How to Choose a Gown Color That Flatters Your Skin Tone

Two women can wear the same gown in the same shade and look completely different in it. Usually the difference is not the cut. It is the color. The right shade makes your skin glow, brightens your eyes and looks beautiful in every photo. The wrong one can wash you out, even in a stunning dress. Before you choose a gown for a wedding, gala or New Year's Eve, here is how to find the colors that love you back.

Step one: find your undertone

Your skin tone (fair, medium or deep) matters less than your undertone, the subtle hue beneath the surface. There are three, and a couple of easy tests will tell you yours.

• The vein test: look at the veins on your inner wrist in daylight. Greenish veins suggest warm undertones, bluish or purple veins suggest cool, and a mix suggests neutral.
• The jewelry test: if gold makes your skin glow, you are probably warm. If silver looks better, you are likely cool. If both work, you are neutral.
• The white test: pure bright white flatters cool undertones, while ivory and cream flatter warm ones.

Gown colors for cool undertones

Cool undertones shine in jewel tones with blue or purple bases: sapphire, royal blue, emerald, amethyst, fuchsia, icy silver and true black. These shades make the skin look luminous rather than sallow.

Our Royal Blue Satin Ball Gown ($60) is a dream for cool skin. Its saturated blue satin, deep V-neck and full skirt with a backless bow are made for black-tie evenings. Add silver or crystal jewelry to complete the look.

Gown colors for warm undertones

Warm undertones glow in colors with yellow or golden bases: champagne, gold, olive, rust, terracotta, coral, warm red and chocolate brown. Earthy greens are especially flattering.

Try the Sage Green Satin Corset Mermaid Gown ($95), whose soft green satin and draped corset bodice look stunning with gold jewelry. For something lighter, the Champagne Lace One-Shoulder Column Gown ($195) is warm, romantic and ideal for a wedding guest who wants to look elegant without stealing the spotlight.

Gown colors for neutral undertones

Lucky you: most colors work. Mid-tone shades such as dusty pink, jade, soft teal, plum and true red look particularly balanced. You can also wear metallics in gold and silver, and mix both in your jewelry.

Colors that flatter almost everyone

When in doubt, or when shopping for someone else, a few shades are close to universally flattering:

• True red, a balanced red that is neither too orange nor too blue.
• Teal and deep jade, which sit between warm and cool.
• Black with a touch of sparkle, such as the Black & Gold Sequin Mermaid Gown ($100), where gold sequins warm up classic black.
• Soft blush, gentle and romantic on fair and deep skin alike.

One gown, fourteen shades

If you already know your best colors, choose a style made in many of them. The One-Shoulder Sequin & Satin Draped Gown ($130) comes in fourteen shades, from royal blue and emerald for cool undertones to wine red and yellow for warm ones.

Don't forget hair and makeup

Your hair color and makeup change how a gown color reads, too. Very dark hair adds contrast, so bold jewel tones and black look especially striking. Light or golden hair pairs beautifully with soft pastels, champagne and warm metallics. If you love a color that is not quite your best, wear it away from your face, in a skirt or a wrap, and keep a flattering shade near your face with your neckline, jewelry or lipstick.

Consider the occasion, too

At a wedding, avoid white, ivory and anything that could read as bridal, and ask whether the couple has a color palette. For winter events, rich jewel tones feel festive and photograph beautifully in candlelight. For New Year's Eve, metallics and sequins are always right.

Explore every style, from satin mermaids to sequin columns, in our Gowns & Long Formal Dresses collection.

Frequently asked questions

What color gown looks good on everyone?

True red, teal and black with metallic detail flatter almost every skin tone. Soft blush is another reliable choice.

How do I know if I have warm or cool undertones?

Check the veins on your wrist in daylight (green suggests warm, blue suggests cool) and notice whether gold or silver jewelry makes your skin glow.

What color should a mother of the bride wear?

Choose a shade that complements the wedding palette and flatters your undertone. Navy, champagne, sage, plum and dusty blue are all elegant choices. Avoid white and ivory.