Although orange has been a staple colour on the catwalk since spring 2018, it’s taken editors, influencers and people on the streets quite a while to endorse it. Indeed, it was only during this London Fashion Week that street style embraced orange in every shade and wore it in the shape of puffer jackets, trousers, shades, handbags and tops.
Nevertheless, the colour is still one that scares many away: how is this Cheeto-hue meant to be worn? What goes with it? Is it okay to wear it when you don’t have a tan? Well, here we aim to give you answers to some of the most pressing questions regarding the colour orange.
Complexion
Much like any other colour, orange comes in many shades, ranging from highlighter bright to demure hues. Needless to say, your complexion determines which shades of orange make you look washed out and which make you look fresh and ready to conquer the day. As a rule of thumb, people with medium skin should stay away from pastels as these accentuate grey undertones, while olive-skinned people can rock most shades of orange. The best way to decide, however, is to try the colour on in the presence of someone whose opinion you know to be honest and direct.
Colour Matching
We believe that this is a matter of personal choice because, at the end of the day, if you like a particular combination of colours, then who cares what others think, right? But, of course, we all could do with a bit of help when it comes to putting certain colours together, so here are our favourite orange combinations: brown and olive green go well with most shades of orange; navy blue, evergreen and black complement blood orange; merlot makes mid-to-dark oranges pop; and powder blue and beige really accentuate the properties of lighter oranges. White and black can also be teamed with orange, but, in our opinion, these are too obvious to even consider.
Occasion
As it stands, orange has not been designated to any particular happening or time of the day. Feel free to wear it during the day, to a board meeting, on a night out, or even to a formal event. Of course, what you should be looking at here is what type of garment you’ll be going for and what shade of orange it’s in… Turning up to work in a highlighter-orange two-piece suit may not be considered totally professional… unless you work at a fashion magazine, that is!
What do you think of the rise of orange? What’s your favourite way to wear it? We’d love to hear your views in the comments section below!
By Iggy Fenech
Iggy Fenech has been pouring his feelings into articles for local newspapers and magazines for the past nine years. His other passions include watching historical documentaries, cooking and putting together eccentric outfits. When it comes to cocktails, his favourite is always the next one.
