Best Colours for the Pale Skinned Man

Whether you’re a bronzed adonis or a red-faced, half-baked lobster, everyone is entitled to dress well and feel good during the sweaty season. Pale skinned people are no exception, and whilst being fair skinned is far from a make-or-break factor in fashion, with a fairer skin tone there are some pointers you should take into consideration when choosing your clothing.

First and foremost, as a self professed pale person it’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with being subtle skinned. However there are some colours and shades which may make your skin tone seem lighter than it actually is, given the disparity of certain colours with your skin.

Darker colours; your blacks, navies, burgundy, etc. are such colours that will make your skintone seem even fairer. Particularly when wearing t-shirts or vests, dark shades make the disparity between your bright arms and the dark sleeves more noticeable.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but depending on just how pale you really are, going for really dark colours such as black or heavy navy might not be the best option. Try lighter navy’s, dark greys or brown, as these will look smart without drawing too much attention to the colour contrast.

Pastel colours are a great option, especially in the current warmer weather. When you’re wearing t-shirts, vests or button ups, pastel colours go a long way toward keeping you cool and looking seasonal. The palewave shades of pastel colours will keep you looking a lot more ‘uniform’ in terms of your colour coordination; in simpler terms, you won’t look even more pale skinned like you would next to darker shirts.

Other shades such as your usual block colours aren’t a great option. Block reds, blues, greens, etc, are usually a bit stark and in-your-face, so you should avoid these if your complexion is a bit on the brighter side.

Printed or patterned shirts work great, again depending on the colours you choose. The same rules apply with these tops, so be sure to select dark colours, pastel shades or combinations of both.

Written by Aaron Thompson