All whites are not the same, and different whites suit different colouring.
We can go from a very bright white which is cool and quite stark and only suits those with very cool colouring, via a soft white, through ivory to cream, which is very warm and suits those with warm colouring.
Soft whites are easily worn by most people, so are a safe bet if you’re not sure which way to go.
A good way to work out which is the best white for you is to go into a store (or if you have a range of whites at home do it there) and see which matches the whites of your eyes the best. The right white will make your eye whites look whiter, the wrong one will make them look more yellow or look unhealthy.
These days it’s quite easy to buy a range of white colours at all price points, but if you have bright white clothes in your wardrobe and it’s not flattering against your skin, why not give it a quick dye in herbal chamomile tea to take the edge off the whiteness and make it a more flattering shade for your complexion.
Bright white is the best on me. Wish it were easier to find. I look truly horrible in cream and ivory — like death — but that's what everything seems to be these days!
Amazing tip!!! Thanks!
Interestingly, I was just now reading on the Lumiere makeup page that they recommend warm foundation colour for those that wear creamy white well, cool for pure white.
Cream has been one of my favourite colours, but now, in my 40s, I think softer whites look better on me. Stark white has never been flattering on me, interesting how a small colur difference can make a lot of a difference with regard to how flattering a garment is. Great tip about dying stark white in cammomille tea – how specifically do I do it? Can I use my washing machine?
I never thought about what white would look best on me and now I'm realizing I have white shirts hanging in the closet that I never wear…this is why! Thanks for such a helpful tip!
Please tell us how to dye with tea.
I remember my late mum dying cotton lace with tea.I have tried to find instructions on the internet but no succes.
Is camomille better than regular tea? I tried soaking a white t-shirt in tea once to make it a softer colour. It worked fine until it went into the wash and it all came out.
My problem is that I don't know if I'm warm or cool! Maybe you can help (pretty please)??? I have medium brown hair, blue~green eyes, very fair skin that burns easily, freckles, and the veins on the inside of my forearm are bluish~green. What do you think, Imogen?
sound like cool colouring
Incredibly timely post. My dd is getting married and I am making her wedding dress. I am not sure what color white to use. I will pass this on to her.
If you google Tea Dying you'll find lots of instructions there. Has to be a on the stove in a pot dye, and needs to be fixed so that it just doesn't wash out next wash day.
Question from the last post, Imogen – how old is too old to wear red jeans?! I'm quite enamoured of them but don't want to look like a complete idiot.
I think I am in the middle. (?) Warm white suits me a little better but my boyfriend keeps saying Ihe loves me in bright white.I notice that interestingly bright white suits me when in a somehow transparent shirt or in a textured or embroided coton. I guess it is because the warm tone of my skin sees trough and that some textures add "warmness" to a color?
I'm warm, and I only like ivory of the ones you posted.
– tall & slim anon
Here's another thing you can do if you have a top that is not the best shade of white for you:
Wear it with accessories that are in a different shade of "white", e.g. an off-white shirt worn with a cream necklace, bracelet, belt and shoes. By doing this you "bracket" the colour of the top around its perimeter, and thereby take the edge off the intensity of the shirt colour. And as a bonus, putting white with shades of fawn/cream in a garment or outfit is currently very fashionable– and a good starting place if you can't quite decide which white is "your" white.
Hi,
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Thank you,