I think a lot of us find orange challenging, because of its associations with Halloween, or fast food. That’s too bad, because it’s really quite nice, and there are a lot of gorgeous accessories in the world that just happen to be orange…Hardest of all is combining orange and black, but I think using prints, or defiantly non-Halloween details, helps a lot… Using accessories from other cultures, who DON’T think have the same associations with colors that we have, can make a big difference, too.
Orange and brown feel like a match made in heaven, don’t they? I think it’s important to break this combination out of the “only wear it in the autumn” category and use it more of the year… One of the benefits of testing out an accessory color in warmer weather is that it’s possible to find very affordable accessories (just in case the love affair doesn’t last!).
– Annette Ferdinandsen
I really like this combination, because it’s totally unexpected. Lots of people can use red as an accent color, but taking it just a little bit off to the orange side of things makes everything different…
– Marc Jacobs; bracelet – Akwele Suma;
I softened the orange a LOT here, mostly because I stumbled across the ring when I was looking at all things orange, and I really wanted to include it! Sometimes, that’s the way I roll…
This is another really natural combination, and the navy stands up well to the strongest shades of orange. This was another ring that really caught my eye…
And just for variety, I decided to look at a shade closer to marigold… I really like it!
I don’t know how you feel about this series, but I really love the challenge of finding beautiful things in colors that are often unloved. What colors would you like me to consider?
love,
Janice
My favorite orange is the saturated burnt orange and I love it with brown. Happy Holidays Janice!
That pale peachy orange is so soft – beautiful! A favorite color is yellow, but is very diffucult for me to wear. Thank you for this series; it opens my eyes to color-pairings that I hadn't considered!
Happy Holidays, Janice and to all who follow your blog! Lesley
My favourites are the brown and orange and the taupe and light apricot. I like orange colours and do often worry that they don't suit me. This is a great series showing how to incorporate and unloved colour.
Merry Christmas all x
When I saw that you were going to be working with orange, my first thought was "that could never work for me." But as I moved through the illustrations, I began to wonder if maybe it could work for me. It was definitely eye opening. Merry Christmas.
A wonderful series. My favourite was the use of green and brown, from the previous post. I used to wear orange and brown, when I had brown hair. Now that I have grey hair, sadly no orange for me any more. Thanks for all your work, have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Greetings from Germany,
WR
I like the lighter shades of orange much better. Yellow is a favorite color of mine, but I don't look good in it. Happy holiday! Discovering your blog made my 2015 a nice year!
I adore the clutch shown in the first set!! I happily hopped over to salivate over this eye candy: Vintage material, handmade, one of its kind, and breathtaking.
I forgot to say..
And a very Merry Christmas to you!
Away from the face is the secret. The orange and grey combination is an opportunity to use leftover orange loafers, purse and bracelet (already owned). Joyeux Noël!
You make orange look so fresh. Love the Murano ring in the penultimate collection but couldn't link to it.
I'd love it if you considered chartreuse as one of your "unloved" colours.
Thank you for all the wonderful, beautiful combinations you've brought us this past year. I look forward to what you'll bring us in 2016.
Happy Holidays
Vancouver Barbara
I fixed the link – and you're very welcome for everything you've enjoyed. I love my work….
hugs,
Janice
I love the pale orange with greige combination. The last one is lovely, too, but I don't think I could pull off marigold.
Joyeux Noel!
Gwendolynn
Merry Christmas, Janice and fellow readers! And thank you, Janice, for your beautiful Vivienne Files!
Janice,
I plan to wear orange and its variations of rust, copper, and bronze again starting in January, once all of the reds and greens can take a brief rest, as I enjoy the seasonal colors, but then need to start fresh again. Orange is one of my Summer citrus colors, as well as my Autumn go to hue. However, I do want more mileage from my seasonally colored clothes, so orange returns next month. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and B and to all of the fellow posters on this site ! xoxo
Janice,
Would you consider doing a color scheme using the scarf in the first illustration ? Also, I didn't see a link for it, or perhaps I'm missing it somehow ? Thanks, great color series and away-from-the face test drive ideas !
I think maybe you're thinking of the fabric handbag? I've been particularly careful about avoiding scarves for this series, in order to keep accent colors away from the face. If, in fact, you're talking about the bag, let me know, and I'll look at it again!
hugs,
Janice
Janice,
I see the bag's chain strap now — this Tablet has a small screen and details are sometimes lost to me as a result. Yes, a color scheme or schemes from this bag would be gorgeous, thanks ! I'm hoping for an iPad later this year for larger viewing of details.
Oh how my beautiful vibrant daughter would delight in all these orange accessories. I have shopping in mind for our next visit.
Thank you so much for sharing your creativity & talent with us.
Merry Christmas, Ella
My vote is for yellow – a color I love but look awful in.
Merry Christmas and thank you for your lovely blog!
Orange is one of my very best colors. I have a short orange (!) trench coat and whenever I wear it, strangers stop me to say how good I look in orange! It's amazing!
Merry Christmas Janice! I'm enjoying this series. Orange is a favorite of mine for summer accessories. It plays nicely with black and white without there being even a hint of Halloween. I cast my vote with many of the others…chartreuse and true yellow please. I wear them with joy but it would be a treat to see what you unearth!!
I think this orange colour is perfectly suitable for all dress code right?
Great series.. My husband wsnts me to wear brighter colors sometimes ..departing from
My minimalist navy/tan/blues and greens to add on coral, orange , yellow or pink. I LOVE the light orange with tan – so lovely . My vote is also for yellow – my husband'so favorite color for wonen!! Yes please- yellow! Thank you so much. Janice Collins, Washington DC
Always liked orange; it is one of the few bright colors that look good on me. Never much liked it with black though (even though I never knew about Halloween until I moved here), but paired with navy or brown it is gorgeous. An orange pencil skirt is a favorite of mine. Merry Christmas to all.
I read somewhere that most complexions look good in peach and turquoise (back to the 80s, I guess?) and few look good in olive and mustard. I have no idea if this is true by the way, but definitely cast my vote for the yellows in this series (so sunny and yet make me look so jaundiced). Loving this series! Happy holidays!
You can still wear it, just go lighter near your face & brighter/bolder near your feet.
Sie können immer noch tragen Sie es, gehen Sie einfach leichter in Ihrem Gesicht und heller / mutiger in der Nähe von den Füßen. Thanks google!
I was thrilled with your green yesterday since I inherited some lovely green earrings but tend to avoid green clothes. I have also inherited some lovely purple earrings. I love purple but don't wear it near my face because it does weird things to my complexion. Could you do a purple/lavender series ? Many thanks and Merry Christmas!
I love orange and wear it all year long. It is one of my best colors in all shades.
I found out about orange when I walked into the Hermes boutique years ago and became addicted.
Black and orange is my least favorite. Trying to find shades of orange in t shirts is very hard.
I have a personal quirk and like only t shirts with long sleeves.
I love bright nail polish as an accessory. But, if a color doesn't flatter my face, I find that it doesn't look right for my hands either. Socks and unmentionables are my color outlets!
Orange scared me for years, now it's my accent color through spring, summer and fall (my neutrals are grey and brown and main colors are shades of wine and purple). It first popped up as a small accent in a few burgundy plaid shirts and scarves, but I began my true foray into orange a few years ago with a pair of killer coral earrings and then a tote bag that in the light of the shop I thought was a rusty red. Then came a fabulous suede jacket on super-markdown, a rust-colored beaded thermal, a pair of garden clogs, a straw hat with an orange brim and a few t shirts. It's too much in the depths of winter when I am even paler than usual, although I had a pair of rust cords a few years back that I absolutely loved…
I love the taupe and pale orange! Beautiful! Coral is my favorite spring and summer accent. Yellow is a tough color for me. Thanks for all the great posts of 2015! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
How timely! This post has come in really handy: I try to avoid orange, but yet my MIL somehow thought it a good idea to gift me an orange scarf. Ugh? Or opportunity?
I can't get rid of it just Yet, so I may see about getting some accessories like a bracelet, and see if I can work it into my wardrobe for a while. Thanks for showing me the possibilities!