Yellow is a wonderful colour, associated with happiness, confidence and vibrancy.
It’s the colour of the sun, of course, and many popular flowers and fruits, yet many people fear to wear it.
Some consider it too bold or loud for their features, while others find it clashes with the yellow of their hair or the tan of their skin, and it’s true that some yellows can be unflattering for some people.
But with so many variations to choose from, everyone can look good in yellow of one sort or another, especially with a contrasting colour to soften the effect.
Here are some guidelines to suit different natural colourings.
If you’re a redhead, chances are you’ll look great in a standard, bright yellow.
If you have blue or brown eyes, all the better; blue will offer contrast, and brown, warmth and harmony.
If you have a pale skin, as many red-heads do, the rich hues of your hair will compensate, drawing the colours together attractively.
If you have pale skin and hair colouring, you may look rather washed-out in bright yellow.
A pale lemon or primrose tone will be more flattering, bringing out the subtle hues of your hair and the delicacy of your skin.
For a more defined look, combine it with a deeper colour, such as mid-blue, dark grey or forest green.
If you crave sunshine yellow, forget the pale tint and wear a single splash – as bold as you like – on an accessory, such as bag or necklace, balancing it with the deeper colour again, or with white.
Remember gold and silver, too – their glowing sheens will soften any yellow.
The darker or stronger your features, the brighter the yellow you can wear, as the contrasting tones will complement each other.
If you have an olive or tan complexion, a setting-sun glow will suit you, or a bright, chrome yellow, perhaps deepened with a thread of gold.
A very pale lemon or olive tint will also complement your warm colouring.
Deep-brown skin looks gorgeous with yellow – especially pale, sunlight shades.
With dark skin, eyes and hair for contrast, you can wear plenty of it, too, without compromise, although a lick of sky-blue or pale turquoise could look fantastic.
There’s an easy way to check whether your yellow is working for you. Just look in the mirror with your eyes half-closed and check what stands out most – your own features or the garment.
If your eyes are shining out, your cheeks are glowing and your hair is showing all its fine hues, you’ve got the balance spot on.
If you’re unsure or don’t have a mirror on hand, there’s another test you can do.
Ask yourself whether you feel right with your colour arrangement.
If you feel happy, relaxed and confident, it’s working for your personality, and that’s got to be good. It will catch the lights in your eyes, so keep it.
If you love yellow, go right ahead and wear it.
With the right shade and mix, you’ll look stunning.
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