Not so mellow yellow

March 1st, 2007

This happy hue is one of Spring’s hottest trends and certainly the colour to wear if you want to get noticed. Lemon, mustard, saffron, mango, neon and canary shades all have a prominent place this season.

Yellow items of clothing can be overwhelming, sallow and unflattering. It’s all about the shade you choose and what you pair it with. Match yellow with:

  • Neutrals like black, white, cream, stone, grey, khaki, brown and denim. This sophisticated combination will not fail. It’s nice to freshen up the black and white combinations that most of us already have in our wardrobes with the warmth of a yellow hue.
  • Blues like navy, periwinkle, and cobalt are particularly striking on those of you with blue eyes.
  • Brights like fire engine red, hot pink, key lime and kelly green. This combination is for the ultra daring individual who is confident making striking statements with bold colours.

Buying a shirt, blouse, camisole, T-shirt, tunic, cardigan, pullover, dress or trench in some shade of yellow is a good way to update for Spring. Don’t be afraid to give this rather controversial colour a chance – you might be pleasantly surprised.

Alice+Olivia Paillette DressLong-Sleeve Crewneck Tee
Argyle CardiganCotton Cardigan

Casual and smart casual combinations in yellow and neutrals from  J. Crew, Nordstrom and Esprit.


 

14 Replies

Posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2007 at 8:24 am
Therese

Lovelovelovelovelove yellow. I invested in a yellow cardigan and yellow skirt last year and have yet to regret it. For a while, I was wearing them once a week without fail. Preach yellow’s good name!

Posted on March 1st, 2007 at 9:37 am

I love yellow too and bought my first yellow bag ( now I have 2 ) and yellow patent shoes about 18 months ago. I also have yellow knitwear and a belt – love it and wear them as often as possible. I love bright colours, so the brighter the better! It makes me feel happy when I wear them. Yellow roses also happen to be one of my very favourite flowers.

Posted on March 1st, 2007 at 9:50 am
Sara

My skin tone makes it hard to wear yellow although I love the color!! I find that if I wear the color in a pale hue I need to add it with a bold punch of color like purple for it not to make me look sickly. I found a mustardy colored tee that I use in layering..

What I love most about purses is that with a bold color it will go with most outfits and doesn’t have to match your skin tone! Yay for color!!

Posted on March 1st, 2007 at 12:12 pm

It sounds like you have the colour stylishly under control Sara. I’m going to write a blog entry about yellow accessories because it’s the perfect solution if you feel that you can’t wear the colour close to your skin. (this holds true for any colour in fact).

Posted on March 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Ginger

I look horrible in yellow. I don’t think I could even pull off accessories like necklaces. I don’t own a stitch of yellow in my wardrobe, but I saw the cutest yellow “flippy” skirt at a consignment store yesterday. It was a medium-toned/slightly muted yellow with a small gray pattern in it. Would it look ok on me as a skirt if I paired it with a white top, black top, or navy? Those are more in my coloring, since I have black hair, dark brown eyes, and a slight tan, (due to my dad’s latin roots).

What do you think? I’m trying to update my wardrobe, after having 2 kids it was pretty blah, and love all the advice you give on this blog! Thanks!

Posted on March 5th, 2007 at 7:06 am

[...] Yellow. You either love it or hate it, right? So if you are blonde, live in Texas, or otherwise want to hop on this trend see How to wear yellow at youlookfab for how to work it into your wardrobe. [...]

Posted on March 9th, 2007 at 11:02 am

I immediately noticed that all the models in the pics are brunettes. Significance?

Posted on March 9th, 2007 at 11:39 am

None! I’m a fair skinned green-eyed blonde and wear yellow.

Posted on March 9th, 2007 at 6:01 pm

[...] Keep these colour combinations crisp and select rich, dark and intense tones of cobalt for the most flattering effect (there is something very unflattering about a watered down shade of cobalt, especially in a knit). Include this colour for Spring if it tickles your fancy and doesn’t overpower your look. I personally like it best when paired with yellow. [...]

Posted on March 14th, 2007 at 6:53 am

[...] There are no hard and fast rules dictating who can wear yellow and who can’t. Whether the colour will flatter you depends on your skin tone, eye/hair colour, which shade of yellow you choose and what you wear it with. I’ve dressed pale-skinned, green-eyed blondes in mustards, saffrons and neon tones with mod black and white. And I’ve dressed olive-skinned brown eyed brunettes in canary with cobalt. [...]

Posted on March 20th, 2007 at 7:59 am

[...] Alongside yellow, cobalt and coral this season, we’ve got green. Rich shades of emerald, avocado, lime, bottle, apple, chartreuse, neon and shamrock bring a fresh flavour to any outfit. When the weather is warm, I like green best with other greens, white, blue or yellow. It’s also a nice nautical statement with a hint of red. Most shades of green are fabulous with denim and you don’t need to be Irish or a redhead to wear them. If you green clothing isn’t for you, sport a green accessory instead. I’m extra happy when I wear something bright green (that’s probably why it’s my favourite colour). [...]

Posted on April 24th, 2007 at 7:35 am

[...] pair it with the proper duds, and administer the proper dosage. Easier said that done? Check out this post at youlookfab.com, where professional stylist Angie holds your hand and shows you how it’s done. [...]

Posted on November 4th, 2007 at 11:26 am
caroline

Does anyone remember seeing Stacy London in commercial for her new show “Shut Up” wearing a short sleeve yellow cardigan (two buttons on each sleeve) and she was wearing a pleated white top under with a black beaded necklace? Wondering where to purchase cardigan and tee?

Posted on January 2nd, 2008 at 5:18 pm

[...] Yellow started coming through last Spring and has made an even stronger impact this season. You’ll find energizing shades of yellow clothing, footwear and accessories ranging from the palest lemon to the brightest gold and electric citron in stores right now. [...]

Posted on April 3rd, 2008 at 7:20 am

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