Gone are the days of listening to Wham singing of Careless Whispers and Waking Up Before I Go Go. Go Go where? Well to the paint shop, of course. So that I can find some neon paint to splash over my new white jeans! I remember specifically saving up enough babysitting money to buy an Outback Red white jumpsuit with little neon coloured figures splattered all over. It cost nearly $100 (£62) at The Limited in the late 80s. I wore it with a pair of white chunky socks and white high-tops. I thought I was pretty snazzy in eighth grade. Ahhh. If only I could find a picture. But then again, I probably wouldn’t share it with anyone.

So when neon reared its head again this spring, my first thought was panic, followed by “Oh, no. No way. No how.” But I’m slowly embracing how to incorporate this season’s trend. And I think if it weren’t for coloured jeans, florals, and the trend to escape neutrals, I wouldn’t have even tried this trend.

The first neon piece I purchased was this bright pink belt from Urban Outfitters back in December. It sat in my closet for months as I wasn’t sure what to pair it with. But along came a really good deal on this Rachel Roy dress that was too plain to wear on its own. I knew it needed something and I could have just as easily gone with a bright coloured necklace (even a neon necklace) instead of this belt. But I like the way the neon breaks up the dress and gives it a little more dimension.

 

The next piece I incorporated into my wardrobe is this small, yellow neon bag from Old Navy. It didn’t cost much, but gave the outfit just enough pop of colour. And, of course, if you read my post on Colour Blocking, you already know that yellow and purple are complimentary colours that work very well together. By adding in a bright lipstick and nail polish like I have, you’ll complete the look.

This neon tote from Asos is a great piece, if you’re still a bit unsure about neons. With a flash of neon yellow green, you’ll glow without trying.

So as you can see, you don’t have to be scared of seasonal trends. Throughout my posts, I always say to incorporate a trend in small doses. If you are hesitant and unsure, look at some fashion blogs and pick up some fashion magazines. I even look through magazines dedicated to home décor to grab colour inspiration.

A recent edition of Real Simple magazine featured a few neon outfits that I plan to copy. I’m particularly drawn to bright pink and bright yellow. I recently purchased these two tank tops from Ann Taylor during a discount period. The yellow tank is actually more of a green-ish colour in person. Because they are both so bright, I plan to pair them with a neutral colour, such as black. With that being said, I think the yellow-lime coloured tank would also look pretty fabulous worn with tomato red trousers. It’s bold, but it works!

Anthropologie reveals how to wear bold, neon yellow with tomato red:

 

 

By Nichole Delehant

Tags: 80s, Ann Taylor, Fc, Neon, Neon Belt, Neon Nailpolish, Neon Trend, Rachel Roy, Urban Outfitters

Article by Nichole Delehant

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 9:07 am and is filed under Let's Talk About Trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.