# The Phrase "Washes \[one\] out" When Used In The Context Of Fashion **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 2, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139 "2014-12-02T17:34:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/1 "2014-12-02T17:34:37Z")
A character said this on a sitcom the other day. The character, C, has an eye for fashion and takes his personal appearance seriously. When looking for a garment to wear, C’s husband suggested a blue garment. C replied “You _know_ blue washes me out!” What does “washes me out” mean in this context? ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/2 "2014-12-02T17:37:05Z")
I think it means to get rid of your natural color, to make you look pale. It’s nice to have a natural blush to your face; it makes you look young and healthy. If you wear a color that washes you out, you look pale and sickly. If you ever saw me in olive green, you’d wonder if I was sick. If I was in navy blue, I’d look pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/3 "2014-12-02T17:47:02Z")
So then do different people respond to different colors, uh, differently? Do all middle-aged white men like me wash out in the same colors, or could a different white guy of similar age and build wash out in, say, red, while I wash out in, say, khaki? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/4 "2014-12-02T17:51:58Z")
It has to do with your coloring, which varies. I have strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, so I’ll look washed out in different colours than my brown-haired and brown-eyed friends, even if we’re both middle-aged and white. If you ever saw me in yellow…well, that’s beyond “washed out” and moves me into “last stages of jaundice”. Certain colours _and shades of those colours_ make us look better (I’m great in raspberry pink, for example, but not pale pink). If you constantly get compliments when wearing a specific shirt, buy more in that colour. It probably doesn’t wash you out. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/5 "2014-12-02T18:52:17Z")
Nothing to do with age or build, **HeyHomie**. It’s all in how the color of the item plays with (or clashes against) the color of your skin, hair, eyes, etc. in that order (i.e. skin tone is the most crucial). ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/6 "2014-12-02T21:19:31Z")
Also, even with ‘white’ people, skin tones vary. Some have pinky tones to their white skin, some peachy, some tan/goldish (pale tan/gold, of course) some even yellow-ish (called Sallow). It’s the sallow ones that have to watch out for wearing yellow. Like me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/9 "2018-01-12T00:02:47Z")
I dunno; I’d just leave white rings under the pits, under the pecs, and a big white streak down the center of the back. Plus, I’m a guy. The model’s cute, though. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/10 "2018-01-12T00:08:38Z")
It was all the rage in the 80’s or 90’s I think, to get your colours done. Someone would come with a selection of fabric colour swatches and hold them up against your face and then tell you what season you were. Then you would get a palette of colours for that season that were supposed to make you look your best. Anything else would make you looked “washed out”. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-washes-one-out-when-used-in-the-context-of-fashion/706139/11 "2018-01-12T00:18:38Z")
I get the feeling this thread will be closed soon, so: The kibble I get for my dogs has different variants for seasonal activity and the bag is colored accordingly: Red for Fall, Yellow for Summer, Green for Spring and Blue for Winter. Different mixtures for caloric requirements.