What are the best colors to wear with yellow shoes?
Yellow has a reputation for being complicated to match. In reality, it is a striking color with a wide-ranging palette that combines beautifully with different colors. There are many possibilities with this color.
Yellow is a happy and uplifting color, so it’s a great way to liven up your wardrobe, whether wearing it with more muted neutral colors or bright colors like purple or orange.
And it’s a color that works year-round, whether on a sunny summer day or a grey winter one.
Below are ideas on matching your outfit with yellow shoes, whether they are lemon, mustard, or neon yellow.
You can use this style guide for yellow shoes or anything else yellow in your wardrobe.
We know that some colors go well together, but for most of us, we’re not sure why. There is an art and science behind it based on the color wheel.
While we won’t go on a deep dive into color theory, the color wheel is the basis of color theory as it shows the relationship between different colors.
Colors that look good together are called color harmony. The color wheel describes color combinations that are harmonious and visually pleasing.
Fashion designers use the color wheel when deciding the color schemes for their designs.
You can use the color wheel as a guide to mix and match colors in your wardrobe that you didn’t even think were possible.
With that said, here are some key color combinations for yellow based on the color wheel:
COMPLEMENTARY COLOR: PURPLE
The complementary color is the exact opposite color on the color wheel. Find yellow, yellow-green, and yellow-orange on the color wheel and look at the color that sits opposite. The complementary color of yellow is purple.
While both colors are in high contrast, together, they are balanced and harmonious. Matching these strong colors makes a bold statement.
ANALOGOUS COLORS: GREEN, ORANGE
Analogous colors are three colors that sit side by side on the color wheel. For yellows, that would be green and orange color schemes. These colors work together because they are from the same section of the color wheel and naturally blend into one another. Thinks of all the yellow-green-orange combinations you see in nature.
You can wear all three colors in an outfit, but that can be overwhelming. Keep it simple and style your shoes with one other analogous color.
TRIADIC COLORS: BLUE AND RED
Triadic colors are three colors equally spread out on the color wheel. A triadic yellow color scheme includes blues and reds. This combination is quite colorful, but because the colors are equidistant on the color wheel, they balance each other and create harmony.
You can, but you don’t have to use all three colors in an outfit.
NEUTRAL COLORS
Neutrals are not found on the color wheel as they lack color - brown, white, grey, and black fall into this category. Yellow shoes look great with these particular colors as it helps create contrast and make your shoes pop.
Neutrals pair well with almost any color.
While colors such as light blue, navy blue, and khaki green are not technically neutrals, they are considered so because they match almost everything.
Note that blue denim often is treated as neutral. You can wear it with any shade of yellow, and it looks great.
Here are a few more style tips for yellow shoes:
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If the color combinations above, like yellow and purple, feel too loud, break it up with neutrals – for example, wear a lavender top with a light blue bottom and yellow shoes.
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Go monochrome and wear different shades of the same color - for example, matching lemon yellow shoes with a paler yellow outfit. The look is very modern and easy to pull off.
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If a print or pattern you wear has yellow, your shoes can be any shade of yellow.
Keep in mind that the above is just a guideline. They are suggestions if you want to try something new or break out of a style rut. The best colors to wear are more a personal choice than absolute rules. Wear colors that make you feel confident because feeling great should be the highest priority.