Thursday, January 24, 2008

Colors of the Fashion Rainbow: Hello Sunshine!

Yellow is a happy color. There is sunshine yellow, marigold yellow, and golden yellow. Even smiley faces are traditionally yellow. It's considered an optimistic shade, full of life and hope for the future. Remember the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz, leading Dorothy and company to the Emerald City? Yellow roses, once viewed a symbol of jealousy, are now considered a symbol of joy and friendship.

Granted, yellow isn't all sunshine and smiles. Yellow journalism is the term for newspapers that sensationalize stories in order to sell papers (so, like every tabloid on the magazine rack?) and cowards are negatively referred to as yellow. And there is that whole yellow fever thing.
Like orange, yellow is usually thought of as a tricky color to wear. The key to selecting the shade of yellow that is right for you is the same as it is for orange - wear warm yellows (such as gold, amber, maize, and other hues tinged with orange) if your skin has a warm/yellow undertone, and cooler shades of yellow for cool/blue undertones, like lemon and citrine.

Likewise, head-to-toe bright yellow is a major statement, and probably not something most people are going to wear anytime soon. However, the color does work well in small doses, in the form of a scarf, a pair of shoes, or for the more fearless, a jacket or sweater. It can liven your face and it certainly stands out, especially in the dead of winter. A yellow swimsuit is a fun choice for a vacation as well - the color highlights a tan (real or from the bottle).



Shop for this yellow dress and more with Shopzilla.

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