Nude is this summer’s hottest neutral. After wearing shades of black and grey all winter, this natural hue is refreshing. Just as a classic timelessness is achieved by dressing in black, dressing in shades of nude will always be in style. Nude clothing pieces are a definite closet staple.

The naked truth

Because nude is so close to many skin tones, the shapes and details comprising these garments are important. Avoid wearing close-fitting, tight pieces — from afar you really will appear naked! If you do choose something fitted, like a pencil skirt or tank top, be sure to balance your outfit; loose, flowy fabrics complement more structured clothing and define your waistline by creating a clean, contrasting horizontal line. Look for nude trousers and tops that have unique tailoring or added embellishments, too. Pleats, ruffles, accentuated shoulders, unique stitching or a subtle shimmer will all benefit your nudes. The color is so organic; extra design elements may seem unnoticeable but will be intriguing and stand out when you take a closer look.

Styling in the nude

Nervous about washing yourself out? Try mixing different nude shades. Tans, light browns and cafe au laits are darker than a pale nude and will provide a confident dose of color.

With such an airy outfit, bulky jewelry mixes up the look. To maintain a chic outfit all over, pick a shimmery grey, subdued yellow or dusty rose accessory. Add in a neutral tan pump to complete your look and elongate your legs. If you have a difficult time working inside such an earthy color palette, adding a bright, spring scarf or eye-catching pump is one solution. Also, more subtle colors like metallics and apricots are sultry accents to nude clothing pieces.

Finally, apply an illuminating lotion to your arms and legs and a soft bronzer to your cheeks to achieve a healthy glow that surely won’t blend in with your nude apparel regardless of your skintone.