Summer is all about bright colors and this season, it’s being taken to a whole new level. From nail color to apparel, highlighter yellows, Vegas-worthy greens and shocking pinks are making a statement — but is that statement screaming, “I never changed out of my Lady GaGa Halloween costume”? If you find yourself turning heads stopping traffic, here are some tips on how to work this summer’s neons from head to toe without (dangerously) closely resembling an orange traffic cone.
DON’T: Clash neons with neons.
Something I’ll never understand is why Kathy Beth Terry ever let Rebecca Black dress her. Unless you are providing free sunglasses to everybody within a three-mile radius, avoid color-blocking extreme brights. Though doing so might win you “Best Dressed” at your local 80’s night, when we say “summer glow,” we don’t mean you should actually attempt to radiate light.
DO: Tone it down with neutrals.
Pair your neon yellow top with a black mini and if you’re daring, a hot pink dress with nude heels. Using blacks and neutrals will help balance the brights to get you off the highway and onto the runway.
DON’T: Highlight everything.
Repeat after me: I am not auditioning to be a go-go dancer. With that in mind, if you have the guts to wear neon on a night out and thought a pair of neutral-colored heels was enough to tone down a bright green dress, flourescent-colored makeup and a bag that practically glows in the dark, you’re wrong. Unless someone grabbed you by the feet and dipped you headfirst in a vat of psychedelic paint, you should never look like that.
DO: Highlight statement pieces.
Carry an electric blue clutch with your little black dress or perk up your summer whites with chunky, colorful accessories. If you’re going to the beach, don’t hesitate to show off a blinding pink bikini (so long as you’re not pairing it with the just-as-blinding “Sorry For Partying” tank you got at fraternity formal last spring). The easiest way to incorporate bright colors into your every day attire? Neon nails. The splash of color will be noticeable, but not enough to destroy the vision of innocent bystanders.
DON’T: Wear patterned neons.
Prada’s menswear collection, which debuted over the weekend in Milan, featured chiseled bods, defined jawlines, and…floral brights? No matter what other nude pieces you don, nothing will mute the explosion of color that a patterned neon creates.
DO: Wear neon/neutral hybrid patterns.
Neon colored images on a white shirt or bright colors striped with neutral colors deliver the pop you’re looking for in this season’s trend without going all out. While that hot pink dress might be just what you’re looking for in a going-out look, wearing it by day isn’t as glamorous as you think it is. This top from Forever 21 lets you incorporate neon colors into casual everyday wear.
What’s your take on the summer neon trend?
Sources:
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/rules-of-the-seaso…
http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Fashion-Spotlight/Spring-2011-Fashion-Trend-…
http://www.essie.com/shop/latest-collections-c-2_16.html
http://www.gq.com/fashion-shows/complete/S2012MEN-PRADAMEN?page=1
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_nam…
http://www.juicycouture.com/new-arrivals/shorts-and-skirts/jg005751/5-po…