The colors that suit you depend on three things: your undertone (warm, cool or neutral), how light or deep your coloring is, and how much contrast there is between your skin, hair and eyes. You can work out a good starting palette with a few quick tests at home. The surest check is seeing the color on you, which you can do with clothes from any shop on your own photo using ChangeMyFit.
Step 1: Find your undertone
Your undertone is the color beneath your skin's surface. It doesn't change with a tan.
- Vein test: In daylight, look at the veins on your wrist. Greenish suggests warm, bluish or purple suggests cool, a mix suggests neutral.
- Jewelry test: If gold looks better on you, you're probably warm. If silver does, probably cool. Both? Neutral.
- White test: Hold pure white and cream near your face. If pure white looks better, cool. If cream looks better, warm.
Step 2: Find your depth and contrast
- Depth: Is your overall coloring (skin, hair, eyes) light, medium or deep?
- Contrast: Is there a big difference between your hair and skin, like dark hair and fair skin, or are they close?
High contrast suits bold, contrasting outfits like black and white or navy and bright white. Low contrast suits tonal outfits, like shades of beige or soft blue and gray.
Step 3: Start from a palette
These are starting points, not rules.
| Colors that usually work | Colors to test carefully | |
|---|---|---|
| Warm undertone | Camel, olive, rust, mustard, warm red, cream, chocolate brown | Icy pastels, stark white, blue-gray |
| Cool undertone | Navy, charcoal, true red, emerald, cobalt, lavender, pure white | Orange, mustard, warm beige |
| Neutral undertone | Most of both: teal, soft white, dusty pink, jade, medium gray | Very bright neons |
Seasonal color analysis (spring, summer, autumn, winter) is a more detailed version of the same idea, combining undertone with depth and contrast.
Step 4: Test colors on you
Charts are a guess. Your face is the answer. When a color suits you, your skin looks even, shadows under your eyes soften, and your eyes look brighter. When it doesn't, you look tired, flushed or sallow.
You don't need a box of fabric swatches. With ChangeMyFit:
- Add a photo where your face is clear and your height once.
- Find the same piece, like a crew-neck sweater, in several colors on any shop.
- Drag each color into the Top slot and try it on.
- Compare them side by side. The winners are usually obvious.
Do this with a few key pieces and you'll have a personal palette proven on you. It's also the fastest route to a capsule wardrobe where everything goes together.
Step 5: Use your colors where they count
Put your best colors near your face: tops, scarves, collars and glasses. Colors that suit you less can work lower down, in trousers, skirts and shoes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know which colors suit my skin tone?
Find your undertone with the vein, jewelry and white tests, then try colors near your face. If your skin looks even and your eyes bright, the color suits you.
What colors look good on everyone?
Teal, soft white, medium blue, dusty pink and jade are often called universal, because they sit between warm and cool.
Do I need a professional color analysis?
No. Home tests and trying colors on your own photo get you most of the way. A professional analysis can fine-tune it if you enjoy it.
Can I test clothing colors online?
Yes. Try the same item in several colors on a photo of yourself with ChangeMyFit, and compare them side by side.