Skin Tone and Color Matching

[David Gaston]

If this question seems odd, then please forgive me as I'm relatively new to fashionably matching suit, tie and shirt color combinations. What I was wondering was, is there a professional method, a school of thought or parameters of consideration in matching skin tones to match a color combination to shirts, ties and suits. For example, in advertising, a very dark female African model is rarely seen in photographs to model the classic "little black dress". In this example, one might think that a lighter or fairer skinned model would better define the areas where the skin ends and the fabric begins. So say for a extremely pale White male, can certain bright colors might be too much wherein more toned down colors may be preferred. So, in closing, in the professional annals of the fashion industry, are there skin tone matching considerations that the layman could use in matching colors in clothing?

 

[mensimageconsultant]

There are books and guides, but they are pseudo-scientific. For men especially, skin tone usually is and should be less of an influence on clothing color than circumstances, personality, etc. Even if those factors said "anything goes", skin tone can never be addressed without considering hair color and eye color.

 

[David Gaston]

I see. Thank you very much for the reply.

 

[Ivar]

The only "color rule" I consider almost universal is that one should generally avoid colors that are too close to one's skin tone. So light-skinned Caucasians usually look terrible in certain shades of light beige, whereas black dudes usually look bad in certain shades of mid-to-dark brown. Regarding the LBD. I think black women look fine in that, but I can see why they would be made to wear other colors since a dark skin is the perfect foil to loud colors.

 

[David Gaston]

Yes, yes, see - that makes a natural sense you would think is "universal". However, I've frequently seen the layman break these color rules I suppose innocently enough without knowing the consequence.. Thanks to all of you once again!