Black may be a fashion favorite, but wear it with great caution!

While black clothing definitely flatters the figure and is usually appropriate for just about any occasion, it can make your face look years older, according to color expert Jules Standish.

The Daily Mail reports that only one in five of us has the skin tone to wear black well. And the rest? Black clothing flattens a golden-looking skin tone and emphasizes dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes and wrinkles on the face. It can even make you appear to have dark spokes or fissures in your iris!

Standish agrees that black does help give the appearance of a slimmer figure, but when it's worn close to the face in scarves, hats, turtleneck shirts and high-colored coats, it makes wrinkles and sunken areas appear deeper and more pronounced. This is especially true for older women.

"The majority of...women will not look young and healthy with black against their faces," Standish warned in The Daily Mail. "In fact, it will age their skin tone dramatically. Black gives the illusion of slimming down the wearer, and designers will have us believe that it's the color of the season and you must not be seen in anything else. But it can also bring out dark circles under the eyes and lines. The effect can be as serious as making women feel drained, self-conscious and introverted."

What can you do if you love wearing black? Follow these tips:

• Incorporate a splash of color around your neck with a bright scarf or stole.

• If you wear a black top, make sure it has a low neckline. Pair it with chunky jewelry.

• When you wear black, keep this in mind: Pearls or gold work with warm skin tones, while silver is best for cooler skin tones.

• Wear black from the waist down, since it is so flattering for waists, hips and legs, but pair it with colorful tops.

• Still want to wear a sexy little black dress? Go for one that has a bit of color on the top.

So who can wear black? The 20 percent who can successfully wear black clothing are those who have "winter" complexions with pale, cool and dramatic coloring.

How to test to see if you can wear black: Stand in front of a mirror and hold something that is black against your face. If dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes or lines on the face are magnified, choose another color.

--From the Editors at Netscape ___________________________________________________________