How to Wear Yellow
Yellow is very poorly-perceived by the human eye. We can differentiate much more easily between shades of green or blue than yellow. Even if you have had your colors done (correctly!) by a qualified color analyst, it will take some time for you to learn to understand what your yellow looks like in clothing and jewelry. Yellow is also extremely impactful. When worn correctly (the right shade on the right person) people have a visceral positive reaction to it that is unrivaled by any other shade.
Because there is a yellow represented among every test drape set in the SciArt system, all of my clients get to experience themselves in multiple shades of yellow throughout a Personal Color Analysis. I always ask, “How do you feel about yellow, in general?” And 9 times out of 10, the response comes, “I love yellow. But I can’t wear it.” Yellow is beloved by many, and feared by nearly all. Because of how our eyes perceive the shade, we pick up on the wrong yellow easily—but we can’t place what is wrong. This leads to a uniquely unsettled feeling, and a sense of revulsion when we see ourselves (or others) in a bad shade of yellow.
That being said, there are no bad shades of yell0w—just wrong ones on the wrong people! Here are some rules that I use with my clients, to help them incorporate this powerful and gorgeous shade into their wardrobes with ease:
1. While yellow can be worn as a large block, it is often more impactful in small doses: While some women (especially those with richer, deeper skintones) look incredible in yellow head-to-toe, many lighter-skinned people find that they prefer to wear it in small doses. My favorite ways to wear yellow in miniscule amounts include: earrings, socks, scarves, purses, or in a blouse or dress pattern in combination with other shades.
Below I have illustrated this principle using a beautiful (but very neutral) True Winter outfit comprised of only black and white. By adding just a pair of citrusy earrings from the True Winter color palette, we increase the dynamism and enhance what is best about True Winter’s black and white. The outfit feels complete—and has character.
Your particular, unique way of wearing yellow will vary. Not a jewelry kind of gal? Try a skinny belt, and you get the same powerful effect of the tiny dose of yellow:
2. Your yellow may be rare (for the time being!) For better or worse, yellow is rarely considered “timeless,” and so the availability of every shade of yellow varies. I find that—with a few exceptions like True Autumn’s mustard , from year-to-year, most seasons have to wait until their yellow becomes trendy for a brief time to snatch up any pieces. That being said, trends cycle rapidly these days, and so you might find your yellow in abundance in the next few months, even if it is nowhere to be seen today. Shop consignment stores, eBay, and other thrift sites to find multiple years worth of trendy yellows at a time:
3. Even without a color fan or swatch strip, you can identify your best yellow by placing it next to a variety of other colors you know are in your season. The right yellow, placed next to your season’s pink, green, or blue, will not look overly dirty or overly bright and distracting. It should be pleasant, and remind you of food or flowers. It should not appear sickly or remind you of unpleasant things like bodily fluids, rot, or illness.
Beautiful in combination, not just in isolation
4. Keywords can help you recognize your best yellow. Every season has a few words or a scene that describe their typical yellow in appearance. Here are a few of my favorite references:
True Winter: citrus, lemon drop, acid yellow
Bright Winter: canary, lemon peel
Bright Spring: pineapple, popsicle
True Spring: sunshine, buttercup
Light Spring: butter, lemon curd
Light Summer: Key lime juice
True Summer: homemade lemonade
Soft Summer: vintage paperback book pages
Soft Autumn: sandstone, wheat
True Autumn: marigold, saffron
Dark Autumn: khaki gold, firelight
Below you will find a gallery of gorgeous yellows from nature and human invention. It is truly an arresting and uniquely powerful hue.
