The ‘70s have been making a fun, fashionable comeback this year and there’s no stopping the Retro trend. Both the Glam and Bohemian vibes of the ‘70s bring with them a typical ‘70s colour palette of earth tones like brown, beige, burgundy, forest green, rust and mustard. Of these colours, it’s the rust and mustard that look particularly ‘70s to me.
Mustard, is not an easy colour to like and wear because it’s intense, murky, neither crisp nor fresh, and not what I would call a “pretty colour”. It can make you look “ill and jaundiced” as one of my clients describes herself when she wears mustard. And for some, mustard brings back memories of the bad aspects of ‘70s fashion.
That said, some of my clients absolutely adore mustard, and I adore it on them. It’s a way they can wear yellow because it’s less bright and acidic. Mustard looks particularly good on clients with dark skin tones and golden highlights in their hair. The golden highlights morph into a shade of mustard when a mustard item of clothing is incorporated into the outfit, creating colour harmony. My clients with warm complexions and red or auburn hair look fabulous in mustard, as do some of my clients with black hair and light skin tones.
Mustard often loses its appeal when it’s worn with other murky earth tones, but it needn’t be worn this way. It is beautiful when worn with cool shades of blue denim, ink blue, teal or navy. I also like mustard paired with white and bright orange. Or with blush, white and cognac leather.
Although mustard is not one of my happy colours, I do like it. To some extent it’s nostalgic because I saw my late Mum wear it so well. I prefer a bright, golden mustard as opposed to a tone that is more orange or brown. Mustard items — only one or two at a time — have made a home in my closet since I was a child in the ‘70s. I especially enjoyed sporting a mustard bag and scarf about ten years ago, and might go that route again (I have my eye on that vegan mustard tote from Zara). In the mean time, my new Timberland “Glastonbury” sneakers are a mustardy cognac, and I like wearing those with blue denim and ink.
Over to you. Do you like mustard? Do you wear it?
