Your eyes can reveal a lot about you, and each eye color deserves their chance to shine. Hazel eyes, known for their layers of uneven pigmentation called “flecks,” are especially alluring. While not as rare as green eyes, people with this special shade only make up 18 percent of the U.S population and 10 percent of the world. Elizabeth Kosich, certified image stylist and founder of Elizabeth Kosich Styling, describes them as “mini mosaics with brown, green, and gold at the base.” Ahead, Kosich and more stylists share the best colors to wear if you want to amp up your hazel eyes.
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Hazel eyes are quite versatile, so trying a range of neutrals, such as grays, beige, or darker browns can really make them stand out. Kosich says that depending on the light, eyes this shade can switch from brown to green to yellow and back again.
She suggests using a muted color palette for your wardrobe because they’ll harmonize best. The gray and white options are also more understated and work well if you’re not looking to go too bold right off the bat.
“Finding the hues that make your eyes sparkle through experimentation is the greatest approach to figure out which color best highlights your eyes,” says Aimee Carr, founder of Voodoo Makeup, beauty activist, and makeup artist.
Since hazel eyes could have blue or gray in them as well, Sarah Roberts, founder of A Beauty Edit notes that wearing these colors will help bring out those darker, less noticeable aspects.
When it comes to highlighting your hazel hue, purple, especially richer shades, is an excellent option. “The cool undertones of purple create a captivating contrast against the warm tones found in hazel eyes,” says Cara Buckland, a fashion expert at Adore Fashion.
Oftentimes hazel eyes have a lot of yellow, and purple is directly across from yellow on the color wheel—so it’s really a perfect match. The best complementary color to deep, muted yellow is blue-violet, Kosich tells Best Life.
You can also try some indigo pieces for summer to help put your hazel eyes on display. Kosich suggests editing your jeans collection down to more darker denim washes if you like the effect of the indigo.
On the lighter side, lavender and hazel are also great together. “Lavender’s soft pastel tint sets off the brown and green hazel hues, making them really standout,” says Kosich.
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Any shade that matches the greens or brown in hazel eyes is a must. “Browns, golds, and rich oranges are also fantastic as they accentuate the brown tones in hazel eyes, lending a sense of warmth and depth,” says Joseph Manktelow-Pimm, fashion and stylist expert at 7Gents.
Earth tones are subtle enough to enhance the natural beauty of the eyes without being too much. “Opting for olive greens, mossy shades, or even vibrant emeralds will create a striking contrast against the brown and gold tones in hazel eyes, while accentuating the unique qualities of them and brightening up the whole face,” says Buckland.
“Hazel eyes are unique due to their multi-tonal nature, offering a myriad of possibilities when it comes to enhancing them with the right colors,” says Manktelow-Pimm—and burgundy fits so well. It’s a warmer shade that will really make the eyes pop.
A muted burgundy is the most complementary color to olive green, which makes it a gorgeous pairing with hazel eyes—thanks to the green flecks you might have. “Burgundy also performs double-duty as a pseudo-neutral, mixing-and-matching flawlessly with just about any color palette,” says Kosich.
She suggests investing in a burgundy winter coat or nice dress for a timeless addition to your wardrobe. In addition, Carr says any warmer hue like gold, orange, and red will also look lovely and can effectively highlight the various tones in your eyes.
Yellow or gold flecks are also pretty common in hazel eyes, so wearing yellow is a no-brainer. Yellow has a wide range of shades: Kosich suggests exploring mustard and amber, as well as metallics and jewel tones such as topaz.
“Deep, muted yellows have a brightening and lightening effect to hazel eyes that really make them dance,” she says.
You can be a little bold or daring especially because it’s such a bright color. “Consider a Tuscan yellow scarf or spicy mustard cropped trench for accent pieces that tie to your golden hazel flecks without being overwhelming,” says Kosich.
