Psychology of Color in Men’s Fashion: Yellow
Yellow is an extremely important color in men’s fashion. While a lot of guys don’t exactly approach wearing yellow as being a state of mind, the fact is that it can be a difficult color to incorporate into an ensemble. Fortunately, there are a variety of things that you can do to start wearing yellow more often without looking like a caricature of yourself; it all comes down to stylistic decisions. The more effort you can devote to learning how to wear yellow in an attractive manner, the better off you’ll be in the long run. Considers all of the following if you’re looking to make yellow a larger part of your ensembles in the near future. For more information, please see our entire guide titled “The Psychology of Colors in Mens Fashion“.
“Cheery Above All”
There’s no getting around the fact that yellow simply happens to be extremely cheery in nature. Yellow ensemble elements stand out in a crowd as being bright and “happy” in appearance, and thus pose a double-edged sword to anyone who wears the color. The cheeriest yellows are those which are feature in Polos and dress shirts; a yellow dress shirt can make for a very attractive base when paired with khaki chinos and brown dress shoes. The goal is to keep the yellows you choose from being overly bright or bold in color; light yellow is almost always the superior choice.
Anger?
Believe it or not, yellow also actually comes along with a fair amount of dark connotations. Indeed, the color is synonymous with anger and discontent when it is worn in its darker varieties, and thus gets a fairly bad rap sometimes. The fact is, though, yellow doesn’t have to be worn in a “dark” manner; all you really need to do is go about wearing the color with the right mindset. Stick with lighter yellows for best result, as the darker the yellow, the more sinister it can look at times. No one wants to look angry simply based upon their style of dress, and wearing yellow in certain ways can unfortunately cause this. The more effort you put into avoiding “angry” yellows, the better.
Wearing Yellow Effectively
There are a variety of things that you need to take into consideration if you wish to wear yellow in an effective manner. For one, you should always ensure that the yellows you wear are relatively subdued, as excessively-dark yellows can cause a disconnect. Second, try to keep yellow to the top part of your ensemble, as yellow pants and/or shoes can be extremely unattractive. If you’re planning to wear a yellow tie, ensure that it will match with the suit that you set out to wear. That said, yellow neckties look excellent with navy suits. Also, if the solid yellow tie is too “bold”, choose a tie that has yellow as one of the accent colors. On a final note, keep the shade of yellow season appropriate. Lighter and “fresh” yellows are best for summer and spring, while darker yellows (think about turning autumn leaves) are best left to the later part of the year.
Remember that yellow can come off as being “too much” when worn in an incorrect manner, and finding an ensemble that truly works for you will be something of trial and error. Experiment with a variety of different shades of yellow for best results, and don’t be afraid to try to incorporate the color into your coat or jacket for added effect.
Other Men’s Fashion Color Guides:
Guide to Orange in Mens Fashion
Your Bows-n-Ties.com Team