How to wear butter yellow, the color we hate but will all embrace this summer

Each season in fashion, one color takes the crown and becomes the hottest shade of the moment. This summer the forecast turns a rather surprising color – light yellow. Spotted on Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lawrence and Sophie Turner, the shade has garnered over half a million shares on Tik Tok. The same observation on the catwalks, pale yellow invaded the spring-summer 2024 fashion shows presented in September. Where Maison Margiela, Molly Goddard and Stella McCartney imagined it all sheer, Rotate, Jacquemus and Jil Sander took it up a notch, and Proenza Schouler, Dawei and Bally and folded it with gatherings.

Butter yellow, Neapolitan yellow, champagne yellow, vanilla yellow or eggshell yellow. light yellow has all the names. But on the other hand, it cannot be worn by everyone. It actually has an unfortunate reputation for looking bad and being difficult to match. Bad wind that can capsize.

A brief history of yellow

Although yellow is one of the most hated colors in today’s society, it wasn’t always that way. In prehistory, for example, yellow was dominant, used for drawing and painting, thanks to flowers like ocher and broom. Annie Mollard-Desfour, a linguist specializing in the lexicon of colors, describes the decline of this single color in a few words. “In ancient times, yellow was more valued. It is worn by the rich during ceremonies and earthy colors by the poor. It was in the Middle Ages that yellow lost its titles of nobility. It is associated with lies, bile, betrayal. It is also the color of madness. In paintings of the time, crazy or evil people were dressed in yellow or green clothes. Today it at least has the merit of being useful. It is used to attract attention because it is the most visible color to the human eye along with red. We see it, for example, in taxis or on the runway in New York. But this pejorative understanding does not apply in the same way to butter yellow, which is much milder. In the current valorization of this shade, we can see a desire for softness, freshness, both symbolically and thermally,” concludes Annie Mollard-Desfour. Softer, yes, but no easier to wear.

To frown

“Every person has a colorimetric profile, that is, a palette, a set of colors that suit them well,” explains Louise Muller, an image consultant specializing in colorimetry. “Neapolitan yellow is a very soft, very light color. It will usually look best on people who have a low contrast between their hair color and skin tone. If we stick to the theory of seasons, this shade perfectly fits the “spring” and sometimes “summer” profiles. On the other hand, it will be more difficult for “winter” profiles who, for example, have very dark hair and very white skin. This theory would explain (and support) the postulate that pastel yellow matches dark skin, since these skin tones actually often have a weaker contrast with hair color.

General appearance

Therefore, it is these so-called “harmonious” profiles, whose skin and hair have similar shades, can afford to wear pale yellow without thinking too much about it. Or even wear it head to toe. Carol Matray, Stylist and fashion editor From Madame Figaro, recommends thinking of Naples yellow as beige. “When worn well, butter yellow conveys a chic image by fitting in quiet luxury as a bright, stunning color. When worn as a whole, for example with a dress or a shirt and trousers, it gives the impression of a modern, very chic uniform. It adapts well to city life in summer and winter. It’s bold while remaining neutral,” she explains.

A little touch

Those whose personal colorimetry does not agree with butter yellow do not have to give it up. Obviously there are schemes. “First of all, the goal is to keep the bad color away from the face. Once we know our color scheme, we can wear a color that suits us well for the top and a pale yellow for the rest. Pants, skirts or shoes affect the skin of the face less. Not forgetting, of course, the accessories. Bags are a good alternative for “winter” profiles, who, for example, have very light skin and very dark hair,” explains Louise Muller.

Makeup can also help create contrast. The expert recalls the power of complementary colors. “A touch of blush, the right foundation or eyeshadow can improve the dullness of the face. For a buttery yellow, we can think of a dark, saturated purple, for example on the eyes.”

Art and material

If the butter yellow is worn, but not in all cases. The choice of fabric is an important element. The secret, according to Carol Matray, is quality. “You need materials that are strong, thick like fine linen, or really fine fibers like silk or organza. The material itself should create luxury. therefore, we avoid at all costs anything that is solid and synthetic.” Thinking about playing with textures, volume and transparency also allows you to emphasize color.

Color associations

“If bright yellow contains negative symbols in our society, then light yellow is happier. So when we associate it with white, it can benefit from the positive connotations associated with the latter, namely purity, sincerity, morality, light, because it’s almost like that,” explains Annie Mollard-Desfour.

Karole Matrei’s aesthetic eye shares the opinion. It risks disappearing when mixed with earthy colors, losing its essence. For example, khaki shades are too instinctive, too easy. Above all, a buttery yellow should not look like a washed-out white. On the other hand, connecting light yellow with white allows you to mark the difference, make it exist.” The expert recommends elegant colors for accessories, recommending a black leather bag. “We have to ask ourselves what Phoebe Philo would do for us.” According to his brand’s latest post, the designer rather agrees with the summer dominance of butter yellow.