Jewel Tones in Winter

A number of my fair-skinned friends have been complaining about their wintry pallor as of late. Wearing black exaggerates the contrast, and neutral tan shades only seem to wash out pasty faces. Since midwinter vacays to St. Barths are out of the question for all but a lucky few, and self-tanning on dry winter skin is just a recipe for an orange disaster, I decided to quell their whining and wailing by finding a color that would work with, rather than against, their ghostly complexions.

I haven't seen a good bustier style dress in a while. I like that this one is structured at the top, but the addition of an empire waist creates a softly draping shape. The rich, sapphire hue is lovely, and sparkles against pale, winter skin. I'm picturing it with a vintage red lip (a great way to complement fair skin) and soft, fuzzy cardi in off-white (casual) or black (dressy). Top with a caramel-hued faux fur coat, and you'll be ready to quit your whining and go trotting off to a party.

Ingwa;melero Dita dress in Royal, $225 @ Language.

Photo credit: www.shoplanguage.com