“Dress like a daffodil” was the lighthearted command of lifestyle guru and TV presenter Mariella Frostrup as she displayed her latest buy – a knitted vest in bright yellow. She was extolling the values of a colour that is fresh, vibrant and energetic, synonymous with sunshine and spring.
Butter yellow has been the key shade this season, seen on the catwalks at Chanel, Loewe and Miu Miu. Jackets, dresses, trousers, sweaters and skirts in this light colour are already colonising high-street racks. Its popularity may even extend into autumn/winter, given collections from Gucci, Marni and Versace.
Yellow lifts the spirits in these uncertain times, and its current vogue has spread from clothing into interiors, as a warm shade that’s easy to introduce and mixes well with others. Shades flutter from flaxen, saffron and citrus to buttercup, gorse, mimosa and, at its most extreme, fluoro or neon. Some call it an acute colour, and it has properties that can reflect both red and green light. Of all the shades in the colour spectrum, it is the most luminous.
Being the perfect colour for spring, you’ll find its shades migrating into affordable offerings everywhere, from Penneys’ soft yellow Peter Pan collared sweaters and Marks & Spencer’s linen tops, to Russell and Bromley’s suede runners and Dune’s plaited flats. Some Irish knits have captured the trend well, like the flecked buttercup oversize sweaters and vests from Ireland’s Eye, and the harvest yellow scarves from Stable.
Yellow goes particularly well with black, but also with ivory, navy and tan, and can liven up jeans. Team trousers or a dress with snakeskin flats or kitten heels to good effect, or use as accessory highlights – yellow leather gloves with a black coat, for example.
It suits all ages and not just those with blonde, brown or black hair. It’s the favourite colour of Irish model Mary Dunne since she embraced her natural grey hair seven years ago.
“My first purchase was a Ganni vibrant yellow sweater, and I never got so many compliments about how well I looked,” she says. “This summer I am wearing a yellow dress from Zadig & Voltaire and one from Samsoe Samsoe – they are both fun to wear. And Cos have a yellow polo neck which is gorgeous under my white shirts. I feel the colour complements Irish complexions, and I feel happy when I look in the mirror wearing my yellow pieces.”
So, why not brighten the mood and let some sunshine into your spring wardrobe this Easter?
