glance. Picture sources omitted for brevity.
2. Comparison with a blank sheet of paper:
Take an A4 paper and place it next to your face. Compare it with a blank sheet of paper. If your skin appears pink, it indicates a cool color tone. If it appears yellow-green, it indicates a warm color tone.
3. Gold and Silver Test:
Wear jewelry in both gold and silver colors separately. If silver suits you better, then you may have cool undertones. On the other hand, if gold is more flattering, then you may have warm undertones. However, this method is not completely accurate unless you have the same style of jewelry in both colors. Otherwise, the style of the jewelry may interfere with the results. Please use this method as a reference only.
The previously mentioned humorous test about coarse grains is worth a try when you have the opportunity to visit a supermarket.
- I am not good at clothing matching, nor am I an expert in this field. However, as an ordinary person with yellow undertones, I can provide a few commonly used color matching techniques for you to refer to when you are unsure about what to wear:
1. Avoid wearing overly bright colors:
As a person with a dark complexion, it is best to wear or avoid colors that are too bright and dazzling, such as bright yellow, fluorescent colors, highly saturated blues, and deathly Barbie pink. These colors can make the skin appear dull and tired. If you really like them, it’s better to choose one or two favorite accessories to adorn your clothes.
I really like these colors, but I can only admire them. I dare not try them on as a person with a dark complexion.
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2. Light colors are safe choices:
In my wardrobe, there is a specifically designated area that I call the “safe zone.” Inside, I have various colors that I know will never go wrong, such as white, off-white, and black gray. When I’m unsure about how to match my outfits, I will pick one or two pieces from the safe zone. However, please note that when choosing white, opt for a softer shade instead of a bright white, as the latter can reflect light and make one appear darker.
3. Emphasis on Harmonious Colors Overall:
Even the most striking colors can complement each other if paired properly, while even the safest colors can appear mismatched if not well coordinated.
The harmony and aesthetics of the overall outfit come from the unity and contrast of colors. Emphasizing too much on color consistency often results in a monotonous and dull appearance lacking any highlights.
For individuals with a yellow-black complexion, on the basis of coordinating similar colors, one can add accessories or layer different materials to choose one or two bright colors or contrasting colors. This ensures a lively and vivacious outfit, adding the finishing touch. After all, wearing an all-white or beige outfit, although safe, can easily appear somewhat monotonous.
4. Enhancing the Look with Accessories:
One major issue with yellow skin is that it can appear dull and lackluster if not properly accessorized. To bring vibrancy to the complexion, consider adding accessories such as necklaces and earrings:
For instance, opt for metallic or pearl jewelry with a good shine. You can also use gold or silver accessories to enhance the overall color contrast of your outfit, but remember not to go overboard. Accessories should serve as an embellishment, not overpower the main look.
Avoiding Colors that Make You Look Dark
How to dress to appear fairer when you have a yellowish-dark complexion?
1. Avoid wearing highly saturated colors.
That is, excessively bright colors, let’s not wear them!
First of all, be sure to avoid lightning blue, especially bright blue and fluorescent blue, and also purple. Purple really makes you look darker. Then there’s pink, especially Barbie pink and fluorescent pink. And try to avoid bright green too~
In general, high-saturation fluorescent colors, we, the dark-skinned people, should be careful to avoid them, otherwise it will be a disaster…
2. Avoid choosing colors that are similar to your skin tone or too dull
There is actually another pitfall that we black or yellow-skinned individuals should avoid, which is colors that may appear dull despite being low in saturation:
For instance, the brown color range. Personally, I quite like accessories in the brown color range, such as bags, hats, and scarves. However, if a large area is covered in brown, it can make the overall complexion appear dull and dark, rather than achieving a brightening effect~ If you really like the brown color range, you can choose a milky coffee color, which is gentle and versatile~
Also, there are colors like dark green and navy blue. Although they have low saturation, they can appear dull and make yellow or dark-skinned individuals look darker and dirtier, and also give off an old-fashioned look… Not recommended~
3. Choose soft color tones as much as possible
The recommended colors are white, which is a safe choice, but it’s better to go for off-white or cream white. Compared to cool-toned fluorescent white, this gentle cream color will look more natural and complement your skin tone.
Red is also an option, as long as it’s not a dark wine red or a bright scarlet. Light shades of watermelon red can be considered, preferably paired with some white. White and red is a very fair combination.
In addition, gray is a relatively safe color. It has low saturation and a soft hue. For autumn and winter, you can wear a high-neck gray cashmere sweater, which is simple yet versatile. Match it with a pair of off-white dress pants for a classy look.
We mentioned earlier not to choose fluorescent green, but pea green is a good choice. We can skip mustard yellow, but cream yellow complements the skin tone. We can avoid royal blue, but we can boldly embrace misty blue. We may dislike fluorescent pink, but we can wholeheartedly love dusty pink.
To sum up, choose light colors, not dark colors, choose soft colors, not bright colors, and that’s about it!
Dressing to Look Fair
Pursuing fair skin is a lifelong quest for many Asian girls. After all, as the saying goes, “One fair complexion covers a multitude of sins.” Fair skin not only enhances one’s appearance, but also boosts their overall charisma. That’s why women have never stopped striving for fair skin.
However, achieving fair skin requires both internal and external efforts. It is not something that can be done overnight. If you want to instantly appear a little fairer, you can start with your choice of clothing. By selecting the right colors, you can instantly make yourself several shades fairer, especially if you have dark or yellowish skin.
First of all, we need to acknowledge that fair skin is always more attractive than yellowish or dark skin. So, for those with such skin types, the first step is to accept this fact. Our goal is not to have fair skin but to become the best version of ourselves.
As for color selection, it is important to understand the principles of color combinations. You need to have a basic understanding of three major color attributes: hue, lightness, and saturation (also known as chroma or intensity). These attributes respectively represent the appearance, brightness, and vibrancy of colors.
Here, we focus on the last two points: lightness and saturation. Lightness refers to the brightness of a color, reflecting the degree of lightness and darkness. Colors with high lightness give a lively, cheerful, and gentle impression, while colors with low lightness appear more stable and dull.
Saturation refers to the color’s purity and intensity. The higher the saturation, the purer and more vivid the color becomes. Conversely, colors with lower saturation appear more muted. Colors with high saturation give a sense of grandeur, while colors with low saturation create a subtle visual effect.
Now that we have briefly introduced the knowledge of colors, let’s apply it to the realm of dressing. From this, we can infer that when the clothing’s lightness and saturation are very high, your skin may appear dark and dull. To look fairer, you need to lower the lightness and saturation to a more appropriate level.
Next, you should avoid the “M
1. White Series
Let’s start with a direct comparison using a picture. Well-known fashion blogger Aimee Song is wearing black and white outfits respectively. Doesn’t the right picture below look whiter?
It is undeniable that white clothing has a brightening effect. However, if you choose a white shade with a cool undertone, it can make your skin appear several shades darker. Even fashion icon Olivia Palermo can’t pull it off and the contrast between her skin and the clothes becomes too strong.
Here, I suggest choosing a warm-toned white color, which means adding a hint of yellow to the white. It looks softer, giving off a hazy, warm, and elegant texture. Since the proportion of yellow is actually very low, it doesn’t look muddy and is easier to handle within the white color spectrum. It can be worn by girls with different skin tones, suitable for a gentle and intellectual style.
I would like to remind you not to choose white pieces that are too revealing or have overly complex designs, such as hollowed-out or lace decorations. These can burden the texture of white and make it less sophisticated.
At the same time, avoid choosing oversized styles as well. White is a color that naturally creates a visual expansion. Overly large clothing items can look more exaggerated and eye-catching than they actually are, and also make you appear bigger.
2. Pink Series
Would you believe that pink can actually make you look fairer? Of course, the condition is that you must avoid highly bright and saturated pinks, such as vibrant pink, fluorescent pink, and magenta, among others. These colors not only make you appear yellowish or dark, but also give off a dull and earthy vibe, as even the beautiful Tong Liya has fallen victim to these colors.
The correct way to use pink to achieve a fairer complexion is by incorporating white into the pink. For example, light pink, flesh pink, or coral pink can make an unhealthy complexion appear visually more comfortable and softer. This healthy and fresh color can mitigate the dull yellow undertones on the face, making the complexion look several steps brighter.
While such colors may not make fair-skinned beauties with a yellowish or dark complexion appear vibrant and sweet, they do have the advantage of complementing the skin tone, resulting in a slightly better complexion.
3. Blue Series
The color blue always reminds people of the sea and the blue sky. Wearing it gives off a vacation vibe and makes people feel happy.
However, when it comes to blue, we should also pay attention to it. It is not recommended for people with yellow or dark skin tones to choose highly saturated sapphire blue or Morandi blue, which has a muddy color.
It is more recommended for everyone to choose the popular smog blue from the past two years. The color is gentle and has a texture. Although it won’t make you look as fair-skinned as a white person, it can greatly enhance your overall aura.
Tong Liya once wore a coat in this color for her airport street snap, and unexpectedly it complemented her skin tone very well.
Similarly, adding white to blue, such as sky blue and light lake blue, is a blessing for Asian girls with yellowish and dull skin tones. This color is not only versatile and resistant to dirt, but also gives a refreshing feeling. Whether worn alone or layered, it can bring an eye-catching effect.
Men’s Color Matching Advice
While everyone is talking about women’s fashion, let’s talk about men’s color matching.
Is there a one-size-fits-all solution?
Based on my experience working in frontline stores for over 10 years, it’s strange that the same color can look normal on one person but odd on another.
So, definitely, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution.
The best approach depends on the individual circumstances.
How to address this?
Here are some suggestions based on online resources:
From a color matching perspective, people with yellow or dark skin tones tend to look fairer when wearing bright and light colors. Here are some recommendations:
Pastel pink or light pink: These colors help to highlight the skin’s radiance, making a person look more vibrant and healthy. Light blue: Gentle light blue contrasts with yellow or dark skin tones, making the skin appear brighter. Beige or white: Beige or light brown is also a good option as it neutralizes the skin tone, creating a more uniform look. Pure white creates a refreshing feel and forms a strong contrast with dark skin, emphasizing the brightness of the skin.
If you strictly follow this plan, the results are most likely to be worse.
The best solution is to try on the clothes and seek opinions from others. With more eyes involved, everyone can refer and achieve a natural effect.
What are the differences between men’s and women’s clothing?
Men’s colors are definitely not as diverse as women’s because men always consider the sales volume when selecting colors. Therefore, the colors of men’s clothing will undoubtedly focus on high-selling colors for production. For example, the saturation of pure white men’s down jackets is much less than that of conventional colors like black and navy blue.
So even if there are colors that make one look fairer, market supply issues may force one to give up the whitest color and settle for something else or simply choose the conventional colors.
Differences between formal and casual attire?
If there are color limitations when selecting men’s clothing, the options for formal attire would be even narrower.
It’s not due to supply issues because with custom-made clothing, you can actually choose a variety of colors for men’s formal attire, including colors like bright red, pink, light brown, purple, orange, and yellow, which are traditionally considered feminine.
But can you choose them?
No, because the most important consideration for formal attire is the occasion. Are these colors suitable?
Unless you are the boss or the focus of the occasion, such as a host or presenter, choosing these colors might not be appropriate.
In fact, most office workers, including executives and high-ranking officials, tend to choose common colors. Moreover, those in bureaucratic settings tend to be conservative in terms of color and style choices, preferring to blend in rather than stand out.
What are the common colors for men’s formal attire?
Black is definitely the best-selling color and the most versatile for both formal and casual wear. But does black make one look fairer?
Not necessarily, you still need to try it on. Some people do appear fairer due to the contrast, but for others, it might have the opposite effect.
Navy blue is the most commonly used color for formal wear and is suitable for almost all occasions. Regardless of whether it makes one look fairer, there are certain occasions where you must wear navy blue.
Gray is the third most important color for men, with shades ranging from light to dark. Of course, I believe most men prefer dark gray as it conveys maturity, wisdom, and resistance to dirt. Gray does make one look fairer, so I recommend trying it on.
Of course, it’s not to say that you cannot choose red, brown, or purple. Actually, these colors can be worn for events like weddings and annual parties. However, if you choose them, you will undoubtedly be the only focus in the crowd.