What Does Yellow Clothing Represent?
All the canaries, bananas, and daffodils of the world scream one thing - yellow. Just like red, the color yellow is one that can easily be spotted and that grabs a lot of attention. Unlike red though, yellow is generally more of a happy color.
However, that's not all there is to say about yellow. In this blog post, we will go over everything. Well, maybe only everything about the effects of the different variations of yellow in clothing.
The color yellow represents:
Yellow clothing represents joy, happiness, positivity, and honor, but can also mean cowardice, childish youthfulness, or caution. It is therefore a color to only use smartly when it comes to fashion and clothing. Wearing light yellow can also make you look more youthful and healthy.
In the following article, we’ll explain a great deal more about what yellow clothing represents. Hopefully, you will get some “light bulb moments” on how and when to use yellow in your personal style.
What does the color yellow represent in clothing and fashion?
Now, if you've been following this series on color psychology, you should know by now that every color has both positive and negative associations. These are the two binary feelings people can get looking at the color yellow.
Then again, it all depends on the variation of the hue. Basically, it is all color psychology.
So, by keeping this in mind, you will better equip yourself for when and where not to wear yellow clothing. All this will make more sense as you read on.
The Symbolism of Yellow Clothing
The color psychology of yellow - what does that have to do with your fashion sense?
If you're planning on having some yellow in your wardrobe, then quite frankly, it has a lot to do with your fashion sense. Let's look at what science has to say about the psychology behind the color yellow:
Yellow is linked to stimulating deep thinking and encouraging creativity, as this study on color and psychological functioning suggests. That is great, but it's not all.
Another positive benefit of yellow is it makes one a happier person. However, there is a tendency to express feelings of frustration and anger if you stay in yellow rooms for too long (controversy alert).
As with many warm hues, yellow represents happiness and joy, making it an ideal color to convey an “easy-going” aura. For such an effect, it doesn’t even have to be used to a large degree.
With that said, yellow isn't everybody's favorite color for some of the reasons above.
The good news is that you can find ways to implement it into your outfits and use the effects to your advantage. You will be able to achieve this by understanding how each variant of yellow works.
Welcome to the color psychology of yellow!
The meanings of the Pure Yellow Hue
The yellow “hue” you could say is the “unadulterated” version of the color. It is yellow in its purest form. Nothing added, nothing subtracted - it is the original.
Some examples of the yellow hue are canary yellow, or vivid yellow.
Common feelings or emotions associated with this form of yellow are hope, freshness, positivity, intelligence, honor, and loyalty.
Wearing this hue can get you tons of attention both during the day and night. Yellow will help you stand out.
Just like red, this form of yellow might be too much for some people to handle. That's where the shades, tints, and tones come in handy.
It might also not come as a surprise that yellow clothing is sold more often in summer than in winter, as this study suggests. In general, warm color clothing is more popular during warm seasons. And yellow, being the most joyful warm color, is a great one to wear in summer.
The big pro of this pure hue is that people will see you as someone who is massively energetic and super fun. The downside about it, even though it doesn't really matter, is people will tend to see you as a less serious person.
So tip number one - wear this variation of yellow when you know you are ready to bring out your bright, energetic side.
Tip number two - it is not an everyday color to wear as a canvas, so wear it only rarely and sparingly.
Tip number three - it is excellent as an accent color, so you can add a bit to spice up your entire outfit. Check out our “Very Cherry” socks if you’re in the mood for a yellow accent piece.
All these tips are well and great, but if you want to know what colors match right with yellow or color-matching in general, the 10 Golden Rules For Color In Fashion are your best to learn it all.
The Symbolism of Yellow Tints
The light versions of yellow, also known as yellow tints, are obtained by mixing white and yellow in varying proportions. As a result of this mixture, they look pale and not as eye-catching as the yellow hue. Examples of yellow tints include light yellow, sand, banana mania, and half-life.
Common associations with these colors are openness, happiness, creativity, cheerfulness, and (childish) fun. However, one negative association with these variants of yellow is cowardice.
Yellow tints are great as accent pieces since they add a tinge of color in a quirky way. Beware of wearing yellow tints as canvases, though. You’ll be seen as innocent and playful. This is partially why it’s a great canvas color for young women.
Did you know that a yellow tint has made it to the top of the most trending colors list in the year 2021? That’s right - Pantone’s Color of The Year 2021 is “Illuminating”. Check out our article on the topic of all of the year’s trending colors in fashion.
Also, yellow tints are especially useful if you want to look younger and more vital. Learn more in our article on which clothing colors make you look more youthful.
Yellow Shades Represent
Shades of yellow, also known as dark yellows, are another variant of the yellow color. They are the result of mixing black and yellow together to various shades. Examples include “lion”, dark yellow, guacamole, and honey.
Shades of yellow aren't as expressive as those in their hue, but they are still attention-grabbing. They have a more masculine quality and are a bit on the dull side.
Depending on the amount of sheen or shimmer in the piece of clothing, dark yellow can even appear to be golden. Here’s an example for reference:
A dark yellow (gold) suit. This is a rather rare and not really office-suitable look, but hey… | Socks: The Light Stripes
Darker yellows are also more vibrant compared to their tint and tone counterparts. They also create a sense of control and flamboyance, but can also mean caution, cynicism, and jealousy.
Very dark yellows work well as canvas pieces. If a serious and approachable look is what you are going for, then these colors will work perfectly. Dark yellow clothing represents so many things, but it is rarely seen.
Effects of Toned Yellows
Yellow tones are those that border between their tints and shades. They are produced by mixing gray with the yellow hue. As a result, they get combination qualities of both their tint and shade counterparts.
Examples of yellow tones are sidecar, schoolbus, cyber, and flax. You can say they are the least vibrant of the bunch, but that doesn't mean they don't look appealing. In fact, it will be a lot easier for you to put on yellow-toned clothing than anything in pure yellow.
Yellow tones can work well as both canvas and accent pieces since they are right in the middle of dark and light yellows.
Some associations with yellow tones are practical, stable, indifferent, control, and (in some ways) elegance.
What The Color Yellow represents - In Short
For most people, yellow isn't a favorite, and only 5% prefer it.
However, in Asian cultures, such as those of the Japanese and Indian people, yellow represents luxury, nobility, bravery, and wealth. In China, yellow is known as the Imperial color and symbolizes wisdom, glory, and happiness. Although, in modern-day China, it is associated with adult entertainment...
In Western Europe, yellow has some pretty negative connotations. For instance, it represents envy in Germany, while in France, it takes on the meaning of weakness and betrayal.
In general, yellow isn't really the color most men go for, and it is sometimes seen as a color for children or teenagers. Overall, it is not a color for serious nor formal occasions.
Additionally, not everyone looks good in yellow while others do. This is a result of their underlying skin tone, which determines the kinds of colors that flatter their looks the best.
To determine your underskin tone and what colors work best for you, subscribe to our mailing list to learn of any upcoming articles concerning skin tone.
So, in short, yellow can be an “explosive” color without even intending to be. It's a very in-your-face color. Depending on your personality, that won't be much of a problem if you are an extrovert. But if you are an introvert, you may find it a bit hard donning the "color of sunshine."
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