Top Five of the Week - Favorite Summer Colors

Hey guys, I'm starting a weekly segment where I give you my personal Top Five (TF) list of anything fashion or makeup related. To start this series, I'm going to share my favorite colors for this summer. Let's get started.

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5.  Yellow

(I got this cute collage from polyvore.com; check them out!)

Yellow was never one of my favorite colors, but just recently, I've started to fall in love with it for this summer! Yellow is one of those colors that can pretty much be matched with any other color, depending on the shade. Trending shades this summer are fluorescent, pale, and mustard (as you can see above). I like this color for clothes because it looks great in contrast with a summer tan, and gives any outfit a cheerful, bright look, and looks great with several other trending colors this summer (eg. the colors in this list). So try out some yellow clothes this summer! If you're not feeling so bold though, try out some yellow accessories. Yellow rings, earrings, and bracelets add little splashes of color to any outfit without taking it over.  

4. Blue

Blue is really in this summer. I pretty much love all shades of blue, my favorite being light blue (like the pleated skirt in the bottom right corner of the photo) and that deep royal blue (like the chiffon shirt right above that skirt). Blue is great for the summer because it's good for any look you're trying to accomplish whether it's business,  casual, or formal. You can pair blue with several colors like pink, orange, yellow, gold, white and black! If you're feeling bold, go for a playful fluorescent blue, if you're feeling mellow, go for a pale light blue. There's a shade of blue for every mood! 

Accessories are great in blue too, to either lighten up or darken your outfit. I love the tassel earrings in the photo above, which are a perfect example of a fun daring look that will wake up any cute summer outfit. Blue rings also are a pretty finishing touch to an outfit.

3. Fuchsia

Fuchsia landed number three on my top five chart because I absolutely love this color for summer. Vibrant and energetic, fuchsia is a cute color that looks good with every skin tone. Wearing a fuchsia blazer for business shows that you're a young, energetic professional; wearing fuchsia casually shows that you have a fun personality without being too out there.

Having just fuchsia heels/flip flops adds a bright pop of color to any outfit. It's a great accent color! Accessories in fuchsia are a must-have for me. When I don't feel like having a completely bright outfit but just a little splash of color, fuchsia is one of my go-to colors for accessories because it's compatible with so many of the colors I wear commonly. I love matching it with royal blue, dark purple, and other cool dark colors. I suggest if there's no fuchsia in your wardrobe, try it out the next time you hit the clothing store.

2. Nudes

Unlike the bright colors you've already read about in this top five countdown, nudes are the opposite. I absolutely love nudes! They're really becoming a big trend these days. My favorite part about them is that you can match them with virtually any bright color. Blue, yellow, pink, gold, purple, and many more colors are compatible with it. It's mellow enough to create a pleasant balance if paired with a bright color, but pigmented enough to create a cute and light summer look if worn on its own. You'll find that most nude chiffon tops feature pleats, ruffles, or some other texture. That's another thing that I love. Ruffles and pleats dress the simple color up, creating a great formal look that can also be dressed down with some jean shorts or casual pants. Skirts, pants, and shorts in nude tones are commonly paired with bright flowy tops, and the tops tend to be paired with bright pants. But wearing nude colored dresses can look just as cute if you add some bright accessories. Shoes in this color do a good job of slightly neutralizing or toning down any look, or complimenting any cream colored piece in an outfit. 

Nude accessories are often used to tone down a vibrantly colored outfit or to compliment an already simple look. I love wearing nude necklaces, earrings, and rings because they literally go with anything. They make a statement and put that finishing touch on an outfit without being overbearing like brightly colored accessories could end up being. In conclusion, I recommend you try out any nude colors.

1. Red

Now, to my number one favorite summer color! In fact, when I discovered an adorably red striped top the weekend before school ended, I decided red would be my color for the summer season. Anyway, back to the facts. Red is really trending again. As I've read in many places on the web, "red is the new black!" Red is the absolute best summer color because it's classic, bold, cheery, and perfect for any occasion. If you want a casual beach party look, any shade of red in a cute crop top or tank will be perfect. Want a chic modern look? Try some high waisted shorts with a cute flourish in a deep royal red. Same thing if you're trying to achieve a sophisticated and youthful business look. Red is the classic sexy color, too. If you're going to a party, formal or casual, try out a poppy red pencil skirt, or the classic skintight deep red dress. And for those of you who are hesitant to try it out, don't worry! Red looks stunning on any skin tone. Whether you have a deep chocolate or ivory skin tone, there's a shade of red out there that's compatible with your skin. If you've tried red before and it just hasn't worked for you, I suggest just trying a different shade. Bright reds tend to look better on tanned or dark skin because it really stands out. While poppy reds can look good on lighter skin, it sometimes can look a bit harsh. Deeper and darker reds tend to compliment paler shades of skin. 

Red looks great with black, white, yellow, orange, pink, gold, silver, and tons of other colors. You can make pretty much any color work with red, so have fun with it! Try pairing bold fluorescent colors with it, or even neutral colors. You'd be surprised at what looks good. I've seen people pair bright blue and red together and pull it off beautifully, which is surprising (to me at least) because red and blue are one of my least favorite color combinations. 

Red accessories are my absolute favorite. These are my number one go-to accessories. Since red is such a classic and elegant color, you can easily dress up any outfit with some cute vintage-looking accessories or shoes, or add some fun to it by throwing on a red headband with a playful flower and some bangles. I love adding that extra pop of color to my outfits. Accessorizing with red is the right way to go!

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Now that you've read my top five favorite summer colors, I hope it inspires you to try out some of these colors if you haven't already, and try out some bold color combinations! Have fun with it. 

Thanks for reading. More posts coming soon!

~Maddie