Mustard yellow is just this side of orange on the color wheel. It's a darker shade than its sunny sister, which gives it an element of sophistication. It's a trendy color that looks fabulous with so many other colors, including shades of blue, green, red, and purple. From classic to boho, mustard yellow can fit in with any fashion style.
While mustard yellow is trendy, it's also a retro color, so you'll want to update it to avoid looking like you just stepped out of the 70s. Pairing it with modern accessories will give you an intentional, polished look, while a straw bag and sandals will make you look effortlessly chic.
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Summer Styles
1. Monochromatic
If mustard yellow flatters your skin tone and hair color, you can get away with minimal styling. This stunning slip sheath dress doesn't need much to look perfectly put together. The yellow-toned glasses play off the color of the dress. This is a perfect example of less being more. Add a dramatic shade of dark lipstick, and you have all you need to look fabulous. This outfit makes a statement without the need for accessories.
2. Vacation Vibes
Pairing a mustard yellow wrap dress with a straw bag, hat, and sandals will make you feel like you belong on a tropical beach, even if you're running errands. These neutral accessories will let your dress shine without competing for attention.
Click here to shop for straw hats on Amazon.
3. Flouncy Fun
This adorable slip dress pops with black and gold accessories. The trim around the neckline makes jewelry unnecessary. The metallic accents on the black clutch and sandals coordinate with the yellow, while the black provides a nice contrast. Darker skin tones look fabulous in mustard yellow.
4. Turquoise Statement
This mustard yellow shirtdress looks perfectly polished with eye-catching turquoise accessories and bold red lipstick. Since blues are cool colors, they provide contrast against the warm yellow shade. The oversized beads and cuff bracelet pair great with the simple dress. One way to keep your outfit from being over-the-top is to think about contrast. If your dress is simple, it will go well with more flamboyant accessories. An elaborate dress, on the other hand, may not need any accessories.
6. Blue Jean Baby
If you love mustard yellow but think it's not flattering, you can still wear it. For fairer skin, wearing a jacket over a yellow dress is a great way to wear a color that might otherwise wash you out. This denim jacket is a classic-cool pairing with this yellow wrap dress. The cool blue compliments lighter complexions with cool undertones. You can wear any color you love if you style it the right way.
Click here to see this denim jacket on Amazon.
Winter Styles
Mustard yellow is a color that looks great in the winter as well as the summer.
7. Boho Frock
Pairing this adorable frock with a pair of dark leggings to keep warm and still brighten any room. Though the frock is detailed with tiny pom-pom trim on the sleeves, the neckline is simple. This elaborate gold statement necklace provides a lot of interest without being too much. The bold, oversized ring completes the looks. This is not an outfit for a wallflower, but this is a great way to go if you want to get noticed.
8. A-Line Perfection
This gorgeous maxi dress is all about subtle details. The slight balloon sleeves and tiny tucks provide lots of interest, while the muted mustard yellow keeps it simple. The light brown suede hat and booties continue the theme of stylish simplicity. Dark red lipstick and fingernail polish coordinate perfectly with the yellow. The whole outfit works together to create a stunning fall look.
Click here to check out this suede bootie on Amazon.
9. Updated Retro
The 70s glam of this sweater dress gets an adorable, funky update with chevron stitching and an above-knee flounce. The cream-colored beret accents the dress without taking away from the yellow shade. The oversize gold earrings give the whole outfit a modern touch. The plaid clutch echoes the 70s feel and brings out the colors in both the dress and the beret.
10. Swing Style
This twirly swing dress is bound to make you feel carefree and fun. With a touch of shimmer in the dark brown tights, this look can effortlessly go from day to evening. The cute boot socks and brown leather boots give it a casual feel, but it could be dressed up with high-heeled black booties as well.
11. Modern Edge
The modern look of this mustard yellow dress is emphasized by pairing it with clunky black boots. Though it may be a little edgy for a conservative work environment, it would be fashionably in place almost anywhere else. A beige bag and gold jewelry bring out the warm shades in the outfit. While the black boots make the dress pop, there are no competing accessories to detract from the understated color scheme. The brown sunglasses stay within the yellow and brown coordinating color palette.
Click here to shop for oversize sunglasses on Amazon.
More Styling Tips
Mustard yellow isn't a hard color to wear, as long as you keep a few tips in mind. It's not as overpowering as bright yellow, and it's doesn't wash out skin tones the way chartreuse yellow can. Almost everyone can wear this warm shade under the right circumstances.
What Color Shoes Should You Wear with a Mustard Yellow Dress?
When pairing shoes, or any accessories, with a mustard yellow outfit, you have several options. Neutral shades of brown, black, and beige pair great with mustard yellow. If you want to jazz up your outfit a little, try some warm metallic colors. Copper and gold will go better with yellow's warm tones than silver.
What Color Lipstick Goes with Mustard Yellow?
Red lipstick is a classic, sophisticated choice to pair with mustard yellow. Choose the best red for your skin tone. Lighter skin tones usually look better with brighter reds, while darker skin tones may look better with deep berry reds or brown-reds.
Click here to shop for a red lipstick palette that suits every skin tone on Amazon.
How Do You Know if You Look Good in Yellow?
Anyone can look good in any color, though you may need to choose a particular shade or wear the color in a way that it's not directly against your face. The key to knowing what colors look best on you is understanding your skin's undertones.
Don't confuse undertone with skin tone. The undertone of your skin is either cool, warm, or neutral. Your skin tone ranges from fair to dark. Any skin tone can have any undertone. There is no correlation between the two.
If you have a cool undertone, your skin's base tone has shades of blue, pink, or red. If you have a warm undertone, your skin's base tone has shades of gold or yellow. Neutral undertones are either a mix or an undertone that matches your skin tone.
It can sometimes be hard to see what your skin's undertone is. Look at the inside of your wrist. If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If they appear greener, then you have warm undertones. And if there is no dominant shade, then you probably have a neutral undertone.
Once you understand your skin's undertone, you'll be able to decide what colors work best for you. Mustard yellow is a warm color, so it will look best on people with warm undertones. However, pale yellow looks great on people with cool undertones.
Another secret is that even if a color isn't your best color, you can still wear it. Just don't wear it directly against your face. So if you love that mustard yellow dress, but it doesn't go with your cool undertones, just add a scarf or jacket in a color that complements you.
Use Analogous and Complementary Colors
When you're styling your mustard yellow dress, pay attention to whether your accessories are neutral, analogous, or complementary. This involves a little bit of color theory, but it's pretty painless. Understanding it can make the difference between looking perfectly put together or like you just threw on the first thing in your closet.
On the color wheel, colors that are analogous to each other are beside each other. For yellow, this would be orange and green. Complementary colors are across from each other on the color wheel. Purple is complementary to yellow. If you're accessorizing yellow, you can use either; just use them with intention.
Complementary colors can make your outfit pop. These colors contrast and will draw everyone's eye. Use complementary colors in areas where you want people to focus. Avoid using complementary colors in what you consider your problem areas.
Analogous colors coordinate together without drawing so much attention. If you are more interested in looking polished than dramatic, use analogous colors.
In Closing
Mustard yellow is one of this year's hottest colors. Update your look by including it in your wardrobe no matter what your style or coloring. With a little forethought, you can look fantastic in mustard yellow.
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