Yellow has been declared the ‘new millennial pink’, after Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Kim Kardashian and Amal Clooney were all spotted wearing it in recent months.
The color has been hailed as the shade of generation Z – referring to those born in the late nineties and early noughties, and the eye-catching choice is said to stem from their desire to ‘be bold and unique’.
While the trend was first predicted in 2016 – when it was heavily featured in Beyonce’s Lemonade album, the vibrant hue has boomed in the fashion world this year.
Championed by celebrities and royals alike, the color has even spilled over into interiors, with design specialist Lorna McAleer telling Femail it represents the current mood of being ‘bright, vivacious and unapologetic’.
I tend to jump on a trend (usually feet first as I feel shoe fads are easiest to dabble in) only when they meet these two points:
1) It sounds obvious but it actually needs to suit me. I’m all about this season’s striped oversized shirts and straight leg denim, but I’m steering clear of other trends such as pink (I’m yet to find a flattering shade) and mid-length dresses (they cut my legs off at too weird a place).
2) I need to see myself wearing it in six months’ time. This is mostly for the purpose of self-control – working in fashion the thing in our eye of affection changes regularly. It may be difficult, but it’s certainly effective. With practice (plus my boyfriend in my ear advising I rein it in, and my wardrobe close to imploding) I have been stopped in my tracks during a late-night Zara haul (hands down the best source for those striped shirts).
Which brings me to my current obsession: yellow. You may think it can only be worn in swimsuit form, accessorised with a straw hat, factor 30 and a mojito, but considering how much it can perk up a dull outfit (and your mood) I’d advise getting in on the action every day.
While I was raving about my new-found love, a colleague (pale skin, dark hair) pointed out that yellow wasn’t for all skin tones. I offered that accessories could be her entry point rather than a statement knit; perhaps a cute bag (beware of cross-body styles, though, such a pale hue means dark trousers and coats may transfer – stick to top handles and totes), a sweet shoe, or even a jazzy yellow sock worn with her go-to loafers.
Although it may be only for the brave, yellow skirts or trousers are a good option as the colour is further from your face. Wear with a grey T-shirt and white trainers. Try to avoid pairing with black in order to escape the inevitable bumblebee references. If you go for deeper shades like mustard they’ll look great come autumn, too (six month rule etc).
Handily, the lemon options on the high street are endless. Warehouse has come up trumps with its blouses, knits and dresses in various shades of buttercup, meanwhile Hobbs has a golden trench which is a great alternative to black. Lightweight suede jackets are ideal for spring and also seem to be very much a thing – tick off two trend boxes with Zara’s collarless option.
Mango’s penny loafers top my list and will probably be my first sunshine purchase of the year (see, feet first). I’ll wear them with navy trousers and a denim shirt. In fact, I may even wear two yellow pieces at once. You won’t be able to miss me.
dailyfashion 