How to Wear Yellow

Yellow can be a vibrant addition to your personal color wheel, particularly during the warmer months of the year. It can never be a bad thing to wear a color which is associated with happiness in the popular mind. Unfortunately, it can be quite tricky to wear yellow without looking like a clown. You want to have a touch of brightness, but you still want to look swanky.

Does it suit you?

Yellow is not for everyone. If you?re tan or dark skinned, you have a much larger range of shades you can choose from. Pale guys should opt for pastel or dark, mustardy shades rather than bright yellow to avoid looking washed out.

What colors does yellow go with?

Navy blue is the best option for matching with yellow. Lighter shades of yellow should go with darker shades of navy for maximum impact. Neutrals such as grey, black, dark brown and white all go quite well with yellow.

It doesn?t have to be your only color

Yellow may be attention-grabbing, but it doesn?t need to be the only bright color of your outfit. Don?t shy away from wearing other bright colors alongside your yellow, particularly for casual wear. You can also combine yellow with dusky shades such as burnt orange or navy for a stylish yet perky look. Don?t match yellow with another shade of yellow- it may match perfectly in your head, but it is only ever attempted by style novices.

Yellow for beginners

Not sure if yellow is your color? Try wearing light yellow before you graduate on to an eye-popping bright shade. Light yellow works best on your top half. A pale yellow shirt with blue jeans is a flawless combination that you can wear day or night. Add a tie to make it a touch dressier.

Make it nautical

An easy way to wear yellow and look fashionable is to go for a nautical look. Boat shoes and a polo shirt is all you need to make this look work. Combine with colors such as blue, green, and plenty of white. An ideal combination would be blue and yellow boat shoes with chinos and a striped navy polo shirt.

Advanced yellow wearing: the blazer

Make a style statement by using a yellow blazer to complete your outfit. Try layering it over a blue collared shirt, and wear black or dark blue pants to neutralize your vibrant top half. Combining with a patterned tie tops off the look, making it a tad more formal and much more stylish. The yellow blazer is for the fashionably brave only.

When to wear it

Yellow is most popular during the spring and summer months, but it?s not out of bounds for the rest of the year. A chunky knitted scarf in bright yellow on a blustery winter day can bring a bit of cheer to your otherwise bland outfit. If you?re not so sure about donning such a happy color in cooler weather, venture into wearing mustard yellow instead.