Incorporating These Colors Into Your Outfits May Make You Look Younger

The fashion world has long known what beauty brands won't tell you out loud. The easiest way to look younger isn't tucked inside an expensive serum or in the needle of a cosmetic tweak, it's hanging in your closet. On the one hand, choosing the wrong shade is how you end up looking tired or sallow. On the other, the right color can do what no skincare routine quite manages: take years off in an instant. Who needs a time machine when a better, savvier palette can turn back the clock? Just as your skincare routine should change to cater to a more mature you, so, too, should your wardrobe.

Aging gracefully is an art. Or, at the very least, it can be treated as one. And as with all great art, there's a science behind it, too. According to Los Angeles-based celebrity wardrobe stylist Jasmine Caccamo, color has a huge impact on how youthful or mature someone appears. Color plays with perception, complexion, and even psychology. She exclusively told Women.com, "The undertones, vibrancy, and depth of colors can either lend to a youthful glow or, alternatively, add sophistication and maturity to an overall look." As it transpires, color is the filter that makes all the difference.

There are many outdated fashion trends that instantly age you, but you don't have to let color be one of them. Color directs perception; it has a powerful effect on how youthful or mature we appear. According to Jasmine Caccamo, the right shades can make all the difference. She exclusively tells Womne.com that "pastels and brights like sky blues and pink blushes" are her go-tos for clients looking to appear younger, as well as "warm undertones like honey yellows and peaches, and whites and neutrals." These flourishes, she explains, reflect the light in a way that offers a glowing complexion.

For a more refined, grown-up effect, Caccamo takes a different approach. As she put it, she opts for "jewel tones like forest green and deep plum, and cooler colors with a grey undertone like slate blue and dusty rose." Much like contouring in makeup, cooler shades work to add contrast and definition, sculpting the complexion in a way often associated with mature sophistication over youthful softness. These tones are sure to bring an elegant depth to any look.

But color is only one part of the equation. The real magic also lies in the overall styling, Jasmine Caccamo exclusively tells Women.com. Good styling pulls everything together. It can make color feel like a natural extension of your essence, whilst working together to create a natural, invigorated appearance.

Certain color combinations have a way of making you look revivified. One of Caccamo's favorite tricks is to pair whites and soft creams with pops of bright color. She said: "The crisp whiteness reflects the light, making skin appear more luminous," and when you add the likes of turquoise, bright pink, or emerald green, "it keeps the look modern and energetic." A white blazer layered over a jewel-toned top, or ivory pants coupled with a silk blouse bursting with color, are hacks she relies on to instantly breathe new life into an outfit.

For those whose skin has a warm undertone, Caccamo recommends wearing coral and peachy hues. Even the simplest blushes — a coral blouse or a peach-toned scarf, for example — can brighten the face and lift the entire look. You can let the colors do the heavy lifting for you, you just have to know how to use them.