How to Wear Orange

I recently read an article in a newsletter from a color analyst talking about how to wear Orange.

Orange is closely associated with October, so the blogger wanted to write something to tie it to fashion and color analysis.

She said something to the effect, “Everyone can wear orange. There is a shade for everyone”. It was similar to the recent article I wrote about how to wear Red for each season.

While I would agree that with many, even most colors, there are shades that can work for almost everyone, I must say that orange is not one of them. More on that later.

Orange is a vibrant and energetic color. Psychologically, orange combines the stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow, making it a color that can bring about excitement and optimism. It can even bring out thirst and hunger. This is why it is often seen in branding and marketing ads for food and beverages. It draws attention.

However, the impact of orange is not uniformly positive and can vary based on its shade and the context of where it's used. Orange can be overwhelming in large doses in its brighter, more saturated forms. Use it sparingly if you don’t want to overwhelm.

In color analysis, first and foremost, we aim to wear colors that harmonize with our undertones, chroma, and value. And while I do not like to ‘ban’ any color, especially if one loves it, I have to say that orange really is best for Springs and Autumns only.

Orange is an integral test color used to isolate one’s undertone. The first two colors I use to determine one’s temperature are hot pink and bright orange. 

A test color may or may not be a perfect color for a person. But that is not the purpose of test colors. One color should be better, or at least, less worse, than the other.

You can see that this Sunlit Autumn above harmonizes so much better next to the orange than the hot pink. The hot pink doesn’t pick up anything in her skin, eyes, or hair; it simply is disconnected.

For women who are warm, cool colors can be disconnecting, look cheap, and possibly wash someone out. Warm colors on very cool people, though, can make them look almost sickly or slightly jaundiced.

On my questionnaire, clients fill out the information when they begin their color analysis. I ask them what colors they feel look flattering and what colors they know are unflattering. Orange is one color I see often labeled unflattering, along with yellow and mustard. Most of the time, the person turns out to be some sort of Summer or Winter.

Orange is one of the worst colors for cool seasons. It just is. And this is why I cannot recommend it for any other seasons besides the Springs and Autumns. With a few little exceptions.

How to Wear Orange for Springs

Springs own this color. Orange, and most of its various shades, are almost always power colors for this main season. 

Clear Springs are the ones that can handle the brightest, most saturated, and clearest shades of orange.

They have the highest chroma to handle such high wattage.

This woman (left) is wearing a bright red/orange sweater and matching lipstick.

It works for her. On any other season, except possibly a classic Clear Winter, the person would just disappear, and the colors overtake her.

Varying shades of orange will be great on all Springs, but you can fine-tune them especially to your seasonal traits.

Light Peach (which is essentially light orange) is great for Light Springs.

Soft orange is beautiful on Soft Springs

Heavier, very warm orange for the warmest Springs.

How to Wear Orange if you are an Autumn

When orange becomes heavier and darker, it becomes richer and muted. And it is within this range, the shades of orange become some of Autumn's best colors.

Varying types of muted oranges are best for Autumns.

Lighter, Soft Autumns, of course, do best with lighter, soft oranges. Think fresh fruits like peach, cantaloupe, melon, etc. Although all Autumns can wear these, as well.

The all-warm Autumns, like Warm Autumn, Sunlit, Toasted, and Hot Deep Autumns, need the warmest oranges without any pink in them.

If you are an Autumn with blended temperatures, like this very neutral  Dusty Soft Autumn, your oranges can have a touch of pink to them, like coral-pinks and salmon.

The deeper an Autumn gets, the richer and darker the orange can be. This season can also handle the most vivid shades of orange since it contrasts with your deep coloring.

How to Wear Orange if it's not in your Palette

If you are an all-cool Winter or Summer, I advise avoiding orange altogether if possible.

Winters and Summers with blended undertones, however, like Deep Winters or Sunlit Summers, should try to find pinkish versions of orange, such as salmon.

FYI: Deep Winters can handle a lot of warmth and can borrow a lot from their Deep Winter sister season.

For all blended seasons, look to your sister season’s palette and borrow colors that are not in your palette but you really want to wear.

If you really want to wear orange, and its not a recommended color, here are some tips:

•     Where it away from your face.
•     Where it in small doses.
•     Where it alongside your best colors.
•     Always wear makeup in your best colors. Lipstick is particularly important to get right. Thankfully, finding the right colors in makeup is much easier than finding them in clothes.

Orange Lipstick

Over the years, I have had a surprising number of clients who have come to me for my opinion after having had a questionable in-person color analysis.

Even if I agree with the analysis (not often, unfortunately), on many Autumns the analyst put on some bright orange lipstick to finish off the session.

The thing is, bright orange lipstick is not good on Autumns. As I mentioned previously, it is hard for most people to pull off, except for the exceptionally bright Clear Springs.

It is better to wear a softer peachy shade. For Springs specifically, it is wise to find a sheer lipstick formula or use lip gloss. Gloss will provide a strong color but not heavy, and with the shimmer you need.

Autumns need less shine and deeper, richer shades of orange. Soft peaches are great, but so are richer shades of pumpkin, terra cotta, cinnamon, etc. The deeper the coloring, the deeper your can go with the shades of orange. 

And for all Autumns and Springs who have blended undertones, coral is a great color, too. 

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