The Naked Truth About Nude

Published:Sunday | September 28, 2014 | The Jamaican Gleaner

The naked truth about nude

What comes to mind when you think of the word 'nude'? Naturally, naked, flesh and skin come to mind. But when it comes to fashion, is one person's nude the same as another's?

In Jamaica where there is such a diversity of skin tones, it makes it impossible to categorically define the colour 'nude' as one specific colour. It is politically incorrect to refer to the barely there hue as 'flesh tone', for obvious reasons.

The colour 'nude' implies a stripped down colour - free from pigmented fuss and full of clean simplicity. For the purpose of this article, we will refer to 'nude' as light beige with pink or yellow undertones. Associated Press writer Samantha Critchell defines nude in fashion as: 'The colour most often used to describe a shade that is a little darker than champagne, lighter than sand, and perhaps with a hint of blush or peach.'

Nude is an excellent choice to play up any other colour in your wardrobe. Treat it as you would black or white neutrals to achieve a sophisticated palette. It is a good base colour to tone down vibrant neons, anchor dizzying prints, and it will set off most animal prints.

In Jamaica, we do not have a definitive 'fall' season and, admittedly, we do have summer-like temperatures up until November. But we can still adhere to some of fall's seasonal changes with very little effort.

Fall Tips Using Nudes

• Dress with a sombre colour palette, defined as autumnal colours: burgundies, browns, greys, navies, dark greens, blacks, and every mixture of each.

• To prevent your look from looking too Gothic and dark, enlist the help of sophisticated nude to keep the look clean and not heavy

• Master the art of layering with the use of light sweaters and lightweight blouses

• Choose 'fall' prints such as plaids and micro tweeds

• Choose nude shoes to fake longer legs

• Choose textured nude shoes to add design depth to your wardrobe.

Designer Pamella Roland, best known for her evening wear, says "Colours are loud. Nudes are a soft whisper - a sexy and elegant whisper. Nude allows a woman to wear her dress instead of the dress wearing her. It's very elegant."

It is clear to see that the one big buy for the next month is something nude and, because it is a wardrobe staple, it will transition through the holiday season and next spring.