Usually, it is not hard for us to recognize any basic, primary or neutral color. But when a particular shade of these colors appears in front of us, we do not always identify them correctly. We end up saying; white, red, blue, gray, etc., or any color that appears similar to us.
However, the ivory is a yellowish and darker off-white color, a shade of color white. On the other hand, beige is a grayish, sandy, yellowish-brown color similar to Tuscan, Ecra, or Khaki.
Table of Contents
Comparison chart
| Difference | Ivory | Beige |
| Type | A Yellowish and darker off-white shade of white | Grayish, sandy, yellowish-brown color similar to Tuscan Ecra, Khaki |
| The color of | The Teeth of elephants | The unbleached wool |
| Similar colors | Off-white, cream, olive | Taupe, tan-brown, Tuscan, Ecra, Buff, Khaki, Desert sands |
| Shades | opaline, pearl color shade, milk-white color shade, the off-white color shade | British tan, Buff, Ecru, Camel, Fawn, Taupe etc. |
| significance | Relaxing, soothing, and represents luxury | Dependableness, flexibility, Dull and boring. |
| Hex Color Code | #FFFFF0 | #F5F5DC |
Ivory definition
Ivory is a variant of white. A relaxing and soothing color resembles the color of animals’ teeth, especially the elephant’s tusk.
When we simply think of the lower keys of an old-day piano or the eggshell’s color, we mean ivory.
Ivory is slightly darker than off-white and can be considered an undertone of yellow, sometimes recognized as pale yellow, grayish-yellow or yellowish-white.
The name ivory derives from the Latin word ebur, meaning elephant. And the color ivory is named after the tusk of an elephant.
Shades of ivory
Each primary color has thousands of combinations. And each variety is identified by an individual name. Likewise, the color ivory has some shades composed of mixing with different colors.
Ivory itself is a shade of white. Yet there are some variants of this color. The most known ivory shades are opaline, pearl color shade, milk-white color shade, and off-white color shade.
Significance of ivory color
Each color has some meanings and significance. A suitable color can boost a person’s confidence and create a positive vibe.
When it comes to ivory, this color is relaxing, calming, soothing, warm, and rich; that’s why ivory represents luxury. People often use this color in the household to signify elegance.
Ivory represents meanings of several colors: tan, gold, green, red, grey, blue, purple, black. Hence, it signifies a bunch of meanings.
Ivory as a wedding dress
In modern-day Christian weddings, ivory color is often used as the color of a bridal gown. However, white is most commonly used traditionally, as this color represents purity and innocence.
The color ivory flatters more skin types and does not veer from the tradition; that’s why brides lean more to ivory and favor this color as their gown for the wedding.
However, traditionally, it is not appropriate for a person to wear white or ivory to attend a wedding as an invitee.
Beige definition
Beige is recognized as a pale yellowish, very light brown, or grayish tanned color. The color beige is a mixture of several tones. Sometimes, it is considered a neutral or earthly tone color besides white, black, brown, and gray.
When we see the color of an unbleached or undyed natural wool, it resembles the color beige.
Beige is a french term meaning natural wool: a word that came to use as a color in the middle decades of the 19th century in France. A french writer named Edmond de Goncourt used this term beige as a color in his novel called La Fille Elisa in 1877.
The closest colors to beige are ecru, buff, Tuscan, khaki, desert sands, etc.
Shades of beige
The difference between most of the shades of beige is subtle, which defines them as individual colors. Hence, it’s quite natural for a person to conflate among many shades and use different variants of beige interchangeably.
Some popular shades of beige are; British tan: a light orange-brown, Buff: light yellow-brown, Ecru: ecru is a light beige color that means unbleached or raw; Khaki: darker beige and pale brown, Camel: The color of the hairs of a camel, a creamy tan color, Fawn, Light fawn, Taupe, Sand, etc.
Significance of beige color
As a color, beige is neutral, relaxing, and calm. It represents dependableness, flexibility, and conservativeness.
Wearing a beige dress shows the desire for comfort and cleanliness. However, beige is considered a dull and boring color sometimes as it represents too much calm and relaxation.
Beige is very popular as a color of the household.
If a person prefers beige, it indicates that the individual focuses more on life’s basic things, such as friends and family, helping others, etc.
Beige as a wedding dress
As a color of traditional Christian bridal gown; beige is not popular as white or ivory, yet can be considered a bride-ish color. The difference between ivory and beige is not vast; both colors represent calmness and purity. And sometimes, ivory is identified as a shade of beige.
This color is not exaggerated and neither a variant that is far away from white or ivory. So, traditionally it fits brides and doesn’t make a huge difference.
However, it is OK to wear a beige color dress to a wedding being an invitee. But that may feel a bit odd if the dress matches the color of the bridal gown.
The key differences between Ivory and Beige
- Ivory is a yellowish and a darker off-white shade of white. Beige is grayish, yellowish olive-toned light brown.
- Ivory resembles the color of an elephant’s tusk; on the other hand, beige is the color of undyed or unbleached wool.
- Ivory is a french word meaning elephant; beige is a french word meaning natural wool.
- Some popular shades of ivory are opaline, milk-white color shade, off-white color shade, etc. Some popular shades of beige are British tan, buff, ecru, khaki, taupe, etc.
- Ivory is a luxurious color. Contrarily, beige is a dull and boring color.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs):
What animal has ivory tusks?
A ivory tusk is a long, pointed tooth found in animals like elephants in wild boars. Hippopotami, walrus, etc.
What skin tone is ivory?
it depends on the complexion of the skin. Ivory skin tone generally includes pink, golden, or peach.
Is Ivory a cool or warm color?
Ivory is a neutral color.
What skin tone is beige?
if a person has beige undertone skin, it means this person has a light and cool skin tone.
What skin tone is natural beige?
The skin tone of natural beige is warmer and fair skin tone
Are ivory and cream the same color?
Ivory and cream are not the same color. Ivory is a bit darker than cream and has a slightly yellow undertone.
Is beige and cream the same color?
Beige and cream are not the same color. Beige is pale gray yellowish olive-toned brown, and cream is a color of dairy produced cream, which is more similar to off-white or ivory.
Conclusion
Sometimes, it becomes challenging for a person to define a color shade, as there are millions. Ivory and beige are two colors that are used interchangeably often.
Here in this article, we have discussed the difference between ivory and beige to clarify our readers’ confusion.
Craig is a full-time academic and research-based article writer from California. A trained content creator who started his career as a column writer for local magazines and newspapers. His works have been published on many renowned online platforms.
Thank you for the detailed description of the differences in the colors. Very informative.