Choosing the right color for your Fit Model competition suit might seem like a minor detail compared to months of training and prep — but on stage, under bright lights, with judges looking at dozens of competitors in a row, your suit color can genuinely make the difference between standing out and blending in.
Because Fit Model suits are plain fabric with no crystals or embellishments, your color choice carries even more weight than it does in Bikini. There's nothing to catch the light or draw the eye except the fabric itself and your physique. Getting the color right matters.
Here's everything you need to know to make the best choice.
Why Color Matters More in Fit Model Than Other Divisions
In Bikini, crystals do a lot of the visual work. Even a mediocre color choice can be elevated by a stunning crystal design. In Fit Model, the rules strip all of that away — no crystals, no connectors, no embellishments of any kind. Your suit is plain fabric, and that's it.
This means two things:
- Fabric quality becomes everything. A cheap, dull fabric will look flat under stage lighting. High-quality Spandex and Metallic/Hologram fabrics catch and reflect light beautifully, giving your suit a polished, professional appearance even without crystals.
- Color becomes your primary visual tool. The right color will make your skin tone glow, define your physique against the stage backdrop, and create a memorable impression in the judges' minds.
At Suits You Competition Suits, all of our Fit Model bikinis are made from premium Spandex/Lycra and Metallic/Hologram fabrics — the exact materials permitted under NPC and IFBB rules — specifically chosen to look their best under competition lighting.
The Two Allowed Fabric Types and How They Look on Stage
Spandex / Lycra (Solid Colors) Solid Spandex suits have a clean, matte-to-semi-sheen finish depending on the fabric weight. They photograph beautifully and look polished and professional on stage. Deep jewel tones and rich solids in Spandex are a timeless choice for Fit Model — classic, elegant, and guaranteed to look sharp.
Metallic / Hologram Metallic and hologram fabrics have a reflective, light-catching finish that adds visual impact without requiring any crystals. Under stage lighting, a well-chosen metallic fabric can be just as eye-catching as a crystal-covered Bikini suit. Gold, rose gold, silver, and holographic colors in metallic fabric are particularly popular in Fit Model for this reason. If you want maximum stage presence without breaking the rules, a metallic fabric is your best friend.
Choosing the Right Color for Your Skin Tone
This is the most important factor most competitors overlook. The goal is to choose a color that makes your skin tone look vibrant and radiant — not washed out or flat.
Fair / Light Skin Tones Lighter skin tones tend to get washed out by pastels and very light colors under stage lighting, especially after competition tan. Rich, deep colors provide the contrast that makes fair skin pop on stage.
Best choices: Deep jewel tones like sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby red, and deep purple. Rich metallics like gold and rose gold also work beautifully.
Colors to avoid: White, ivory, pale pink, light yellow, and very light pastels — these tend to blend with lighter skin under bright lights. There are always exceptions to the rules.
Medium / Olive Skin Tones Medium and olive skin tones are the most versatile and can carry a wide range of colors well. You have the most flexibility, but you'll still want to choose colors with enough saturation to stand out.
Best choices: Warm jewel tones like terracotta, burnt orange, deep coral, and olive green. Rich blues, purples, and greens also look stunning. Rose gold and copper metallics complement olive tones beautifully.
Colors to avoid: Muddy or muted tones that are too close to your natural skin color — these reduce visual contrast on stage.
Dark / Deep Skin Tones Deeper skin tones are showcased best by bright, bold, high-contrast colors. Vivid colors that might look overwhelming on lighter skin tones look absolutely spectacular on deeper skin tones under stage lighting.
Best choices: Bright jewel tones like electric blue, fuchsia, cobalt, and vivid purple. Gold and silver metallics create stunning contrast. Rich, saturated colors in any hue tend to work well.
Colors to avoid: Very dark colors like black or deep navy — these can reduce visual definition and make it harder for judges to see your physique clearly from a distance. The exception tends to be black hair.
Stage Lighting: What Looks Good Under the Lights
Competition stage lighting is bright, warm, and unforgiving. Colors that look beautiful in natural light or in photos don't always translate the same way under stage lighting. Here's what to keep in mind:
Colors that photograph and perform well under stage lights:
- Deep jewel tones — sapphire, emerald, ruby, amethyst
- Rich metallics — gold, rose gold, copper
- Bold brights — cobalt blue, fuchsia, electric purple
- Classic deep solids — red, burgundy, navy, forest green
Colors that can be tricky under stage lights:
- White and very light colors — can wash out under bright lighting and are very unforgiving of tanning product streaks
- Neon colors — can look great in person but sometimes photograph poorly depending on lighting setup
- Very dark colors on deeper skin tones — can reduce visibility of physique definition from the judges' table
Pro tip: If you can find out the color of the stage backdrop at your show, choose a suit color that contrasts with it. A dark backdrop calls for a brighter or lighter suit. A lighter backdrop allows you to wear deeper, richer colors effectively.
Consider Your Competition Tan
Every competitor wears a competition tan, and it significantly changes how suit colors interact with your skin. Competition tan darkens your skin tone considerably, which means:
- Colors that complement your natural skin tone may need to be adjusted for your tanned competition look
- Rich, deep colors and metallics tend to look even better against a competition tan
- Very light or pastel colors can look striking against a deep competition tan if you're going for a high-contrast look
If you're unsure how a color will look against your competition tan, test it in photos under bright indoor lighting after applying your tan. This gives you the closest approximation of how it will look on stage.
Popular Fit Model Suit Colors
Based on what we see performing well on stage, these are consistently strong choices for Fit Model competitors:
Top Performing Solid Colors:
- Sapphire / Royal Blue — universally flattering, classic, and authoritative on stage
- Emerald Green — rich and eye-catching, looks stunning against competition tan
- Ruby / Deep Red — bold and powerful, photographs beautifully
- Deep Purple / Amethyst — elegant and distinctive
- Burgundy — sophisticated and timeless
- Cobalt Blue — bright and memorable
Top Performing Metallic / Hologram Colors:
- Gold — warm, radiant, and spectacular under stage lighting
- Rose Gold — feminine and flattering on most skin tones
- Hologram / Metallic — eye-catching and unique, great for competitors who want to stand out
What to Avoid
A few color choices consistently underperform in Fit Model competition:
- Colors too close to your skin tone — reduces visual contrast and makes your physique harder to read from the judges' table
- Colors that match the stage backdrop — you'll disappear rather than stand out
- Very light colors if you're prone to tanning product issues — white and cream are beautiful but unforgiving of streaks or uneven application
- Colors you don't feel confident in — this sounds simple, but it matters. If you don't feel amazing in your suit color during practice, you won't feel amazing on stage. Confidence is part of your score.
Need Help Choosing?
At Suits You Competition Suits, we've been helping athletes choose the right suit and the right color since 1996. If you're unsure which color will work best for your skin tone, stage, and physique — we're happy to help. Contact us here and we'll point you in the right direction.
Browse our full range of NPC and IFBB compliant Fit Model bikinis in a variety of solid and metallic colors:
Shop Fit Model Competition Bikinis →
Always verify the current NPC and IFBB Fit Model suit requirements at NPC News Online before purchasing your competition suit.