Hello, Yellow
Highly visible, happy-go-lucky, and humming with history, yellow is likely the brightest of all the colors in the spectrum. The color of taxicabs and turmeric, of lemons and lasers, a beacon of summer, and even still it seems to hum or sizzle. There are many positive associations with this hue, but one thing’s for sure: it’s a difficult color to pull off.
Long afraid that it would make one’s visage look sallow and sickly, clash with blonde hair, or just draw too much attention to the wearer, yellow has been a tough tint to take on. But with the offerings out now in the height of summer, anyone can find a way to mellow out or yell out loud with the brightest primary color.
To ease on into adding some bold gold to your wardrobe, accessories are the first logical choice: fluorescent wallets and bags can spruce up a neutral outfit, and help you find something important in a cinch. And did you know? In the Grimms Brothers’ original tale, Cinderella’s shoes were crafted from stunning spun gold instead of glass—the perfect enchanting final touch to a fairy tale outfit. Not to mention bangles and necklaces and rings—since the eye goes straight to yellow, it’s advisable to use it to accentuate a feature you intend to highlight: a bright yellow choker will draw attention to the face, bracelets the hands and arms, etc.
Keeping on the shallow end of the yellow pool, pants, and skirts are a good location to pump up the volume since they’re away from the face and can cover your legs, thus minimizing any clashing or crashing or anything less than dashing. Capris and Bermudas capture the summery resort feeling encapsulated by yellow, and flowing maxi skirts can brighten up your outfit like dandelions brighten up a meadow.
If you’re ready to take flight with the color of sunlight, there’s plenty out there to help you shine. A classic raincoat is a fun and familiar way to use the color, not to mention functional to a fault. Rich golds and marigolds are particularly flattering if you have olive or chestnut skin tones as the reddish undertones contrast with any green making you look lively instead of dragging you down. For lighter, cooler skin tones, pale buttercreams and yellows verging on greens can work better, especially if you pair it with whites or pale blues.
