Why Yellow Is The Hue Of The Season

Grey days, be gone - BYO sunshine with a yellow wardrobe pick-me-up. And before you say it, yes, anyone can pull it off.

Published on15th February 2017 at 11.40am

Last year, I bought a pair of bright yellow Gucci heeled loafers. I’d gone in for a black pair, but Grazia's style editor Chloe talked me into trying on the yellow instead, and that was it. They’re my friendliest shoes, winning me compliments wherever I go: my boss loves them, the man in my local garden centre loves them, even my usually-standoffish fellow commuters love them. But each compliment comes with the same follow up - I love your shoes! I can't wear yellow, though; it doesn't suit me. Sorry, what? If the first pair of jeans you tried on looked gopping, would you swear off jeans forever? Course you wouldn’t.

And so it is with shades of yellow – you just need to find the right one for you. There were more yellow hues on the SS17 catwalks than a Farrow & Ball paint chart; sherbet at Prada, canary at Chanel, saffron at Chloe.

As a general rule of thumb, mustard looks brilliant on black skin, olive colourings can pull off acidic yellows, asian skintones suit brighter golds, and the super-fair (redheads, that’s you too) should try lemon or buttermilk (see Marni). One you’ve found your yellow, working out what to wear it with is the next challenge: or at least it would be, but for our handy gallery below: clash against leopard print, channel a bumble bee in yellow and black, or add some white to that yolk. Ready? Here comes the sun…