Have you ever tried on two dresses in the same style and felt that one simply looked better? Often the difference is colour. The right shade brightens your complexion and makes your eyes stand out, while the wrong one can make you look tired. The key is your undertone, not how light or dark your skin is.
What is an undertone?
Your skin tone is the surface colour, from very fair to deep. Your undertone is the subtle hue beneath it, and it stays the same whether you are tanned or not. There are three main types: cool (pink, red or bluish), warm (yellow, peach or golden) and neutral (a mix of both).
How to find yours
- The vein test: look at the veins on your inner wrist in daylight. Blue or purple suggests cool; green suggests warm; hard to tell usually means neutral.
- The jewellery test: if silver flatters you most, you are probably cool. If gold makes your skin glow, you are likely warm. If both work, you are neutral.
- The white test: hold a bright white and a cream fabric near your face. Bright white suits cool undertones; cream and ivory suit warm ones.
Best colours for cool undertones
Jewel tones are your friends: emerald, sapphire, amethyst and ruby. Icy pastels like lavender, baby blue and soft pink look fresh, and silver sequins are a natural match. Be careful with orange and mustard, which can look harsh.
Best colours for warm undertones
Earthy and golden shades glow on you: rust, terracotta, olive, coral, mustard, peach and champagne. Gold metallics are especially flattering. Very icy pastels may wash you out, so choose warmer versions such as peach instead of baby pink.
Best colours for neutral undertones
You can wear most colours. Muted shades like dusty rose, sage, jade and soft teal are especially beautiful, and both gold and silver work.
How hair and eye colour play in
Contrast matters too. If you have dark hair and fair skin, high-contrast looks such as black, red or cobalt stand out. If your hair, skin and eyes are similar in depth, softer tones look more harmonious. Picking up your eye colour, such as green with hazel eyes or blue with blue eyes, makes them pop.
Colours that suit everyone, and tips for photos
True red, navy, black, teal, soft white and eggplant work on almost every skin tone. For photos, solid mid-to-deep shades usually look richer on camera than very pale ones, and jewel tones photograph beautifully in evening light.
Ready to try your colours? Browse all dresses and our new arrivals, or read our prom dress guide for more styling advice.
