What's The Best Bathing Suit Color for Pale Skin - Ocean Bunny

Steering clear of sunburn isn’t your only dilemma when you hit the beach. Women with fair skin easily look pasty in really dark or bright colors, which is especially noticeable in bikinis because they show so much skin.

You can wear any style that works for your body type, as long as you choose a color and pattern that looks good with your skin tone.

Pastels

Pale colors like pastels work well with your skin tone. Super-intense colors like neons contrast way too much, which tends to create a harsh look. Your options for pastels are open — pink, green, blue and lavender all work with fair skin.

Earth Tones

Earth tones also look really good on fair skin, adding muted color that doesn’t create too much contrast with your skin. Try an earthy red or brown, a mustard yellow or a chocolaty-beige. Just steer clear of anything that blends in super closely with your skin color, keeping in mind that you may pick up a light tan during the swimsuit season.

Patterns

Choosing a bikini with a pattern lets you add pizzazz to your look. From cutesy florals to bold stripes and polka dots, your options are open. Just avoid colors that are super dark or bold. Dark accents are okay as long as they don’t dominate.

Metallic

Metallic bikinis also let you jazz up your look without contrasting too much with your skin. Choose a lighter or moderate color, not neon purple. Going for metallic pastels is a smart choice.

Brown and Bold

“There’s nothing wrong with being pale if you opt for a chocolate brown suit if you have fair skin. Brown creates a less jarring contrast with light skin than black, and it can actually have the effect of making pale skin appear warmer. Related shades of brown, such as camel, mahogany and dark tan will have similar effects. For the most natural look, pick a hue that has notes of your skin tone in it.

Rockin’ Red

A rich red swimsuit creates an attractive contrast with pale skin tones, and it’s sure to attract attention poolside or at the beach. Feel inspired to pick a bright lipstick shade that brings to mind old Hollywood glamor, but if your pale skin comes with red hair, a darker suit will look better, such as a velvety maroon or burgundy. Since red tends to snatch so much attention, keep the rest of your attire simple and opt for a neutral sarong, hat or pair of sandals.

Glittering Emerald

Dark shades of forest green and emerald naturally enhance pale skin and give it a glowing effect. Green also has the advantage of meshing well with all skin tones, so you can feel confident wearing it whether your skin is milky white or a faint brown. Avoid lime green, which can wash out your natural color.

Colors to Avoid

When you’re picking out a new suit, it can be just as important to know what colors to avoid as it is to know the colors that look good on you. For pale skin, stay away from white and black. White can encourage the “ghost” look, and while you may think black will create a nice contrast with your complexion, the juxtaposition can actually be too harsh. It’s also smart to bypass yellow and light gold. Unless your paleness leans toward the bronze, they’ll make you look jaundiced and fluorescent.