Color choices for pale skin/light hair?

Oct 30, 2006
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If you are pale skinned with light hair, what colors do you tend to buy? I struggle with this and eliminate A LOT of clothing because of it. I have medium blond hair with gold undertones and a slight reddish cast and very fair skin. I freckle/burn and then tan if I have two weeks of time in Hawaii but other than that, I don't have a tan usually in the summer and refuse to mess around with the fake stuff anymore. I don't wear super short skirts or dresses. I try to pick a lot of blues and colors that are vivid. I avoid black (although not always) and ivories and tans. I also look pretty bad in pinks.

Just curious what other people do.
 
That's me!
I find I look good in most colours, except for red (any shade), yellow unless it borders on neon, and pea green/chartreuse.
I look best in fuchsia/magenta with blue undertones, strong turquoise, cobalt or royal blue, coral, lavender and jade or kelly green for colours. White, black, navy and oatmeal/taupe are my best neutrals - tan or camel tends to blend with my hair too much.

Hands down I get the most complements in fuchsia or turquoise. You said you avoid pinks, but fuchsia? You should try it! I'll try to attach colours of the same fuchsia that suits me for reference.

I can wear paler corals in the salmon/shrimp shade as well as the more intense bright coral, but not straight out orange.
Play around in the dressing room and see what you think.
 

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I am fair with medium blonde hair, and find jewel tones to be most complimentary. Pinks, like fuchsia, which have a blue undertone are good, as is the occasional blue based red.

For neutrals I tend towards navy and grey as well as basic black and white. Browns can be tricky and need just the right tone to compliment my coloring.
 
I'm very pale with blonde hair (when I'm not wearing one of my many technicolour wigs ;)) For neutrals, grey but I'm also a complete black freak. I love the way I look in jewel-toned greens, and all shades of blue. I also love a good corally-orange.

I look terrible in yellow and red. I don't love the way chocolate brown looks on me, though I don't mind a nice taupe. I steer very clear of pink.
 
I think it depends on your skin undertone. You can be pale/blond and have a cool skintone but but you could also be more on the warm side.

I am pale as one can be with cool skin undertones and have very light blond hair that is more on the ashy side. I look good in black/grey/white plus some of the really vibrant colours like a cool red, blue, or pink.
All browns, camel and earth tones look horrible on me. Same goes for yellow and a lot of other "warm" colours
 
I think it depends on your skin undertone. You can be pale/blond and have a cool skintone but but you could also be more on the warm side.

Right. I think I am warm undertones so that is what confuses me. I have seen pale blondes that look great in baby blue and baby pink but I don't.
 
I have red hair and very pale skin, but I find a slight change to my hair colour means I have to alter my wardrobe completely. When I have lighter hair I go for royal blue, greens, a lot of teal and turquoise. With having such bright hair I tend to go for navy/grey/back/white outfits with colourful accessories like a yellow hermes scarf or orange cardigan which allows me to wear those colours in a classy way.
 
If you have yellow undertones, you will generally look better in warmer colours. That doesn't necessarily rule any colours out, just which shades. I am not as pale as you are, but with my yellow undertones I look better in teal blues and coral shades. But cool colours like most pastels and blue-based pinks are dreadful on me. Silver or white metal jewelry is equally awful (though I still have some and wear it anyway!) compared to YG. Dark blues and purples tend to be the exception, and I can carry off vibrant shades of blue regardless of undertone, but not the lighter or less saturated versions.

It really helps to be in a dressing room and just hold a garment up near your face and compare it to another colour. It ought to be really apparent almost immediately which one compliments you and which drains you.
 
I'm pale with blonde hair. My favorite color to wear is a bold, kelly green. I have a wool coat from J Crew in that color and whenever I wear it, I get numerous compliments. Bright reds and pinks are good too as are blues and a nice, bright, sunny yellow.
 
Right. I think I am warm undertones so that is what confuses me. I have seen pale blondes that look great in baby blue and baby pink but I don't.

but you might be able to wear duck-egg blue which is equally as light but has warm undertones, likewise a warmer shade pale pink (there is a shade of pink for everyone). It doesn't always have to be extreme. Light, clear turquoise might work for you too. If you like the glamour of pastels you can still wear them just not so much cool and frosted colours. Agreed black doesn't sound right for you but I would have thought an ivory would look stunning :shrugs: