By Erica - Kent State University

If you’re like the majority of women, you’ve had it drilled into your head that the “little black dress” is the answer to all your wardrobe issues. It’s listed in every “must-have” wardrobe list because it “looks soooo great on everyone!” But experts now say that in actuality, only 1 in 5 women look good in black.

Cue my heart shattering.

According to some, black has the ability to “severely age” a woman’s face. It can “highlight dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes and wrinkles on the face.” Plus, wrinkles and other sunken areas can “appear darker and more pronounced.” (Someone should clue Kelly Cutrone in on this one…) This means the older you are, the more haggard black can make you look. And no matter how slimming that LBD is, it won’t matter when your face looks like this.

Well isn’t that just wonderful. My entire wardrobe consists of black, grey and white. I have been told that these colors were uber flattering by innumerable fashion mags, and like a lost puppy dog (which is essentially what I am when it comes to fashion), I blindly followed their advice. And now look what I’ve got: a closet full of clothes that make me look old and wrinkly.

How do you know if you’re the black exception or the rule? “Hold the color up against your face, stand in front of the mirror and look for dark lines under the chin, shadows around the eyes or lines on the face that are highlighted. If there are no dark areas or shadows, you can probably wear black close to your face and look great.”

And if holding up that black v-neck makes you look less Jackie-O and more Barbara Bush, it’s time to figure out what you should be wearing (and taking all that black to the local resale shop). There are three factors that go into picking out the perfect colors for you – skin tone, hair color and eye color. It all gets a little complicated, but there are some great guides out there to help you find your perfect palette:

How To Match Colors from TheSoko.com. Simple.

Fashion Help for Recovering Goths from GalaDarling.com. If you’ve got a little time and want a more comprehensive (albeit, slightly confusing) tutorial, this one is for you.

Which Season Are You from AskAndyAboutClothes.com.

Choose Colors to Flatter Your Skin Tone from eHow.com. Another simple how-to to help with revamping your wardrobe with colors that won’t make you look like a witch.

Now that you know what works best for you, take your other 3 friends who can’t wear black and hit the mall. This is nothing a little retail therapy can’t fix.