Flattering hues for your coloring

If your hair is silver, then dark shades can look elegant. When you opt for black, it's best to look for a fabric that has some sheen to help reflect light and brighten up your face.

This bold pink instantly enlivens your whole face. (It even seems to make cheekbones higher and eyes wider.) What's more, pink is a shade that flatters everyone, says Holly Jones, a hairstylist and colorist in Venice, Calif. A true pink is actually a very neutral color. It can seem both cool and warm.

Contrast is usually key, says Jones about choosing colors that will complement your skin and hair. Here, navy blue looks crisp and clean but doesn't have enough warmth.

Just like purple shadows flatter brown eyes, so shades of purple work wonders with brown hair and dark skin.

Shades of white and off-white can look soft and ethereal, or crisp and clean, depending on the fabric. But for women with very fair skin, wearing a pale hue requires stepping up your makeup and accessories so you don't get washed out.

A cool redhead usually looks great in cool green, says Jones. A warm redhead—with hair that's more copper-colored—looks great in a rich blue. What about red on a redhead? According to Jones, it works, as long as the colors are the same tone.

Once again, navy is a great basic, but it's not going to help anyone stand out in a crowd. (There's a reason corporate America loves its basic navy suit.)

A blue-violet provides a refreshing pop of color on women with cool tones in their skin and hair. (Red-violets that are more eggplant flatter warm tones.)

Olive skin and brown hair with a hint of gold craves more color than this charcoal gray delivers. (Adding gold accessories would help punch it up.)

It doesn't get much better than this. The buttery yellow dress contrasts beautifully with dark brown hair, and brings out shades of gold and pink in an olive complexion. (Go ahead—click back to the before to see how major the difference is.)

Wearing black feels like a missed opportunity when you have warm, golden skin and hair that's lush and full of color.

Similar to pink, a true red can pass for neutral, meaning it will flatter anyone's coloring. If you're a golden blonde, then you'll also look good in a warm red, says Jones. (Look for something with a hint of orange in it.)

Yes, black looks good on everyone and women with fair skin and black-brown hair are no exception.

Black hair glistens in ultra-rich jewel-toned colors with a blue base. (Think amethyst, emerald green and sapphire blue.)