Pops of Color (Besides Red)
An exploration into additional colors to "pop" in your daily fits that aren't Pinterest Red!
At the end of September, I had the privilege of spending a few days in one of my favorite cities, and I made some fashion observations while there… as one does. I love New York City, but as I traipsed around the subway systems and the shops on 5th Avenue, I saw a lot of the same things over and over again style-wise. New Yorkers have no shortage of chic fits, but they mostly stuck to a neutral color wheel (black, beige, white, etc.). For those few who chose to add a pop of color, it was almost always the same. Want to venture a guess? Pop of Red™ was all over the streets of New York. And please don’t get me wrong, I am a total slut for Pop of Red™, but to quote Professor Trelawney, I think it’s time to “broaden our minds,” at least when it comes to the scope of colors to pop in our wardrobe!
In this All That She Wrote, I’m playing around with three colors to pop in your fits this fall and winter to give them the oomph that red might be starting to lack! Specifically, orange, yellow, and blue.
I’ve been working on this particular All That She Wrote for over a month now, but I’ve finally put together enough lewks to release this into the wild. I hope you enjoy!
Orange:
I don’t own many orange pieces (as evidenced by my sparse “pop of orange” fits), but I think it’s one I’ll start drawing into my wardrobe more and more.
A cap
While in the NY Public Library gift shop in September, I saw another tourist wearing a bright orange Polo cap with her fit, and I immediately opened my eBay app in search of my own! I’m normally not drawn to orange on the regular, but something about the color in cap form was very attractive to me.
A Cardigan
This cardigan was a surprise Christmas present from my husband in ‘21. I say “surprise” because I make very detailed birthday and Christmas wish lists, and there are rarely off-list surprises (even though I expect them every year!). Apparently (as my husband tells it) I was looking at this cardigan via an Instagram ad, remarked that it was cute, then completely forgot about it as he proceeded to track it down online and buy it for me in the month of August. I have zero recollection of looking at the cardigan online, but it was a sweet surprise and quickly became one of my most worn pieces in the winter of ‘22!
I admittedly don’t reach for it as much as I did back then, but it’s still a really fun one to pop some color in my outfits!
A T-shirt
I’m not sure if this one totally counts, but we’re counting it for the sake of the Substack! I think graphic T designs can absolutely add color and interest into a fit just like this one did when I wore it.
A purse
A nice Pop of Orange throwback from my Florida days! I wish I still had this thrifted straw purse, but I’m a chronic closet-cleaner-outer, and unfortunately it’s been long gone. But still v good Pop of Orange inspo regardless!
More Pop of Orange inspo from my fave, Tibi!
Blue:
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of blue! Especially baby blue. I find it pairs exceptionally well with other colors I love like red, brown, or butter yellow.
A sweater
I thrifted this sweater in Round Rock, Texas in 2020, and it remains one of my favorite sweaters all these years later! The color is unique, and the fabric is extremely structured which is rare in a sweater and completely impossible to find new these days. Vintage is where it’s at, folks!
A cap
You’ll have to excuse the old pic from the spring, but ya girl only wears so many outfits in a week! I’m proud to see my March self opted for this blue cap from an old Man Repeller merch drop instead of my usual red Polo cap . I love the way it pairs with the yellow!
A sock
A sock can be so subtle but add so much interest to a lewk. Socks were basically a part of my personality from 2020-21, but I’ve pulled them back a bit. Still, a solid colored sock does a world of wonder for a fit!
One last Pop of Blue inspo from Alfonso Ribeiro in last week’s episode of Dancing with the Stars. The brown and blue suit combo is giving me life!!!
Yellow:
I have no shortage of yellow in my wardrobe. Specifically, butter yellow has become one of my favorite colors in the past few years! They say blondes aren’t supposed to wear yellow, but I do what I want. Butter yellow is in my color wheelhouse if you ask me!
A cardigan
She popped some red here too, oops! Like I said, I’m a slut for Pop of Red™. The cardigan is a fairly new eBay purchase. I saw this exact sweater in a thrift store in Monterey, CA over the summer, but I passed it up because I just couldn’t decide if I had the room in my suitcase or if it was too out-of-season for the shop.
Months later, I saw one of the Blutstein twins (@double3xposure and @accidentalinfluencer on Insta) styling a vintage yellow cardigan, though right now I cannot find the picture for the life of me, and I decided it was a sign. To the pages of eBay I went!
I found a replica of the one I’d seen in Monterey, and I snatched that sucker up. Statesboro is having THE hottest fall of all time, but I found one day a few weeks ago where styling it wasn’t pure sweaty misery.
A pant
These soft as butter (and buttery yellow, too) pants are part of a PJ set from HAY Design. Yes, that’s the Danish furniture design company that makes those storage bins everyone is obsessed with. Last summer I saw Ruby Redstone sporting the set on her Instagram, and I immediately started scheming on how to get my own.
I now own the pants, top, and matching shorts, and I wear all three pieces constantly! They add such a fun Pop of Yellow to any outfit, and they’re comfy as heck.
A pullover sweater
EBay and Polo should be the unofficial sponsors of this Substack if you ask me… I bought this sweater last winter, and it instantly became one of my favorites! Its so perfectly oversized and cozy, and it’s also 100% cotton which I’ll never kick out of bed. Yellow and brown is a new favorite color combination, and I thought this pairing was delectable!
A sock
Last year during the Christmas season, my husband and I had our annual viewing of White Christmas. If you know the film, there’s one scene where Danny Kaye as Phil Davis is pretending to have a sprained ankle to keep General Waverly away from the TV for an hour or so, and he’s wearing a delicious pair of buttery yellow socks. I was immediately inspired! I found this pair via Uniqlo last year, and I love the pop of color they bring to an outfit.
Honorable mention: Brat Green
For the Olds, think sour apple green. I’ve been seeing this color appear all over in fashion recently. I’m convinced all colors eventually through the fashion cycle (see Pop of Red™), and after our culturally titled “Brat Girl Summer,” I’ve started to see this color all the time. I don’t currently own any Brat Green pieces, but my current wish list item is a twin set, vintage J.Crew if I can find it!
Tibi has featured the color in their new collection as well as Prada, and it’s only a matter of time before Pop of Green™ starts to affect us all.
I have to admit there’s something very attractive to me about this green! I hope to be able to source some Brat green pieces and start popping them in my wardrobe ASAP.
And that’s All That She Wrote today, folks! Will you try any of these pops of color this fall/winter season?
-Anna Kristen
love brat green - that's just me tho
loved this read! Completely agree that we need more variety of color. Feeling inspired!