A great outfit begins with a good foundation – Your perfect fit bra. But just because a bra has been labelled “nude” does not make it your nude. The spectrum for neutrality is wide when it comes to underwear, and you are not doing your wardrobe or yourself any favours by not choosing the right nudes (because there are quite a few) for your unique skin colour.
The classic nude bra is the unsung hero of intimate wear and every woman should have at least one well-fitted flesh coloured bra in her underwear arsenal. Many lighter-skinned women believe that white is the best choice under a light coloured garment but the fact is, regardless of skin tone, if you want your bra to remain inconspicuous under your clothing a nude shade is almost always guaranteed to be invisible. Your perfect nude bra should create a smooth silhouette and blend into your skin tone effortlessly.
THE RIGHT BLEND!
It’s important to know that your underwear doesn’t need to match your skin tone perfectly to achieve invisibility. With so many unique skin colours out there it would be highly unlikely to find your identical match anyway. Instead, focus on finding out which neutral shades complement your colouring best. A useful tip that make-up artists often count on when choosing the most flattering shades for an individual is to look at their wrist. Because your inner forearm is mostly hidden from direct sunlight the colour of that area is most likely the truest match to your natural (untanned) skin tone.
A nude bra can revolutionise an outfit, and how you feel about yourself in it. Below is a quick guide to why a nude bra is your best choice for any ensemble.
- UNDER WHITE
Wearing a black or coloured bra under white is usually considered a fashion no-no unless you are wanting your underwear to stand out. Even a white bra isn’t the best choice under white clothing because it often shows through due to the colour’s ‘brightness’ against your skin tone, making your bra even more noticeable. Anything that makes your underwear an evident part of your outfit is generally not a good idea. Instead, opt for a well-fitted flesh coloured bra that, if the correct shade, will disappear under a white top no matter how form-fitting.
- UNDER LIGHT COLOURS, PRINTS AND FABRICS
You can seldom go wrong with the right nude coloured bra. Skin-tone shades are the ideal choice under lighter hues and prints when the fabric or background colour is light enough to allow your underclothes to be seen underneath. Wafer-thin fabrics, pastels and lighter prints cannot effectively disguise a coloured bra, but a nude bra that is close to the shade of your skin will blend well with just about anything you wear — whether it’s a little bit sheer or not.
- UNDER DARK COLOURS
Like everything in life, no fashion rule is completely straightforward. Black or dark underwear is a good choice when wearing darker colours like burgundy, chocolate or navy but a nude coloured bra is an excellent option too. That’s because the right nude shade will melt away under the darker clothing and become invisible. This is especially true for women with lighter skin colours because dark underwear can create a more obvious and unwanted contrast between the bra and skin colour under sheer garments like a lightweight tee or flirty summer dress. When in doubt always choose nude.
