Color is Key: How to find the colors that you look best in

     As a teen girl, I love dressing up, doing my make up differently, and looking nice in general. But for everyday, it’s harder to look good without over-dressing. A great discovery I have found is that the color you’re wearing can really affect your overall appearance. Not only can it bring out the smoothness of your skin, the shine of your hair, and the brilliancy of your eyes. But color can also drown out you skin, dull your hair, and overpower or wash-out your eyes. So how can we avoid all the bad affects of color? By choosing the right colors.    
    If some one were to ask me what color looks the best on them, I would definitely reply “your eye color”. I have never ever seen a person who’s eye color does not look absolutely amazing on them. That, however does not mean that that should be the only color worn. For example, my eyes are green and brown (a ring of brown around the center then another ring of green, but mostly green.) So I (Malea) look great in both dark green and brown. But those are not the only colors that work well for me and sometimes I get bored with those colors. I have dark-ish hair but fairly light skin so I look good in coral, peach, and pinky colors as well.
    I (Sara) have found by trial and error (lots of error) that warm, deep colors look best on me; colors like deep purple, or gold.   I also have green eyes, so most greens look good on me, especially the darker greens.  I know these type of colors (coral pink and warm blue as well) work because they tend to bring out the natural red-gold highlights in my hair.
   
   There are only two steps to finding the colors that look best on you. The first step is to discover your “season”.  Just as there are four seasons in the year, there are four types of skin, hair, and eye tones.

1. Winter
Winter characteristics: Very dark or very light hair.  
Skin: if your skin is light, it’ll look pink. If medium toned, olive. If dark, bluish.  
Your eyes are bright blue or dark brown.  
What works: Bright, cool colors (blue-tone reds, royal blue, true purple, black or white)
Stay away from: Pastels or powdered colors.
Colors such as true orange can work, but hot pink looks better, as gold and beige can create a washed-out look.
Silver jewelry looks best on you.

2. Spring
Spring characteristics: Golden blonde, reddish brown, or auburn hair.  
Warm skin tone (veins look green rather than blue).
Blue, green, or hazel eyes.
What works: Clear warm colors (peach, gold, coral, warm purple or warm blue)
Stay away from: black and white, or muted colors
You can rock the gold jewelry better than silver.

3. Summer
Summer characteristics: Pale hair (blonde).  Cool skin tones.  Pale eyes.
What works: Cool toned but muted colors (powder blue, pale pink, dusty yellow)
Neutrals and pastels accentuate your eyes and hair.
Avoid bright colors, they’re too overpowering for summer tones
Gold or silver jewelry will work for you.

4. Autumn
Autumn characteristics: Golden brown, reddish, or dark brown hair.
Warm skin tones.  
Golden brown eyes.
What works: Spicy, gold-toned, earthy colors (olive, gold, dark brown, deep, warm purple)
Rich, warm grays work really well
Avoid black, white, and most cool colors, which can act as a wash out
Gold jewelry works best on you.

The second step is a bit tedious, sometimes discouraging, but a whole lot of fun! This is it: Try all the colors that you think would look good on you - your eyes color, the colors that work for your season, your favorite colors. Make a check-list of all the colors you want to try, put on a clothing item of that color and rate each color from 1-5. You will be surprised how well this test works. It’s also a whole lot of fun, especially if you do it with your friends. (Maybe Sara and I should do it together this weekend) It might help if you used a friend’s clothes or went shopping that way any attachment to a clothing item won’t get in the way of finding the right colors.