by Aisling Ashbery

Created on: September 12, 2009

The verdict is in! The hot color of 2009 is ... mimosa! This bright yellow embodies happy-go-lucky feelings during a not-so-happy economic time. The idea is to live for the moment, and always look on the bright side of things. But such a brilliant color can be puzzling to wear - you don't want to look like a big lemon! In order to avoid a bowl-of-fruit fiasco, follow these tips to wear your yellow well.

[1.] Accessories make it Safe.
So, you're not ready to trade your little black dress for a little yellow dress? That's fine! You can rock this color without swathing yourself in head-to-toe yellow. For a fun punch, try yellow accessories, like a great handbag or bright yellow earrings. Yellow and black are hot this season, so instead of trading in your LBD, why not try belting it with a chic yellow belt?

[2.] Over-wear offers options.
If your outfit is fairly neutral, pop it up by adding a yellow blazer or cardigan. The added advantage of such pieces is that if you feel uncomfortable with others' eyes on you (because yellow will draw their eyes), you can simply remove the article of clothing and hang it over a chair.

[3.] Shoes are a shoo-in.
There's nothing new about the idea of adding a sharp pop of color with your footwear. But a bright yellow makes an especially bold and current statement. Yellow patent pumps pump up any outfit's volume, while simple sandals in a sunny shade have an effortless casual cool. The nice thing about rocking this year's color with your shoes is that they're far enough away from your other clothing that the yellow won't be overpowering.

[4.] Make your make-up marvelous.
If you want a daring, hard-edge take on the popular color, consider blending a yellow-gold tone with black for a queen-bee rocker look. Just be sure your blending is flawless - you don't want your eye to look bruised! If you want to try yellow cosmetics but want a slightly more upbeat look, consider yellow nail polish. Just remember that when nails are bright, you should keep them short.

Yellow is a fun color to play with. It automatically adds a pop of modern color to any outfit and can be much more versatile than you'd think. Remember that any time you wear yellow, it makes a statement. So tone your other pieces down and let it shine as the star of the outfit.

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