Whether or not someone finds you attractive is determined by a complex set of factors, some physical and others psychological. Of course, in the moment it all feels pretty simple: either the brain responds with a resounding “yes!” and a subsequent release of endorphins or it doesn’t. But according to a new study, what you’re wearing can play a significant role in this snap decision. In fact, wearing clothes that match your eye color in one particular way can subconsciously draw others’ interest. Read on to find out what to wear for optimal allure.
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In a new study released this month, a group of researchers from the University of St. Andrews used digitally altered images to analyze how people’s attraction changed, depending on what a person was wearing in relation to their eye color.
“We invited 200 participants to provide their opinions on what clothing colors suited different faces,” explained professor and lead researcher David Perrett, DPhil, via press release. “We were very surprised at how much agreement there was; participants chose similar clothing colors favoring reds and blues, however the colors chosen depended on who was wearing the garment.”
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Experts say that matching your clothing to your eye color may elicit a more favorable reaction because it calls attention to your natural beauty.
“The appeal of matching clothes with eye color likely stems from the enhancement of natural features,” says Vivienne Desurmont, a style expert and the founder of Maison Vivienne Paris. “It creates a harmonious visual balance, drawing attention to the eyes as a focal point. This could subconsciously contribute to a perception of enhanced attractiveness.”
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Many fashion experts suggest that you should consider your skin tone when choosing your outfits, but the study found that this factor was far less significant than eye color.
In fact, half of the participants were asked to adjust the clothing color in the images after they were manipulated to include lighter or darker skin tones. Regardless of these changes in skin tone, people’s color preferences for clothing stayed largely the same. The researchers say this suggests that the unchanged factors—eye color and hair color—were far more important.
However, Perrett acknowledges that skin tone and eye color are not wholly independent: “Those with a darker complexion tend to have darker pigmentation in their hair, their eyes, and their skin.”
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So what exactly should you wear to look more attractive, depending on your eye color? The study found that people with blue eyes look best in cool blue hues, while those with brown eyes are most flattered by warmer shades of orange or red.
Desuremont suggests that you can broaden this recommendation, opting for other shades within the warm or cool color family. “For lighter eye colors like blue or green, elegant cool tones such as deep blues and emerald greens can accentuate the eyes. For darker eyes, warm tones like rich browns and earthy hues can provide a complementary contrast, highlighting the depth of the gaze,” she says.
Piotr Krzymowski, co-founder of fashion brand Loop Generation, adds that those with green eyes should play up the feature. “If you have green eyes, opt for natural greens from seafoam to khaki to bring out the intensity of the rarest color eyes,” he tells Best Life.
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