Summer shades: Coral and citron

Ever notice how some colours blow into your world like burst milkweed pods, lightly setting down everywhere?

Coral is abundant, after years of banishment in Hollywood... Florida.

Effervescent for summer with its classic co-ordinates of turquoise, white, or navy, but also an in
fusion of life for winter palettes, a coral sweater in the depths of February tweaks a charcoal gray or bitter chocolate skirt toward the unexpected.

Risky to say a colour looks good on everybody, but I find coral easier to wear than orange, flattering to various skin tones.

And coral lifts a mature woman; it's mid-saturation is kinder than aggressive reds, less girlish than many pinks, not as sedate as blue.


The other colour of the season is an assertive lemon yellow.

It's fresh, but it doesn't work on me. I thought, "maybe in
a shoe" but my size 10 feet looked like twin fire hydrants.


Because of 1) my size, and 2) I'm bound to sit on the one blueberry on a banquette, I don't wear white on the bottom. The
summery combo shown above might make it though one wearing.

But I lik
e this refined version of the rugby shirt, below, posted on The Sartorialist blog, as did many of Scott Schuman's readers.



Comments

Anonymous said…
Personally I think the only way to wear coral is in your jewellery! Nothing flatters like a beautiful coral parure, except pearls of course! I call my coral necklaces my summer pearls! It flatters any skintone and negates the need for a dangerous tan.

Citron yellow? The only way to carry that colour off is in your Pimms cocktail!
Anonymous said…
I cannot wear either colour, due to my olive skin tones. I do like greying pixies versions of how to wear them though, may try that.
Anonymous said…
cybill, olive skin tones were made for coral - the best (ie. darkest and therefore most expensive) coral in the world comes from the Italian Mediterranean, but you can find it in so many different shades of pink, there is bound to be one you find suitable. All Italian ladies have at least one item of jewellery made with coral - it looks gorgeous with gold. My first coral piece was a tiny gold bracelet with coral beads given to me by my Italian aunt when I was about three. I have been hooked ever since! Have I tempted you yet?
Anonymous said…
Darn you greying pixie, you have tempted me! I'm off to track down some coral.
Susan B said…
Coral is one of my good colors. Lemon yellow not so much, but give me a bright, pure, sunshine yellow (warm) and I'm there!
Anonymous said…
cybill, I was thinking of you this morning regarding the coral. Many years ago I think I also had at one time some Murano glass beads in a shade of coral. I used to wear them wound around a string of tiny pearls.

So if you can't find real coral, try Murano glass - no one will know!

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