Mustard is probably the least popular of the earth tones with my clientele and friends because it’s a brownish yellow that can make you look ill or washed out. Yet some people — like my late Mum — did absolutely rock mustard. In fact, my Mum wore mustard to our wedding because it was one of her best colours. Mustards come in all sorts of tones and shades. Some are more brown, some more yellow, and some more green. Mustard can also be lovely in a pattern.

If you bat for Team Mustard, here are some ways to wear the rich earthy colour with pants and jeans. By all means substitute the pants for skirts if that’s more your thing.

1. Mustard Top and Earthy Suit

Add a mustard layering top like a tank, tee, blouse, shirt or pullover to an earthy pants suit. Finish off the look with sneakers, boots, or loafers that match. Here, the mushroom plaid is in the same colour family as the mustard top. The white sneakers crisp up the palette. Brown and tan footwear would work well too.

Mustard Top and Earthy Suit

2. Mustard Topper with Neutrals

Combine a pair of black bottoms with a cream and black patterned top. Add black or cream footwear that works with the bottoms. Top things off with a mustard coat or jacket. Here, the black buttons of the coat pick up the black in the outfit. I do like the hint of red in the pattern of the top, but that’s not essential.

Mustard Topper with Neutrals

3. Mustard with a Column of Cream

Create a column of cream with pants or jeans and a top. Add cream footwear. Throw a mustard topper over the lot. This is a mustard and cream striped gilet, but you can choose anything from a wrap and vest, to a coat and jacket, and keep it solid. Instead, throw in a mustard patterned scarf if that’s more your thing.

Mustard with a Column of Cream

4. Mustard with Teal

And last, combine blue jeans with a mustard sweater. You can layer a turtleneck that matches the outfit under the sweater if you like. Add black, brown, grey or cream shoes. Throw a teal topper over the outfit. Delicious with mustard!

Mustard with Teal

I prefer to wear mustard on the bottom as pants or a skirt, which I’ve been doing for at least three seasons. I like to remix the mustard with cream, navy, shocking pink and orange. Do you wear mustard?