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Unravel The Knowledge of Color Coordination and Mens Complexion

My Latest eBook:

Learn How To Dress for Success By Coordinating The Right Colors and Patterns To Look Sharp & Smart



click here to read about it


Hi. thanks for putting this site together. I recently changed jobs and need to step up my wardrobe including wearing ties for the first time in many years.

Dave Aldous,
USA

To discuss about color coordination and mens complexion is difficult. Most men do not possess the knowledge of distinguishing mens complexion and so color coordination would be difficult.

But there are some men with a good feel about such mens skin tones and color would appreciate this discussion easily.

Firstly mens complexion encompasses various attributes on a mens face. Skin tone and hair color influences most part of the complexion, followed by the eye color.

Our main objective when matching clothes to our complexion is to divert the focus onto our face, and not the clothes. So color coordination and mens complexion should be eventually shift the focal point to the man and never the clothes.

The reason is we wear the clothes and not let the clothes wear us. Proper mens fashion coordination brings out the best in our personality and features which belongs only to the person when coupled with the clothes. So make sure the blend of the clothing color strengthen the focal point on the face.

Two strategies that we can employ when doing color coordination and mens complexion:

  1. Base on the degree of differentiation between the skin tone and hair color, we would use the same level of contrast to apply toward our clothing color coordination

  2. Use similar color hues in our clothing to blend it against our facial skin pigment, hair color, or eye color to accentuate the facial focus.


There are two types of mens complexion to take note of and their subcategories: Firstly it is the Differentiated where there is a significant difference in color tones between skin and hair.

High Differentiation:
When the hair color is very dark and the skin tone is fair and light, we would consider it high differentiated. Or even light gray hair with olive or tan skin tones are another example.

Medium Differentiation:
The skin tone and hair color is differentiated but not extensive. Examples are olive or tan skin tone with dark hair; Light gray hair against a ruddy skin complexion; Medium brown hair and tan skin undertone.

Let's look two ex-James Bond actors, Pierce Brosnan, an example of a man with highly differentiated complexion; and Sean Connery, having a medium differentiated mens complexion.

Color coordination and mens complexion of either differentiated types makes it an easy task. This is because the contrasting skin and hair colors allow the men to enjoy a wider range of differentiated colors between their clothing and yet still bring out their facial focal point.

Choosing colors between clothing that are muted would hide the mens face behind the clothes or even blend the facial skin tone into the clothing. These concepts would fail to heighten the mens face.


Second category of mens complexion is Subdued: very similar color tones between skin and hair

Examples are medium brown hair and dark beige skin tones; light brown and olive skin undertone.

There are quite a few people falling into this category and have difficulty color coordinating their clothes. The art of color coordination and mens complexion of such nature is to keep the color tones earthy, and always AVOID big contrasting color combinations like black and white.

What happens when contrasting colors clothes are chosen? They will overwhelm the mens complexion with the effect of making them look pale and inconspicuous against the clothes color.

A good example is the picture showing Larry King's wrong choice of tie that overwhelmed his subdued complexion (light colored hair and light face).

Gene Hackman's choice of both dark color shades, without any constrast, for his jacket and shirt brightens up his subdued complexion.

The aim is to choose colors that can warm up the mens complexion on the face. Do not use colors that give the man a wash-out look.

Focusing on blending colors with similar subdued tones helps to give this warming effect.

Its sub-category is the Light and Bright:

As its name suggests, this category belongs to men with light and bright colored skin tones and hair color.

Few examples of light and bright with a strong gold overtone are Russian president, Putin, and Brad Pitt because of their blond hair.

The same color combination should apply similar to subdued complexion, but this sub-group is able to take up warmer shades of gray and blue.

Color coordination and mens complexion that are light, bright with blond hair can accept tinge of gold, yellow, rusts, and shades of brown in their clothing to accentuate the focus on their face.

As mentioned above, following the color of the eye is also a resort of color strategy.

It would work especially well for the subdued complexion men to add on accessories to accentuate the face.

Find out about the various concepts of color coordination.

Learn the sartorial art of pattern coordination.


African or Indian Ethnic Groups
This group possesses a high to medium differentiated skin color. Putting almost all light shades of color against their face can still bring attention to their face because of the contrast created.

So color coordination and mens complexion among high contrasting African or Indian ethnic groups can be very versatile as long as they choose clothing color contrasting to their skin tone.

Best choice of contrast coloring is, of course, white. So it would never go wrong to wear white-color-based shirts. Their choice of blue shade is very wide. There is no worry on a matching blue shade.

Medium differentiation in this group would generally fall upon those with lighter brown or tan skin tones. They will fare better with lesser intensity of color contrast.

A safe choice of color for dress shirts will be light or medium blue. Golden shades, yellow, and light brown shades can present nice blend against their complexion too.


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