How to choose a good yellow for you
supporting March into Yellow in partnership with Endometriosis Australia
Author: Donna Cameron
Donna is a leader in the styling industry and personal colour analysis consulting. She has worked across Australia and the UK on personal style and presentation for over a decade.
Donna genuinely believes that personal style is an expression of self. She will help you to uncover your own true sense of style, rather than follow the latest trends.
Location: Melbourne
Until a few years ago, almost nobody was wearing yellow. But after many years in the wilderness, yellow is finally back! And that’s a great thing because yellow is a happy colour and we certainly need some of that in 2020. Interestingly, it is yellow roses that we traditionally give to somebody who has been sick.
But that aside, because there are so many versions of yellow, it can be difficult to know which one to go for. The varying shades of yellow span everything from the lightest lemon to the richest mustard. And there truly is a yellow for almost everyone.
Warm yellows
If you were taught any colour theory at school, you will probably have learnt that yellow is a primary colour. You may even have learnt that yellow is a WARM primary colour. Colour theory, and indeed yellow, is more complex than that but yellow is basically assumed to be a warm colour.
And what does that mean for you?
It means that if your natural colouring is warm then yellow is likely to suit you because colours that harmonise with our natural colouring look like they belong on us.
When I conduct a colour analysis, I look at both skin tone and hair to see whether they are predominantly warm or cool. I look at eyes too, though the eyes are much smaller so they take third priority unless of course they are particularly striking or bright eyes.
Let’s think about blonde hair first, as it is quite yellowy but can differ in temperature...
“there truly is a yellow for almost everyone.”
If you have golden blonde hair and a warm undertone to your skin, then your colouring can be considered warm, and you will be able to wear yellow quite easily. If you have platinum blonde hair and ivory skin or a deeper skin tone that has a cool undertone, you are considered to have cool colouring.
While it is more difficult for a cooler toned person to wear yellow well, there are some yellows that will work nicely. If this is you and your colouring is soft, look towards lemons. You will want a yellow with white mixed into it as this automatically makes the colour cooler. If you are cool toned but have some strong pigmentation in your skin or hair, you might want to check out the vibrant acid yellows or neon yellows.
Redheads, and people with auburn, titian or warm brunette hair, assuming their skin also has a warmth to it, can wear the warmer yellows really well. The warmer toned people have lots of yellows to play with. They can choose anything from a fully pigmented, chrome yellow through to sunshine, regal and daffodil yellows and then onto the golden, honey yellows right through the spectrum until we hit a real mustard yellow. Those who have black, grey, white or ashy brown hair are better in cooler yellows.
Cool yellows
Play around with the myriad yellows on offer (before you buy) to see which ones look best on you, or ask one of us Colour Consultants to assist you!
How you can get involved in March into Yellow
Wear yellow this month to start a conversation about endometriosis. Get involved in March Into Yellow as a fundraising hero yourself, or make an online donation to Endometriosis Australia via any of these March into Yellow fundraising heroes.
FEATURED SPREE - by Donna
Colour Analysis, online consultations
Want your skin to look clear and your eyes to sparkle so you basically glow?
A colour analysis is a short-cut to looking and feeling amazing and an investment in you and your future wardrobe; if you’re looking and feeling great, you’ll project confidence and energy.