Spring fashion's YELLOW FEVER
Sunday News
Published: Mar 08, 2009
By STEPHEN KOPFINGER, Staff Writer
Skies might be cloudy in March, but the sun is shining on the racks of the area's fashion retailers, where yellow is what's up for spring.
Indeed, it's not just any shade of yellow that's lighting up fashion.
We're talking bright, making a splash in shades of "sunflower, zinnia, almost like a banana cream or lemon drop," summed up Kim Krummerich, store manager at the Bon-Ton department store in Park City Center.
And then there's that particular kind of yellow, cheerfully titled "mimosa," that was declared "color of the year" for 2009 by Pantone, a nationwide company that provides color standards to design industries.
Described by Pantone as "a warm, engaging yellow," the color is turning up at Gap, the nationwide retailer with a branch at Park City Center. Pantone partnered with Gap in a line of T-shirts sporting mimosa and other vibrant colors. At Gap in Park City, the mimosa tee is $18.50.
Why all this brightness? "Usually, when the economy starts to take a dip, you'll see bright color," Krummerich said.
She might be onto something. In a Pantone press release, Lisa Herbert, executive vice president of the company's fashion, home and consumer division, stated, "We recently selected mimosa as the 2009 color of the year because yellow, more than any other color, best expresses hope and reassurance," she said.
"During this time of economic uncertainty and change, we are excited to bring optimism and joy to consumers ..."
Yellow might be an accent or a full-blown fashion statement. At aZura Clothing, a women's fashion store in Lancaster's College Row, a Voll rayon-blend dress, $58, goes neck-to-knee in vibrant yellow; its sunny look is enhanced by frilly ruffles at the V-neck and hem.
"Ruffles are huge for spring," said Susie Kelley, aZura manager.
Yellow, however, can be one of those colors some women find tricky to wear; depending on the shade, it might make those with a lighter complexion look washed out. But it can work as an accessory and brighten on a budget.
A cheerfully colored new accent piece not only perks up an old outfit but provides "the most inexpensive way a woman can upgrade," Bon-Ton's Krummerich said.
Even the classic "little black dress" can pop with a streak of yellow. At aZura, a black dress by Envi comes with its own built-in patent-leather, canary-yellow belt, which adds a thin strip of color around the waist; the dress is $168. A house label yellow viscose scarf, $22, can do double-duty. "You can use the [scarf] as a belt," said aZura's Kelley.
At Filling's, also on College Row, yellow plays a role in another popular fashion element, the animal print. The store features a three-quarter-length yellow-and-black zebra-print cotton-spandex top that reflects a look that's "always strong," said Mary Beth Filling, store co-owner.
"Animals are always popular," Filling said.
"It's interesting how they did the yellow with it," she said of the design in the Christine Phillipe shirt, which sells for $120.
Even brands noted for tradition are getting into the yellow act. A handbag recently seen at Bon-Ton by Dooney & Bourke, long-known for its classic oh-so-English neutral shades, sported a white background with bursts of yellow flowers.
"This is really stepping out of their element!" said Krummerich, of the $195 bag. "Flower power hits it off," said Kathy Bowers, of Bon-Ton's better sportswear division.
A pair of brilliant yellow shoes, by the Rampage division of Ralph Lauren, grabs attention at Bon-Ton; they're $49. Lauren is another designer known for his aristocratic, understated look. Not on these shoes.
The sun might not be setting when spring and summer wrap up, either. At a preview of designer Michael Kors fall collection in New York last month, a model was seen wearing an alarmingly large, blazing yellow-green furlike hat.
But that's the world of the runway. Whether or not yellow edges into fall remains to be seen in fashion reality. So enjoy the seasonal sunshine while it lasts.
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