I will admit yellow can be a tricky colour to both wear and style. It doesn’t really stop me as I’ll pair it with just about anything, but I though I’d share some of the ways I’ve worn yellow in the last year or two. After I posted my mustard yellow trousers outfit on Google+ last week I received a barrage of abuse [water off a duck’s back] mostly about the trousers… most people loved the outfit on the blog and Twitter, but it seems yellow gets people in a flap!
So hopefully these yellow combos will give you some inspiration on how to introduce yellow into your wardrobe if you’ve never tried it before – but always wanted to! And if you choose to leave me a suitably displeased comment like the ones on Google+, be prepared to be killed with kindness 😉
(not that you lovely readers do… just kidding of course!)
Are you already a wearer of yellow? And would you consider it if you don’t already – and what shade?
1. As a statement piece as the main colour of your outfit
Wearing yellow next to your face is the problem most people have with yellow, so wearing a full-on pleated maxi in a gorgeous mustardy yellow is ideal for wearing a massive splash of yellow without it going near your face.
2. Toned down with white
A paler yellow works really well with off-white and layered for winter. Shows you can wear yellow all year round – not just in the summer.
3. As a statement accessory instead of clothing
If you’re really not keen about wearing yellow, why not carry it instead? I never think it has to actually match any part of your outfit – just compliment it!
4. Choose a very pale lemon yellow
If you really can’t handle bright yellow, choose the palest one you can find – like my palest lemon yellow boyfriend jeans. Though I have boosted the yellow punch with accents of it in my shoes and my belt (it’s never too much for me).
5. With other primary colours
Why not go the whole hog and pair yellow with red and blue? Blue jeans are of course a classic that go with everything, so you may not even think of it as a primary colour. Adding red is a bold move. You’ll see I’ve interrupted the yellow by adding a white collar; this is a good way of making sure it’s not right next to your face if that makes you a little uneasy about wearing yellow.
6. As a classic sun dress
I absolutely love, love, love yellow dresses – in fact I own about three of four and am always drawn to them in the summer. Summer is the perfect time to wear all yellow, so go all out with it come the hot weather.
7. With graphic black and white
Yellow is the perfect accompaniment to bold black and white patterns: the stripes and skulls prints I mixed here needed a bold colour and yellow was just the ticket. Black accessories helped to tie it all in.
8. Colour blocked with another bold colour
A bit of a mixture of the ideas in nos. 2 and 5: I’ve toned down the yellow by layering it with a white blazer, but then added a massive block of orangey-red with a maxi skirt. My strappy yellow wedges come out year after year and prove that yellow shoes and accessories seem to go with everything…!
P.S. Please don’t feel you need to address those comments I mentioned on Google+ – I’m perfectly okay with less-than-pleasant comments… Silver Londoner and I were in hysterics that evening over the daft things they said!
Yellow is tricky to pull off, scares me in fact lol. I love it with the graphic black and white. So cool. Thanks for sharing these great ways to style it. http://fashionablyidu.blogspot.com/
Aww I love that you're scared of yellow (I knew lots of people were) but now would like to try it, Idu! Glad to have given you some inspo x
I'm all for wearing bright colours so yellow is something I wouldn't hesitate to wear. Your tips are very useful, I like the idea of wearing a yellow accessory as a statement instead of in clothing.
Thank you Lorna – glad it's even given a yellow-lover some further tips! x
You look FABULOUS in YELLOW
Aww thanks so much Priscilla!
Ooooh, I love these yellow looks. The black and white combo is always nice. The burg and blush combo is very interesting though.
Daphne.
So glad you love yellow too, Daphne! Thank you xx
I'm blowing a big, virtual raspberry to all your Google detractors, dear Catherine…I thought your yellow trousers outfit was so fun and full of personality!! Yellow, and its cousin chartreuse – which happens to be a fave of mine! – seem to elicit a lot of strong feelings in certain unimaginative people; but style-savvy individuals like us know where it's REALLY at!! ;D
http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.blogspot.com
Haha thank you for the virtual raspberry, Monika!! And yes, us style-savvy lot DO know where it's at ;))
Thank you so much my lovely x
LOVE that yellow sundress – so pretty! After seeing The Two Faces of January, I really wanted all of Kirsten Dunst's costumes, including her beautiful 1960's lemon yellow sundress. (Google it, or better yet, watch the film. It's a good story and a visual treat!)
Oh gosh I haven't seen that film, Eleanor… you had me at "lemon"!!!! (I must watch it!) I was always obsessed with Sandy's lemon yellow sundress in Grease – in fact I got my mum to make me a copy when I was about 17 (in the late 80s). I've always wished I kept it, and I bought this one earlier this year because it's the nearest likeness I've managed to find to it! Thank you for your lovely comment x
Wonderful post! I own zero yellow for the simple reason .. I don't know how to wear it .. at least I have some examples (and no excuses) now.
monica, http://www.pear-shaped-gal.com
Glad to have provided some inspo, Monica – now go get yourself something yellow!!! 😉
All of these are absolutely wonderful. I love yellow and can wear most shades, but prefer dark, mustard-goldenrod yellow.
Oooh yes mustard with your skintone would look amazing, Gracey!! Thank you hun x
You have great styling ideas with yellow. I love that colour, like I love lime as well. Now that my hair is blond, I fear yellow is not my colour anymore. So… I will go back to being a brunette. That is where my heart lies anyway. And it is less expensive than throwing out all my yellow and lime jackets and shirts.
I love all the outfits, with a slight favouratism (is this a word?) for 3 and 7 and the shoes of 4 and 8.
Greetje
Wow – back to brunette, Greetje!! That'll be a must-see :)) Thanks my lovely
I am hesitating again. Don't know what to do. This is a first for me. Never had a drastic change in hair colour before.
Yellow is a no for me, but that is because of skintone, You really make it work.
Well I kinda think that about red but I wear red trousers and bags so they're away from my face… I won't be stopped from wearing ANY colour, hehe!! Thank you Lotty x
I love yellow and I believe it suits me pretty well! I like neon yellow the most. 3 years ago I got a cardigan from H&M which was a hit among my friends and colleagues and they always commented on how it lit up my face (and the room)! I usually pair it with grey jeans and my equally neon yellow bangles from Marc Jacobs!
Anna
Neon yellow and grey sounds the bomb!! So glad you love yellow as well Anna!
I love this colour!
♥XO♥
Jeanne
http://fashionmusingsdiary.com
Thank you Jeanne!
Sorry for all the spelling mistakes… Wrote my comment on my iPad, on the train, keep losing network connection because of tunnels…
I think you make yellow work wonderfully.bbut I really wanted to comment on the "barrage of abuse", I had a look, shocking. But there are people who think trolling a weird form of therapy: venting their frustrations by spouting abuse at someone online. I admire your polite way of when telling them to shove their comments (i guess my choice of words would have been significantly less polite and imminently more graphic…). These people are not really interested in conversation, and I see no point in trying to talk to idiots who have no manners. Don't waste your time on haters, just delete them. And again, yellow works with your colouring, and you look fantastic in all these outfits.
Oh I'm definitely not wasting my time Tiina (well maybe I am, but I just like to mess with them – it confuses trolls when you're especially nice to them). It does me me laugh A LOT and feel very mischievous when I think of sickly sweet things to say back…! But thank you as always for the lovely yellow comments xx
One of my favourite colours I meant to say, it somehow got garbled there 😀
Yellow is oe of mute colours, and a staple in my wardrobe, especially my mustard cardigan and yellow Cambridge satchel. I've just bought a mustard top and made a mustard skirt. I've had to give up wearing my mustard tights to work though, as my male colleagues kept calling me chicken legs!
Wow you're hardcore Emma – I've always wanted to wear mustard tights but just don't have the legs for it!! And to hell with what they call you… I was described as anything from a circus clown to wearing my pyjamas at my old office job (funnily enough by male colleagues as well). It only made me dress up even more so get those tights back on this autumn!!!
Great ideas! Wonderful outfits! Beautiful you, Catherine!
Aww Martina thank you so much xx
I love other colors so much that I often forget to even look at yellow items. Funny how that works… But when I do remember my yellow clothing, I often find myself wearing my yellow scarf that looks great with my orange jacket, white t-shirt, jeans, and dark blue tennis shoes. Your post inspires me to look for other ways to incorporate yellow in my wardrobe. Thanks!
I do like the sound of that combo you described… it's got me thinking! Thank you for your lovely comment x
Yellow is my favorite color after orange,so I have pants and skirts and jackets and scarves . . . I only wear strong versions though, when I've bought pale yellow things they look hiddy. And I'm a garden variety brunette. I think yellow looks particularly good with red, so it KILLS on a redhead like yourself.
Aww Roberta that's so nice of you, thank you! Nice to meet another yellow fan!!
I love the yellow maxi but I can see why people aren't sure, yellow is a hard colour to wear
Lauren
livinginaboxx
To be honest I throw it together with anything but yes, some people do shy right away from it, Lauren…!
You've got amazing style. I think the yellow pieces in your outfits go great with the colour of your hair.
Thank you – I do like the contrast of yellow with my hair I must admit!
I like yellow for accents, like your fab belt and shoes. You, of course, can wear anything! xox
Awww Patti thank you – I think if you get the right shade everyone can wear it! x
You always look so great in yellow, I am quite jealous! Unfortunately, yellow makes me look hideous, and all I can manage is a much-loved mustard handbag. Thank you for the constant inspiration – your outfits always make me look at my own wardrobe with new eyes!
Thanks Tanya :)) Hopefully the accessories give you some inspiration…!
I generally avoid yellow, but you make it look so wearable I might have to rethink it!
Thank you Alice, I hope you do!
Loving them elope, Catherine. For he, it's always mustard, especially at this time of year. I have a gorgeous cashmere jumper in mustard and a pretty cardigan. Lynne x
Wow mustard cashmere sounds gorgeous, Dorothy! x