It Ain't Easy Being Green

Green is the "it" color for Fall 2013 according to Pantone, the authority on all things color. The color gurus featured three shades of green in their fall color palette (deep lichen green, linden green, and emerald) and selected emerald as "color of the year."

"Green is the most abundant hue in nature -- the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

My reaction to the news? Great. I look like a tree in green. Green is the color of pale-skinned, freckled, red-haired wood nymphs -- not for an olive skinned Latina with brown hair and eyes so dark you can barely see the pupils. Put me in just about any shade of green, and I look like a swamp monster. Plus, green reminds me of fungus and mold. Not exactly what I want to wear.

But the color gods have spoken, and we're seeing green everywhere, so it's time to get a grip on how to wear it. But then, there's this:

"Green is a very tricky color. The wrong shade will make you look like you're sick or really tired," says image consultant and fashion blogger Elaine Wiart.

If you don't want to walk around looking like you're ready to hurl, key in to the right shades that complement your skin tone and features. And when in doubt, remember this rule of thumb: emerald (think: Wizard of Oz) works on everyone, according to Wiart.

Click through to learn more about your skin tone and see which shades of green work best for you. Keep in mind that rules are meant to be broken -- if you love it, you can work it, says Liat Arad, owner of fashion agency Rimon Design House. "It's not about how specific Pantones coordinate with your skin color, but more about how that bit of bold/striking/muted/bright green makes you feel."