Yellow

Yellow is the core colour of the Spring colour tones 

But actually, all Colour Tones have several versions of yellow available in their colour palette. 


Most people of Spring colour tones like yellow.

As they should, it is their core colour and makes them look radiant and energized.

But, yellow very often seems to be an OMDB* colour for the rest of us.

*) OMDB = Over My Dead Body         

Of all the colours we have in our lovely drape sets, yellow is the colour most of my clients shy away from, are suspicious of wearing, or plain outright dislike. Why is this, I wonder?

According to colour psychology, yellow is the happiest colour of them all. 

It exudes life, youth and happiness.
Sunshine is yellow. Who does not like sunshine? We decorate with yellow ribbons when we are welcoming somebody home. We are happy to fill our gardens and homes with yellow flowers, but most of my clients shy away from wearing it. 

Being a colour analyst, I am taught and I teach that we all have shades of yellow that we look good in, even alive and vibrant in.

All seasons have yellow

in their palette

WINTER

Dark Winter has a slightly smoked yellow, sometimes with a bit of green in it, like citrine. 


The clear, primary colour of yellow belongs to True Winter. 


Yellow that is even a bit brighter, like canary yellow, finds its home in Bright Winter. 

(as you will see in my video below)

SPRING

Yellow is the core colour of Spring. Their palettes are basically bathed in lovely sunshine. 


The bright daffodil is a Bright Spring yellow. The true sunshine yellow is for True Spring, and a lighter, more hazy yellow is Light Spring. 

SUMMER

Difficult. How to we make yellow cool and summery enough? 


Her's how:

We soften it with a haze of summer mist: the ever so slightly grey, soft yellow that makes summer skin look like moonlight on milk.


Soft Summer yellow is so greyed, we can call it straw yellow. 

AUTUMN

The autumns are quite at home in yellow.

As long as it is the yellow of fire, not sunshine. 


We see yellows that have spiciness and depth.


Autumn's yellows should have names like like corn, curry, turmeric. 


Dark Autumn also rocks chartreuse!

When we bring out the shade of yellow that belongs to her season, the client quite often bursts out: "But I don’t LIKE this colour!"
Most of the times, she must admit that yes, this particular shade of yellow does indeed like her, even if it is not mutual. 

You do not have to like every colour in your palette. 

You will have a variety of every colour that you will look fabulous in, but that does not mean that they will all be favourites.

Quite often, yellow is the colour that is sent to the back corner, outshone by eternal favourites like blue, red, and sometimes green. Very rarely do I hear a client proclaim that she will proceed to go out and get herself something in her yellow.
Which is a little sad, since yellow is such a mood lifter and game changer.

Does it perhaps have something to do with the fact that yellow, besides being a happy colour, also is an attention-grabbing colour?
And perhaps a colour that is associated with childhood? We do want to be perceived as serious grown-ups.

If yellow lifts your spirits, wear it. 

If it makes you happy when you see someone else wear yellow, tell them.

If you are curious as to exactly which version of yellow is the best for you, find your nearest colour analyst and book a PCA.


Sign up for the Hello Season! emails for the Season of your choice. It's free!

About the author, Jorunn Hernes

Jorunn is a Certified Personal Colour Analyst, founder of Nordic Simplicity and Scandinavian Style Academy™, the fresh, simple, Scandinavian approach to getting dressed. Jorunn will avoid social settings with more than three people but can be lured out with snacks and the promise to talk about books.

  • I’m a bright winter too. I happen to like yellow but never had a lot of it. That is partly because I thought yellow didn’t look good on me. I have now added some bright yellow clothing to my closet. I am looking for the correct bright winter lemony yellow.

    • Hello Shannon, thank you for your comment! I think you’re bringing up a very important point here. Finding the right version of yellow is so important, and your best yellow may not be available every year, as the fashion industry loves to change things up from season to season.

  • So true. I had a yellow umbrella that always cheered me up on rainy days. Another OMDB colour is orange. Hope you‘ll do a video on orange as well soon.

    • Hi Melanie, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
      It makes me smile to think of a yellow umbrella on a dreary rainy day!
      And I’ll definitely consider making a video about orange, thanks for the suggestion.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >