I remember the first time I bought a fancy silver cocktail dress for a wedding. I was so excited to wear it but had no idea what makeup would work with the unique metallic hue.
Did you know the average woman owns over 20 shades of lip color alone?
With so many options, it can be tough to narrow down what will complement rather than compete with bold clothing choices.
The key is finding warm, harmonious undertones in your makeup that enhance rather than compete with silver. Play around with different textures too for dimension.
What colors do you think complement a silver dress best?
Lips:
Soft pinks
Soft pink lips create an elegant, feminine contrast against the cool metallic hue of a silver dress. Shades like petal pink, rosewood, and cream peach blend beautifully rather than compete with the shimmering fabric.
Pink lip colors contain a delicate warmth and rosiness that brings out a flattering glow against silver. They keep the focus subtly on your face rather than overly dramatic lips that might clash.
Especially with a lighter, neutral silver dress, soft pink lips don’t overwhelm the way a bold red or purple might. Instead, they add a touch of understated glamour befitting many formal or cocktail occasions.
Ranges from pastel to dusty provide versatility for both bold, icy silvers along with muted, mercury silvers. Matte, satin or sheer pink lipstick finishes contrast with the shine of a silver dress for balance and dimension.
Light pinks with a touch of peach or coral help pick up on the warm, delicate undertones often found in silver fabrics and metallic.
Shades like MAC Peach Blossom, Clinique Melon Pop, and Butter London Teddy Girl flatter these hints of color in silver without going overboard.
Alternatively, pinks with a bit more of a rosy or berry tint also fuse seamlessly with silver. Try Urban Decay Sheer Shame, Revlon Rosewine, or Sephora Marvelous Mauve for a romantic, sophisticated lip.
When selecting a specific pink for your silver dress, consider an option with a satin or luminous finish.
The gentle sheen plays up the radiance of silver material. Great examples are Dior Lip Glow in Pink, YSL Volupté Shine in Nude Lavalliere, or Smashbox Be Legendary in Pretty Social.
Don’t overlook pink glosses either if you want wetter shine to contrast a sequin or heavily beaded silver dress.
Covergirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers in Guavine Dream or Lancôme Juicy Tubes in Magic Spell add flattering, non-sticky moisture.
Overall, soft pink lips perfectly balance the bold first impression of a silver dress with a graceful, elegant accent for your face. They let the dress shine while still looking pulled together and vibrant.
Berry tones
Deeper berry shades like plum, wine, and cool-toned pinks have a sophistication that pairs flawlessly with the opulence of a metallic silver dress. These richer hues contrast the shimmering fabric while still remaining glamorous.
Specifically, look for berry tones with a touch of red or purple undertone like L’Oreal Blake’s Red, Revlon Rum Raisin, or Black Radiance Plum.
These echoes of color fuse sublimely with the hints of steel blue/gray that quality silver dresses often possess.
When applying a berry lip with your silver dress, use a lip pencil in a slightly darker shade first to prevent feathering and increase staying power.
Line just outside the natural shape of your lips for a bolder overall look. Then fill in with your selected berry lipstick or liquid lip color.
Play up the drama even further by blending your berry lip out towards the edges using a lip brush to create more of a stained effect.
Add just a touch of gloss or shimmer in the center of your lips so the light catches and provides dimension.
Berry lips work year-round but feel particularly festive and elegant for holiday galas and New Year’s Eve parties when paired with an icy silvery dress and smoky eye. Let your smile and confidence complete the magnificent look!
Great options include:
- NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Do Me Baby – a rich, blue-based berry
- Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in Blackberry Sorbet – a creamy, violet berry
- Burt’s Bees Lip Crayon in Napa Vineyard – a soft, red wine shade
Apply berry lip color using angled brush for precision.
Outline lips first as a base, then paint color across lips in layers, blotting in between. This creates saturated, smooth color that lasts.
Keep cheeks softly contoured with a light application of cool-toned powder like NARS Olympia.
Highlight the high points of cheekbones with a pearly radiance powder such as Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone.
Finish with smudgy charcoal or silver shadow blended above lash line and into crease.
Try Stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Vivid Smoky Quartz or Makeup Revolution Foil Shadow in Black Ice. This makes eyes pop against berry lips.
Adding a rich berry lip to a glimmering silver dress offers drama and sophistication perfect for weddings, black tie events, New Year’s parties or Valentine’s dates.
Nudes/Browns
Nude lip colors provide a more subtle, flattering contrast against the striking metallic sheen of silver fabric. They gently bring focus towards your eyes and the gorgeous dress details rather than overpowering your look.
While a matte or satin nude lip can lend modern sophistication, don’t be afraid to try softened shades with a hint of shine as well.
Frosted, pearlescent textures like Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey play beautifully off a sequined mini dress.
Define the shape of your lips first with short, angled brush strokes and a browner lip pencil such as Urban Decay Native.
Then use a lip brush to smooth your selected nude lipstick onto the center of your lips outward. Finish with a dab of glowy gloss on top.
Overall, nude and brown lips keep the spotlight where it should be – on your stunning silver dress – while still letting your natural beauty dazzle the room.
Look for a lip color one to two shades darker than your natural lip tone for a flattering nude lip. Popular drugstore options include:
- L’Oreal Color Riche Shine Lipstick in Varnished Rosewood – a warm, pinky brown
- Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mink – a soft, matte cocoa shade
- NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Evergreen – a long-lasting rich brown
Use a lip brush and outline the edges of your lips first before filling in solid color across lips. This prevents feathering for a polished look. Blot gently with tissue.
Apply a touch of highlighter such as NARS The Multiple in Copacabana Stick along the cupid’s bow and center of bottom lip for subtle dimension.
Fill in entire lips with a layer of gloss for moisture and shine. Great options include Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Warm Caramel or Clinique Chubby Stick in Woppin’ Watermelon.
Set your nude lipstick with a dusting of translucent powder, then finish with a spritz of makeup setting spray like Urban Decay All Nighter. This seals the color in place for hours of perfect wear time.
With strategic tips and the right warm shades, a nude or brown lip almost disappears against an icy silver dress, letting its brilliance dazzle.
Mauves
Mauves offer a flattering in-between shade that’s not quite nude or berry, making them so versatile with silver dresses. The subtle dusty rose or light purple undertone flatters a wide variety of complexions.
Cool-toned mauves with a hint of pink like Revlon Rosewine, L’Oreal Blake’s Red, or NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Peekaboo Neutral seamlessly pick up on the blue and steel gray highlights often found in silver fabric.
Warmer mauves with a touch of brown or peach also fuse nicely to balance out icy shades of silver. Try Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Do Me Baby, or Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina.
Sheer, satin mauve lipsticks blend with a silver dress for an overall harmonious effect. While deep matte or metallic mauves can sometimes overwhelm. Find your perfect in-between shade!
Outline the shape of your lips first with a mauve pencil for definition. Then use a lip brush to paint it across lips for smooth, even color that lasts. Finish with a spritz of makeup setting spray.
Wines
Deep wine shades have an inherent richness and vibrancy that pairs so elegantly with the cool metallic hue of a silver dress. The contrast truly makes both pop.
Specifically, wine colors with subtle blue or purple undertones work best, as they pick up on hints of steel gray in silver fabric.
Great options include Revlon Colorstay Liquid Lipstick in Bordeaux Twist, NYX Suede Matte Lip Liner in Club Hopper or Bite Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Sake.
Start by using an angled lip brush to precisely outline and define your lip shape with the wine shade first. Concentrate color on the Cupid’s bow and corners.
Then paint it into the center of lips for full, dramatic coverage.
Add dimension by applying a touch of sparkling gloss like NARS Lip Lacquer in Hot Wired just to the poutiest part of your lower lip. This catches the light enticingly with a silver dress.
Set your gorgeous wine lips with translucent powder to increase longevity. Finish the look with bold silver eyeshadow blended into the crease and black liquid liner for retro-glam sophistication.
Make jaws drop at your next formal event by pairing striking wine lips with an icy, glittering silver dress. Elegance guaranteed!
Plums
Rich plum lip colors look striking and sophisticated next to the cool shimmer of a silver dress.
The depth of tone contrasts beautifully without competing.
Look for plums with a touch of berry or wine undertones like Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Plum Velour, L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine in British Plum or Black Radiance Wet/Dry Lip Color in Plum.
These pick up the subtle hints of purple and steel gray in silver fabric.
Use a lip liner in a slightly deeper plum shade first to define shape and prevent feathering. Try NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Plum or Black Radiance Precision Lip Pencil in Plum. Glide color on with an angled brush for perfect control.
Focus the deepest plum pigment on the inner and outer corners of lips, graduating to a softer application in the center. Add a dab of lighter, shimmery gloss like Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Evening Glow to the middle for dimension.
Set with translucent powder and mist with makeup setting spray. Finish eyes with smudgy charcoal shadow and loads of black mascara for eye-catching contrast against rich plum lips.
With the right application tricks, plum lipstick makes for an undeniably elegant pairing with a sophisticated silver dress.
Mocha
Rich mocha browns with subtle orange undertones blend seamlessly with the warm, beige highlights often found in silver cocktail dresses and formal gowns. They provide sophistication and depth.
Look for creamy mocha shades like Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mink, Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon or Burt’s Bees Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands. The touch of peach and gold fuse sublimely with silver.
Use a coffee-colored lip pencil to define shape then use a lip brush to paint mocha lipstick color evenly across lips. Blot gently with a tissue to remove excess.
Add a warm, champagne gloss like bare Minerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lip gloss in Sugar to the center of lips. This catches the light beautifully against a shimmering silver dress.
Finish the glamorous look with bold silver eyeshadow blended into crease and lots of black mascara for eye-catching, sexy contrast against the mocha lips.
Champagne Lips
Shimmering champagne lips are a perfect match for a glittering silver cocktail dress.
The soft, gilded shade enhances the cool metallic color rather than competing with it.
Look for pale gold lipsticks with a hint of rose like Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Blushed, Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in Beige Sunrise or YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain in Nude Beige.
The pinky undertone flatters and fuses with silver fabric.
Use a peachy nude lip pencil first to define shape. Concentrate champagne gloss to the fullest part of bare lips, leaving centers more transparent for dimension.
This creates an enticing, wet-look pout.
Set with translucent powder to increase staying power. Complete the glam look with a dramatic silver smoky eye and lots of black mascara for show-stopping style next to a shining silver dress!
Burgundy
The contrast is bold and elegant.
Look for burgundies with a subtle reddish/blue undertone such as L’Oréal Color Riche Le Matte Liquid Lipstick in She’s So Matte, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Do Me Baby or Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine in Burgundy Blast.
These pick up on the cool highlights in silver.
Use a slightly darker burgundy lip pencil to define shape first.
Try NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Deep Purple. Then use a lip brush and dab burgundy lip color from the center of lips outward. Blend edges for an Ombre effect.
Add dimension with a touch of lighter shimmery gloss like bare Minerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lip-gloss in Cosmic in the center of lips. This makes them appear fuller against the silver dress.
Camel Brown
Earthy camel browns offer a subtle yet super flattering nude lip option with a silver dress. The warm, sandy shade blends effortlessly with silver’s natural grayish-beige undertones.
Try long-wearing liquid options like Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes in Toast of New York, Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Globetrotter or L’Oréal Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Star. They last all night!
Use a lip brush to outline lips in short, angled strokes first before painting color across them for crisp edges. Finish with a sheer coat of NYX Butter Gloss in Praline in the center for a sexy hint of shine.
Set with translucent powder and makeup setting spray. Complete the glamorous look with bold silver eyeshadow swept across lids and lots of black mascara.
Eyes:
Silvers
Nothing complements a glimmering silver dress like shimmering metallic silver eyeshadow! Choose a shade that matches closely to your dress for a cohesive head-to-toe look.
Sparkling silver shadow swept across lids makes eyes dazzle. Try long-wearing cream and powder formulas like Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow in Comex Silver or Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Distortion.
Use a flat, dense brush to press the shadow across the entire mobile lid. You can also highlight just the center of lids and inner corners for a spotlight effect if you prefer.
Take the silver shadow up towards the crease in sweeping motions for a blown out, sultry look.
Intensify with an extra layer of glitter topcoat like Too Faced Glitter Glue or NYX Glitter Primer when you want super long-lasting drama.
No need for complicated blending or smoking out – let the silver shadow be the star against your stellar silver dress! Just add definition with black eyeliner and lots of mascara.
Shimmering silver lids complement a formal silver gown or slinky cocktail dress perfectly. Have fun shining bright all night long!
Taupe
Soft, shimmering taupe blend effortlessly with silver dresses. The worn-in gray hue enhances without competing against the cool metallic fabric.
Look for taupe with a hint of silver glow like the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette shade Marzipan, Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Cocoa Bear or Lorac Pro Palette shadow in Light Bronze.
The glistening undertone fuses sublimely.
Sweep taupe shadow across lids using a fluffy brush, then trace the crease to add definition.
Add extra luminosity by dabbing a champagne eyeshadow like Urban Decay Half Baked just at the inner corners of eyes and brow bone.
Use an angled brush to rim lower lash lines with the taupe shadow as well, softening edges with a cotton swab for a sultry effect. Finish with 2-3 coats of volumizing black mascara.
For nighttime, blend out the edges of the taupe shadow and intensify color in the crease. Line upper lash lines with dark brown gel pencil in short strokes. Smudgy taupe eyes effortlessly match a glittering silver dress!
The versatility of taupe shadow makes it perfect for both daytime and evening when paired with formal silver frocks. The harmonious fusion is chic and elegant.
Sparkling grays
Shimmering cool grays fuse spectacularly with silver dresses.
The tones complement each other beautifully rather than compete for attention.
Look for glistening grays with a subtle lavender reflect like Stila Shimmer & Glow Eyeshadow in Grace, Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Nude Dip or Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coat in Gray Blue.
Apply a metallic gray cream shadow across lids using a dense brush or your finger for intensity. Try Kevin Aucoin The Metal Glass Eyeshadow in Titanium or Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Star Gold.
Intensify the inner and outer corners with a deep charcoal powder shadow like MAC Carbon. This creates sultry definition against the sparkling silver gray base.
Line upper lash lines closely with an inky gray kohl pencil and smudge lightly before coating lashes in two coats of black mascara. This frames eyes dramatically.
Gray eyeshadow shines against a luminous silver dress without competing.
The result is red carpet worthy glamour perfect for cocktail parties, New Year’s Eve and black tie weddings!
Cheeks:
Pale pink blushes
Delicate pale pink blush creates the perfect harmonious balance against an icy, glittering silver dress.
By echoing the femininity of the gown, the blush brings out your natural glow without competing.
Smile and apply the pale pink cream blush to the apples of cheeks using your fingers or a stippling brush.
Blend up towards temples and outward to soften any hard edges.
The result is romantic elegance – soft pink cheeks let your dazzling silver dress take center stage while still looking beautifully polished and put together.
So whether it’s a winter formal, bridal event or holiday soiree, sweep on delicate pink blush for naturally flushed luminosity against your silver dress!
Here are some more specific tips for wearing pale pink blush with a silver dress:
Look for pink blush shades with a subtle coral, peach or gold shimmer such as:
- Benefit Dandelion Twinkle – soft baby pink with gold pearl
- MAC Pink Swoon Sheertone Blush – cool pastel pink with silver reflect
- Clinique Nude Pop Blushing Blush – neutral pink with champagne glow
Using an angled blush brush, lightly dust the pale pink shade along the upper ridge of cheekbones back towards the hairline. Apply sparingly then build color as needed.
Blend toward the apple of the cheek using light downward strokes. Diffuse any hard lines for a soft, natural flush.
Finish by patting a pearlized highlighter like Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal on the highest point of cheekbones. Spritz with makeup setting spray for longevity.
The golden sheen of champagne highlighter plays beautifully off a glittering silver cocktail dress or gown. Coupled with gentle pink cheeks, the result is pure romantic glamour!
Soft Corals
Warm peach and subdued coral blushes fuse spectacularly with silver gowns and frocks.
By echoing the metallic natural golden highlights, soft coral brings a harmonious glow.
Try buildable cream stick formulas like Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Color in Naughty n’ Spice, Chanel Cream Blush in Affinite or RMS Lip2Cheek in Smile. They blend easily for a lit-from-within radiance.
Dot soft coral color onto the apples of smiling cheeks and use a stippling brush to diffuse up toward temples in lifting, circular motions. No heavy handed stripes needed.
Set with a light mist of makeup setting spray. Then glide a champagne highlighter stick like Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick in Champagne Flash down the top ridge of cheekbones for luminosity.
The pairing of gentle coral cheeks and gilded highlighter offers an angelic, super flattering glow against glittering silver dresses and shimmering gray hues. Feminine and romantic!
Highlighting Powder
Radiant highlighters catch the light exquisitely next to the dazzling sheen of metallic silver fabrics.
They create a harmonious, complimentary glow rather than compete.
Look for highlighting powders with a subtle silver, lavender or icy blue flash.
Options like Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone, Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight or Fenty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Palette offer an alluring iridescent shine.
Using a fluffy powder brush or fan brush, gently sweep highlighting powder along cheekbones, subtly down nose bridge and above temples. Let your natural curves guide application.
Mix with an unscented body oil on décolletage and bare shoulders to extend the gleam down neckline. This catches the light beautifully when you tilt and turn.
The fusion of dazzling highlighter with a glittering silver dress intensifies the glamour even further. Together they ascend into true retro silver screen siren territory!
So glide on luminescent highlighter and prepare to shine brighter than all the stars combined at your next red carpet or black tie event.
Finding the perfect makeup to complement a striking silver dress doesn’t have to be difficult. With so many gorgeous options, from soft pink lips to shimmering eyeshadows, you can create elegance and harmony.
The key is choosing shades that fuse rather than fight against silver’s cool, metallic beauty. Go for colors with subtle similar undertones that catch the light equally as mesmerizing.
Define your favorite features instead of competing with your dress. Sweep on romantic berry lips, faded taupe eyes or golden highlighter accents. Most importantly, have fun with it!
Your makeup look should make you feel as show-stopping as you’ll look. Find what brings out your inner confidence and magnetism.
Then let your beauty and fabulous silver dress captivate every room you enter.
What stunning makeup pairs have you tried with formal silver attire? Share your tips and tricks below!
