Men's Yellow Shirts

Izod

Q. I’ve noticed that you mention yellow as one of the basic shirt colors. What shade of yellow do you mean?


A. Yellow is a welcome change from all those standard white and blue shirts in a man's closet. I recommend three different shades of yellow shirts as part of a well-rounded wardrobe. Each one suits a different need.

Canary or lemon yellow, the bright shade that immediately comes to mind, is the least versatile. But it is not to be overlooked. It is great as a sport shirt; it adds spark worn under a dark patterned sweater. For dress shirts, it is perfect with beige or gray tweed sport jackets, and it looks smart with a navy blazer. Thus, it's a natural for weekend dressing and for offices where men dress down for business. But bright yellow is not a flattering color on everyone. If your coloring is fair, it may tend to "wash you out." On the other hand, redheads and a lot of guys with dark hair and eyes look terrific in bright yellow.

The second shade is softer and paler than bright taxicab yellow; some stores call it "maize." It is a step dressier than the brighter shade and flattering to more men. It goes with all the same clothes as the bold yellow shirt and looks great with khaki suits, particularly with a nice summer tan. Also, it is terrific with the popular year-round duo of navy blazer and khaki (or olive) pants.

The third shade is the dressiest, the most elegant, the most flattering, and – unfortunately – the hardest to find. I have never understood why more manufacturers do not make it. It is a soft cream or ivory shade – not the beige/tan shade known as ecru (as in elevator operator and delivery men's uniforms). If you're not sure what I am describing, picture vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. This rich color – in both senses of the word – goes nicely with just about every suit, blazer, sports jacket, and sweater. Often it can substitute for a dressy white shirt. It flatters every complexion. The fabric you are most likely to find this color in is a fine cotton pinpoint Oxford cloth or a high quality cotton in smooth broadcloth. If you come across one, snap it up; but keep in mind that it will probably not be inexpensive.

Not all yellow dress shirts are solid color. A yellow-and-white stripe is a welcome addition to a man’s Oxford cloth button-down collection. Lands’ End has a spaced stripe in gold and blue. Brooks Brothers has a yellow gingham check. Charles Tyrwhitt has a handsome yellow and light blue stripe. And I recently found a great-looking yellow with a fine blue windowpane pattern at Paul Stuart.

Neckties that work especially well with yellow shirts are stripes or small all-over patterns with a bit of yellow in the design (not as the background color). With a yellow shirt, ties in such background colors as blue, black, green, or brown all become more sophisticated if yellow is part of the pattern. For men who have trouble coordinating colors, a yellow shirt is particularly useful, because – unlike other colors – the various different shades of yellow do not seem to clash.

Since most men own white and blue shirts in every permutation from solid to stripes, a yellow shirt offers a refreshing change of pace – something a bit different without being outlandish.