Color Coverage: Yellow

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Yellow changes with each era. That’s what’s cool about it. A yellow housedress, and you think of the '50s. A yellow pencil skirt, you think of the '60s. A yellow leather jacket, you think of the '80s.

— Joshua Seth, editorial stylist

The Enduring Yellow

Yellow, while it's trending now, isn't new. It has plenty of precedent in fashion history. “Yellow was first able to be worn by most people after the 1920s, when Coco Chanel made being tan something trendy,” said Joshua Seth, an editorial stylist whose clients include "InStyle," "Inked" and "Flaunt." “The tan eliminated the possibility of yellow washing you out, which was, and still is, the biggest concern when wearing it.”

Since yellow made its way into the mainstream, the color has set a tone for each decade. “Yellow changes with each era. That’s what’s cool about it,” said Seth. “A yellow housedress, and you think of the '50s. A yellow pencil skirt, you think of the '60s. A yellow leather jacket, you think of the '80s.”

Ways to Wear Yellow

“Yellow is a happy, friendly color,” said Marcellas Reynolds, celebrity stylist and commentator on the Style Network's show "Style Star." “Your eye is drawn to yellow, so if you want to be seen, it’s a great color and a great reason to wear it.”

There is a common fear yellow does not look good on everyone. However, with the range in tones of yellow, there is definitely a yellow out there for every woman — and this season does not disappoint in the variety of yellow that hit the runways.

On the fall/winter 2011 fashion runways, notes Seth, "we saw marigold yellow and mustard yellow. Dior, Isaac Mizrahi, Hermes, Giambattista Valli, Fendi and Acne all had great examples of mustard yellow in their collections. And, as far as marigold, Givenchy, D&G, Gucci and Versace all had gorgeous pieces [in that tone].”

Mustard yellow, with subtle brown undertones, is a particularly accessible color for a variety of skin tones. Make sure to bring out the brown undertones with gold, brass or copper jewelry says Seth. Pair it with purples, magenta or oranges, all colors that play with the same undertones of mustard. Just make sure your makeup is on point. “For mustard yellow, one of the most important things is your makeup,” said Seth. “It’s always paired best with bold makeup. Give it a really, really strong eye, and wear a bright red lip or something that pops. Even if you’re fair-skinned, the brown in the mustard with the color in your makeup will lessen the effects of it washing you out.”

The same is not true of marigold. When wearing marigold, let the yellow garment make the statement. “Because marigold is a strong color versus a tone of a color, don’t downplay it,” said Seth. “If you do, that is when it becomes disastrous. If you are wearing a yellow dress, that should be the focal point. Don’t pretend it's something that it's not.” Seth suggests pairing a marigold sweater with a black leather miniskirt for a night out or beige khakis with a yellow button-down for work. Denim with a yellow top is a great weekend look.

Another way to wear yellow in the fall is as a coat. “When you get to where you’re going and you can take off the coat or just open it up,” says Seth. He suggests pairing a marigold Anthropologie or Miu Miu coat with a purple shirt and dark jeans this fall.

Pops of Yellow

Accessories are a great way to incorporate yellow without committing to a head-to-toe yellow frock. Accessories give just the right amount of pop, bringing life into any outfit.

Reynolds suggests a yellow scarf. “That just lightens up the outfit.”

Plastic and Lucite jewelry has made a huge comeback; and Reynolds points out this type of jewelry has made it easier to add color, such as yellow, to any outfit. And for a night out on the town, Reynolds and Seth agree that a yellow clutch or yellow pumps pair perfectly with a classic little black dress. For a bigger wow factor, Seth suggests pairing the yellow pumps or yellow clutch with an orange or purple dress.

“Truly, yellow never goes out of style,” said Reynolds. “So something like a yellow clutch can be an investment piece.”

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