Anyone looking for the best shopping deals will be trying to buy clothes that match their particular style and personality.
But before scouring the best shopping deals, many women, and indeed men, have to consider a moment their own particular look, and that not only comes down to their body shape and size, but also their skin tones.
Pale skins can of course be darkened by the tan and the desire to have that all over bronzed look has been an integral part of the fashion industry for decades.
For many people, looking brown is a way of saying that they are healthy, out-going and vibrant. It comes down to personal confidence and how people feel about themselves. But the act of getting a tan - via the sun - has taken a knock with worries about the stresses placed on a skin whilst turning brown.
Nowadays 'artificial' tanning is being increasingly used to provide the all-over bronzed look without having to subject the skin to the sun.
But the degree of tan will influence the type of clothing a person buys; not least because of the issues with colour coordination.
A recent story in the Australia media reported how beauty queen Laura Dundovic was being told to deny herself the sun (in effect a tan ban), because she was about to appear in a winter fashion shoot.
Dundovic, who hosts the Foxtel dating show, was about to shoot a Charlie Brown campaign which had a wintry theme. Having Dundovic there with a beaming tan might not have looked right of course, whereas you can add a degree of tan very quickly (artificially), it is very difficult to remove a tan very quickly (would have to rely on base make-up).
She was quoted in the media about the tan issue, saying: "It's OK when the weather is not great. But because my dad is Croatian, I can be inside and get a tan."
The key thing is, when you are after the best shopping deals out there, is to really consider the impact of a tan. Coming off the beach looking bronzed and gorgeous, or, alternatively coming back from the salon with a newly applied tan, means that clothes selection for the next few days, even weeks, has to be carefully considered.
Clothes need to enhance a tan and allow it to be visible, and add that something special to someone's appearance. It's a careful balance between the skin and material on the skin. Even picking the right swimwear can be an issue.
In short, understanding your skin tone is essential for anyone trying to pick the best clothes for themselves. Get it right and you will have the desired effect; get it wrong, and all the good work on buying fashionable clothes will be wasted.
