Out with the old, in with the nude. Get your mind out of the gunmetal grays, the purples and the reds and get reacquainted with the luscious looks of honey, oatmeal, camel, sand, blush, and beige. I know, it’s a mouthful!
The wonderful thing is that these beautiful colors are dominating the runways and taking over department stores near you. The nude family of colors is impressive and the names chosen for each and every shade is every bit as detailed.
Regardless of how you refer to them or how beautiful you find them to be, nudes have a certain reputation that precedes them. Here are two common complaints: “Nudes wash me out,” and “nudes makes me look fat.” We have all used these excuses at one time or another. So, to make things easy , I am tackling these common concerns one at a time. Here are my Dos and Don’ts when it comes to nudes.
Wash yourself out by wearing all nude. Sometimes when you find more than one nude piece of clothing and the mood is right, you get the urge to go neutral all over. Don’t make this mistake! Pick one focal point to your look that is NOT neutral. Wearing all nude may be acceptable on the runways, since the focus there is on the clothes but trust me, it will not have the same effect of the streets.
Also, remember when you opt for these delicate and sensual colors, you become a blank canvas of sorts – adding any one color will make your outfit pop. View this as your chance to be daring. Whether you add a little color to your face or whether you pair the nude with one other color accessory. Wearing a single focal point is key.
DO
Wear neutral colors to accentuate parts of your body that you want to appear bigger and leave it to dark colors to make you look smaller. I found this dress to use as an example. It would be perfect for someone with slightly wider hips or someone self conscious about their lower body. The dark has a slimming affect, while the nude frames the upper body. I love this dress because it is ultra feminine and extremely flattering.
For women who worry about looking heavy in neutral colors, this may be helpful. Wear solid colors. Solid colors make you look sleeker. Be sexy, wear nude but stay away from patterns.
So, whether you chose to call it honey, oatmeal, camel, blush or sand, it is time that you joined the likes of Chloé and Valentino and supported the nude movement this Fall. My tip is to be your own blank canvas and pick one focal point for your entire look. Be it a great necklace, a sultry shade of lipstick, or your favorite scarf – this accent piece is what is going to let your individual style shine.
-Biana
I absolutely agree… Any thoughts of how to integrate your skin tone with the shades of nude…? there are so many, but not all shades look good with all skin tones.
I would recommend wearing colors that create a contrast with your skin tone, not ones that match closely to it. Having olive skin, you can wear a soft blush or a warmer camel. If you are on the fair side, try an oatmeal palette that brings out the softness of your skin complexion or a very pale nude that makes you look slightly darker. If you simply have to wear a garment that matches to your skin, play around with a dark lipstick or a smoky eye. To accent the outfit, wear a bright brooch, an interesting necklace or a scarf with a unique texture or color.
Thanks for the tips… Very helpful. Love the neutral colors but they are so hard to find with all the darks and the grays out there which seem to be plaguing the season yet again. Any thoughts on where to look?
Olga,
It depends on which look you are going for. For a casual look, I love All Saints clothing. You will find many neutral pieces on their site. Also, Intermix makes it easy with some great idea starters:
http://www.intermixonline.com/category/shop+by+trend/fall+must+list.do
As for an evening outfit, who can resist Herve Leger’s newest creation:
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446254909&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574492631267&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474399545537&bmUID=iL1lY5O&ev19=1:18
or this lovely piece:
http://www.shopbop.com/tea-frock-camilla-marc/vp/v=1/845524441880016.htm?fm=crosssell
If you still need inspiration, look at these beautiful Fendi Sandals:
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446385831&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574492709484&bmUID=iL1OStY&ev19=1:48
Are you drooling, yet?
Hope this helps,
Biana
Thank you. Great tips! At first I thought you were referring to the “real nude”: your birthday suit! I had the same question as Olga. Will look for accent bling.
Thanks Lynne. You would look great in some of those pieces!!!
Take a look at this picture of Kate Bosworth. In my opinion, she wore nude perfectly. Since she has fair skin, she chose an oatmeal color dress. She wore a red lipstick to keep from looking washed out and completed the outfit with a red pair of pumps. Flawless!
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/bianatsep/doingnuderight.jpg
For anyone looking for local stores that carry the clothes that I write about, I want to introduce you to Boutique77. The manager’s name is Sheila. She has a stunning tan dress in stock from the Wow Couture the Extava Morioka Collection:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/bianatsep/tandress.jpg