A COLOR GUIDE TO AID YOU IN ATTAINING A SLENDERIZING APPEARANCE
| Type of Woman | Black | Brown | Blue | Green | Gray | Purple | Pink |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pink Blonde | |||||||
| Fair hair; blue, gray, or brown eyes; white skin, moderate color. | Very good in dull surfaced fabrics. | Bronze and warm tans, very good. Dark tones permissible. | Excellent. Greenish and navy blue very good; also medium tones to repeat color of blue eyes. | Gray-green good; also soft blue-green both medium and dark. | Dark, blue-gray very good. | Orchid fair; also, blue-violet in sheer soft fabrics. Red purple may be used in small quantities. | Flesh and dull old rose permissible. |
| Pale Blonde | |||||||
| Fair hair; blue, gray, or brown eyes; white skin with little or no color. | May be worn with white or cream collar. | Dark red-brown permissible. | Excellent in dark shades and old blue. | Very pale green good. | Dark, blue-gray good. | Orchid good; fuchsia, good for trimming. | Flesh, good; also dull old rose. |
| Titian Blonde | |||||||
| Fair hair, bordering on red; blue, brown, or gray eyes; fair skin, moderate color. | Excellent. | Dark tones and bronze good if eyes are brown. | Dark tones excellent; or medium blue if eyes are blue. | Almond and reseda good; avoid bright tones. | Stone-gray and taupe good. Blue-gray good. | Very dull orchid good. | Pastel tones in sheer material, good. |
| Medium Blonde | |||||||
| Light brown hair; blue, brown, or gray eyes; medium complexion. | Best relieved by cream color. | Bronze and medium tan good. | Very good in dark and medium tones. | Dark green and reseda good. | Silver-gray permissible. | Moderately good for trimming if skin is clear. | Flesh and peach may be worn. |
| Olive Blonde | |||||||
| Light brown hair; brown, blue, or gray eyes; skin inclined to sallowness. | Good, if used with contrasting color. | Very dark tones may be worn. | Dark tones excellent. | Bottle-green good. | Very dark taupe good. | Pinkish tones in sheer material permissible. | Creamy flesh and peach color fair. |
| Clear Brunette | |||||||
| Dark or medium brown hair; dark blue, gray, or brown eyes; fair, clear skin, with some color. | Excellent, especially with white. | Very good for brown-eyed type; tan good. | Dark tones good with bright trimming. Medium blue fair. | Dark green good. Blue-green for blue-eyed type; bronze-green for brown eyes. | Permissible for a dress that is smartly designed and trimmed. | Orchid good; fuchsia may be used in small quantities. | Rose permissible as trimming. |
| Pale Brunette | |||||||
| Medium, dark brown or black hair; brown, gray, or dark blue eyes; pale skin. | Do not use except with bright color for trimming. | Excellent with brown eyes; warm tan good. | Dark tones very good; green-blues good. | Dark green excellent. Blue-green for blue eyes and bronze-green for brown eyes. | Warm taupe permissible. | Dull orchid; also, pink tones of violet. | Flesh, dull rose and peach good. |
| Colorful Brunette | |||||||
| Medium brown or dark hair; blue, brown, or gray eyes; medium skin, high color. | Very good. | Most browns excellent for brown-eyed type. | Dark blue excellent; green-blue good. | Very good in dark tones. Bronze-green excellent with brown eyes. | Blue-gray and taupe good. | Avoid all except bluish hues. | |
| Auburn Brunette | |||||||
| Brown hair, tinged with red; brown, blue or gray eyes; medium skin. | Transparent black good. | All pure browns that blend with hair and eyes good. | Navy blue and green-blues very good. | Bronze-green excellent; also, medium reseda. | Good, if skin is clear. | Plum color and palest lavender permissible. | Flesh and pale pink good. |
| Olive Brunette | |||||||
| Dark brown or black hair; brown or black eyes; olive skin, some color. | Permissible if worn with cream collar. | Mahogany and deepest browns moderately good. | Good in darkest tones. | Bronze-green permissible. | Taupe may be worn in rare cases. | Pink lavender in sheer fabric or dahlia in small quantities fair. | Dull pink and apricot tones good. |
| Gray and Gray | |||||||
| Gray hair; brown, gray, or blue eyes; medium skin. | Permissible if worn with cream collar. | Good in dark and medium tones. Delft blue good for blue eyes. | Permissible in darkest tones. | Silver-gray good. | Soft pink lavender good; also dark tones. | Flesh and old rose very good. | |
| Brown and Gray | |||||||
| Grayish, brown hair; brown, blue, or gray eyes; medium skin. | Permissible with cream collar. | Seal and chestnut good. Avoid all tans. | Dull blue, very good; brighter blues good for trimming. | Dark tones moderately good. Avoid gray-green. | Dark grays brightened by trimming, permissible. | Avoid unless skin is very clear and hair almost white. | Creamy-flesh good. Avoid rose hues. |
All rules may be individually varied and should be for distinctive effects, so to know the rule of color is to respect it and adeptly apply it to express yourself beautifully and harmoniously. Play with colors as you would with a fan. Remember that usually every woman can look better than she does. It is the age of good-looking women and the right shade or tone of color has a very great deal to do with the right emphasis of individual attractiveness.
Color has so much to do with the final appearance of any costume, that you must find your particular color pace. Remember that if you are stout you cannot stray from the less colorful byways to the brilliant main road trodden by your slim sisters. Never lose sight of the fact that true artistry may be expressed in the subtle shades to a much greater degree than by the use of brilliant colors. As civilization advances, it is gradually drawing away from pure color. You will find that practically all of the fabrics shown in the shops are variations of the foundation or primary colors. Why not carry this to its farthest point, emphasizing your appreciation of the subtlety of the “between” shades which can do so much toward making you look smart and slender?
In the selection of shades for becomingness, your size is the first consideration; your skin the second. Consider carefully both the color and the texture of your skin, and work to have the shades of your dresses enhance, harmonize, or subdue, according to the need or opportunity. The color of your hair and eyes comes third in color consideration, while your age comes fourth.
In making use of the table I have given you, locate your type in the first column. If you are a blonde read descriptions of all the blonde types and decide to which you belong. If you are a brunette, classify yourself under this heading. Do not feel hampered by the colors allowable for your particular type, because it very often happens that a variation of a shade you like will make it becoming to you even though it would be unsuited to another individual whose description would correspond with yours.