Holiday Outfits
for Warm Undertones
Warm undertones have a distinct advantage in the holiday season. The deep reds, rich greens, warm golds, and spiced burgundies that define holiday dressing are precisely the colors that complement golden, peachy, and olive-warm complexions. But not every holiday color works equally — some festive classics actually fight warm undertones rather than flattering them. These are the holiday looks and color choices that make warm undertones genuinely glow.
Discover Your ColorsWhy Warm Undertones Shine at the Holidays
Warm undertones — the golden, peachy, or olive-warm quality in your skin — are created by the presence of yellow, red, and orange pigments close to the skin's surface. These are the same pigments that define warm, earthy coloring, and they respond best to colors that harmonize with rather than fight the golden-warm base of your complexion.
The holiday color palette has significant overlap with warm undertone territory. Deep burgundy, warm forest green, rich gold, and spiced terracotta all carry the warmth that your complexion needs in its clothing. The reason holiday photos often look particularly good on warm-undertoned people is that the ambient colors of the season — the warm lighting, the rich decor, the warm-toned festive palette — all align naturally with golden-warm skin.
The key distinction is between warm holiday colors and cold, icy holiday shades. Burgundy, warm red, forest green, antique gold, and deep copper are excellent for warm undertones. Icy silver, cool fuchsia, royal blue, and cool emerald are the festive shades that fight warm coloring. Staying in the warm end of the holiday spectrum makes the difference between 'festive and glowing' and 'wearing costume colors that fight your skin.'
Your Best Holiday Colors with Warm Undertones
Warm Red and Burgundy
Red is the ultimate holiday color — and for warm undertones, the right reds are transformative. Warm crimson with its slightly orange-red quality harmonizes with golden skin without clashing. Deep burgundy adds richness and sophistication. The key is choosing reds with warmth: brick-red, tomato-red, and warm crimson rather than cool blue-reds or fuchsia-reds. Berry red and wine provide the same warm depth for those who want something slightly less traditional.
Rich Green and Forest
Green is the seasonal counterpart to red, and warm-undertoned greens are particularly flattering on golden and olive complexions. Forest green and hunter green carry enough warmth in their depth to harmonize with warm skin rather than fighting it. Warm emerald — with its yellow-green quality rather than blue-green — is especially striking on olive skin. Avoid cool, blue-toned greens; lean toward the forest and hunter end of the green spectrum.
Gold and Warm Metallics
Gold is the definitive metallic for warm undertones at the holidays. The yellow-gold quality of antique gold and warm champagne resonates with the yellow warmth in golden and peachy skin, creating a luminous, glowing effect that silver simply cannot replicate on warm complexions. Copper and bronze carry the same warm metallic energy and are excellent alternatives. These are the holiday occasion colors that make warm undertones look their most radiant.
Warm Spice and Deep Earth
Beyond the traditional red-green holiday palette, the warm spice tones are excellent festive choices for warm undertones. Deep rust, terracotta, and amber all carry the warmth that makes golden and olive skin glow. These work particularly well for holiday events that are more relaxed or for building a festive capsule that extends beyond the most traditional looks. They photograph beautifully under warm holiday lighting.
How to Dress for the Holidays with Warm Undertones
The classic holiday look
For traditional holiday occasions — Christmas dinner, formal parties, family gatherings — the most flattering choice for warm undertones is deep burgundy or warm red. A deep burgundy velvet dress or a warm red tailored jumpsuit creates an immediately festive, seasonal look while making warm skin glow. Pair with gold jewelry — antique gold or warm champagne tones — rather than silver. The combination of warm red-burgundy and gold is the definitive warm-undertone holiday formula.
Holiday parties and events
For holiday parties and celebrations, warm metallics are the most versatile and flattering choice. A gold or bronze sequined top paired with deep rust or forest green trousers creates a festive, celebratory look that works for warm undertones in any party context. Alternatively, a warm champagne silk slip dress with warm gold jewelry is simple, elegant, and deeply flattering on golden-warm skin.
Casual holiday gatherings
For more relaxed holiday occasions — gatherings, informal dinners, daytime events — lean into the warm earth tones of the season. A deep rust sweater, a warm terracotta linen shirt, a caramel cashmere knit — these create a festive warmth that's not overly formal while still reading as seasonal. Pair with deep denim or chocolate brown for a cohesive, warm-toned casual holiday look.
Office holiday events
Professional holiday events call for warmth without excess. Forest green is the ideal warm-undertone work holiday color: it's festive, seasonal, and professional. A forest green blazer over a cream blouse, or a tailored forest green dress, creates a polished holiday-appropriate look that works in any office context. Deep burgundy in a structured silhouette is equally strong.
Holiday Colors That Fight Warm Undertones
Icy silver and cool grey
Silver is the most common holiday metallic, but it's the wrong choice for warm undertones. The cool, blue-grey quality of silver creates a stark, unflattering contrast with golden-warm skin — it makes warm complexions look yellow and sallow by comparison. Swap silver for gold, copper, or bronze, which create harmony rather than contrast.
Cool fuchsia and magenta
Cool-toned pinks — fuchsia, magenta, and blue-pink — are popular holiday colors but actively fight warm undertones. The cool blue base of these shades clashes with the yellow warmth in warm complexions, creating a clash that makes skin look sallow or ruddy. Warm reds, deep berry, and warm rose-pink are better choices in the pink-red family.
Royal blue and cool cobalt
Cool, vivid blue in the holiday context is challenging for warm undertones. Royal blue and cool cobalt have a starkness against warm skin that creates harsh rather than flattering contrast. If you want blue at the holidays with warm undertones, choose navy with slight warmth or jewel-toned teal rather than cool, bright royal blue.
Cool icy pastels
Icy pastels — pale silver-pink, ice blue, cool mint — occasionally appear in holiday collections and are almost universally unflattering on warm undertones. They have neither the warmth to harmonize with warm skin nor the depth to create any interesting contrast. They simply wash warm complexions out entirely.
Holiday Color Swaps for Warm Undertones
Trading the festive colors that fight your warmth for ones that make you glow.
Cool silver fights warm undertones and makes skin look sallow. Gold harmonizes with golden warmth, creating a glowing, luminous effect.
Fuchsia has a cool blue base that clashes with warm skin. Warm crimson and berry have the warmth that harmonizes with golden undertones.
Cool royal blue creates harsh contrast with warm skin. Forest green and burgundy carry warmth that makes warm complexions look radiant.
Silver is the wrong metallic temperature for warm undertones. Gold and copper harmonize with golden-warm skin and create warmth and depth.
Cool emerald has a blue-green quality that fights warm skin. Forest and olive greens carry warmth that makes warm complexions glow.
Icy pastels have no warmth or depth to flatter warm undertones. Burgundy and caramel create rich contrast that makes warm skin look luminous.
Which Warm Season Might You Be?
Warm undertones span several color seasons. Your exact holiday palette depends on how warm, deep, and saturated your coloring is overall.
Warm Autumn
Learn moreIf your warm undertones are rich and golden-earthy — warm or olive-warm skin, brown or hazel eyes, brown or auburn hair — Warm Autumn is likely your season. Your holiday palette leans into deep rust, forest green, warm gold, and rich burgundy. You wear the deepest, earthiest holiday colors best.
Warm Spring
Learn moreIf your warm undertones are lighter and fresher — peachy skin, lighter eyes, golden or light brown hair — Warm Spring may be your season. Your holiday palette includes the warmer, clearer holiday shades: bright warm red, warm gold, peach-coral, and warm apple green rather than the very deep, earth-heavy tones.
Deep Autumn
Learn moreIf you have warm undertones with high contrast — deep skin, very dark or vivid eyes, dark hair — Deep Autumn may be your season. Your holiday palette includes the most saturated and deepest warm holiday colors: rich wine, dark forest green, deep copper, and warm black-brown.
Find Your Exact Holiday Palette
Warm undertones and the holiday season are natural allies — but the exact warm holiday shades that work best for you depend on your depth, saturation level, and the specific quality of your warmth. A personalised color analysis identifies exactly where within the warm spectrum you sit and gives you the precise holiday colors that make your complexion glow.
Get Your Color AnalysisFrequently Asked Questions
What holiday colors suit warm undertones?
Warm crimson, deep burgundy, forest green, antique gold, warm copper, and bronze are the most flattering holiday colors for warm undertones. These shades have the warmth that harmonizes with golden, peachy, or olive-warm skin. Avoid icy silver, cool fuchsia, and royal blue, which fight warm undertones.
Can warm undertones wear red at Christmas?
Yes — warm red is one of the best holiday colors for warm undertones. The key is choosing warm reds: crimson, tomato-red, brick-red, and warm scarlet rather than cool blue-reds or fuchsia-reds. Deep burgundy is equally excellent. Warm undertones look genuinely radiant in warm red at the holidays.
What jewelry metals suit warm undertones for the holidays?
Gold is the definitive holiday metallic for warm undertones. Antique gold, warm yellow gold, champagne gold, copper, and bronze all harmonize with golden-warm skin and create a luminous effect. Silver should be avoided — the cool grey-blue quality of silver clashes with warm undertones and makes skin look sallow.
Should warm undertones avoid green at the holidays?
No — warm greens are excellent holiday choices for warm undertones. The key is choosing greens with warmth: forest green, hunter green, and warm emerald rather than cool, blue-toned emerald or kelly green. Warm greens harmonize with golden and olive skin; cool greens fight it.
What is the best holiday look for warm undertones?
The most flattering holiday look for warm undertones is deep burgundy or warm red paired with gold jewelry. A rich burgundy velvet dress or warm crimson tailored outfit with antique gold accessories creates a genuinely festive, glowing holiday look. The warm red-burgundy and gold combination is the definitive warm-undertone holiday formula.