Now I must admit, I’ve never watched the show which brought the color orange back into the public eye. But, I was at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week last September when some of the top fashion designers strutted their sartorial stuff  for the world to see. This twice a year presentation is always full of fashion ideas to talk about and take note of. Prevalent on a lot of runways was the fascinating color, orange. Now I know what you’re thinking, orange is not for everyone, and maybe it shouldn’t be. But, orange can be wearable if the shade is right and the garment or accessory is on trend. Sometimes you may be hesitant to experiment a little bit with colors or styles you’ve never tried. So before you say, “I can’t wear that color,” just try on a few things featuring this shade. Orange isn’t just a marriage of the primary colors red and yellow, but it can be a compliment, and sometimes a contrast to other tones. Whether you choose a full-throttle look or just an accent, orange can really make an outfit stand out from the crowd!  Let’s take a look at a few styles inspired by this citrus sensation!

First, we see matching looks from the Art Institute of New York on the designer Yohanna Gurney, and her lovely model as they walk down the runway during the finale of the school’s presentation. While they are not identical looks, they both feature a wearable trapeze-style silhouette. What I really love though is that you can see how this shade works on totally different skin tones! It’s fun and flattering on both ladies in this photo.

From designer Taoray Wang we see a few trends in one ensemble. The sheer top with embellishment in a shade of soft orange coordinates perfectly with the shiny look of the silk slim-fit pant. Separates are a great way to try on a bright color. Slacks or a skirt can be easier to wear than a shirt or dress. Seeing a bright color as an accent rather than right next to our faces can make it a little less scary to try!

Upscale designer David Tlale showed looks for men and women which ran the spectrum from light peach to rich orange. Here we see a metallic lace short-sleeved top, paired with draped slacks on her, and a burnout-effect sheer shirt and slim fit slacks on him. I chose these looks to illustrate the difference here in the tone of the orange. It has a little more gold and brown in it. So keep trying until you find the perfect orange piece for you!

Once again, a student designer from the Art Institute of New York, Joshuan Aponte, uses orange to add a powerful punch to this intricately detailed top. He tones the vibrancy down though by pairing it with a high-waist short in dove grey and shoes to match. This really brings focus to the top of the outfit without throwing it off balance.

Full circle is this skirt from Taoray Wang in the color of choice this summer. What I love about this look is the pairing with the pink top. These are two tones which really work together much better than I would’ve thought. It gave me ideas to try this for one of our editorial fashion features! That’s what all great fashion shows should do - give us ideas on how to put together our own looks inspired by runway ensembles!

One thing we haven’t seen yet is a print! So here’s a great print with a medium-orange tone illustrated in a fabulous long gown from designer Luis Antonio. A print is always a wonderful way to infuse color into your wardrobe in a way that can be both a little easier than full-on bright orange in a solid, but also just as interesting.

We’ll end our tour of orange with two gowns from David Tlale S/S 2015 Collection. It’s all about draping in this dramatic bias cut dress with dramatic leg-revealing slits on the skirt. The fabric is almost liquid as she glides down the runway and the draped bodice is feminine and flattering. From the same collection we also see a more structured gown with pleated skirt and a high-waist detail leading to the metallic-lace bodice and sleeve. These show how polar opposites in design can still use the same color as inspiration.  

I hope this glimpse into the world of orange fashion leads you to doing a little shopping at Goodwill. That’s where you can always count on items being arranged by size and by color. We strive to make it easy to find your perfect shade of orange (or any color you like) in a garment or accessory, as well as make it easier on your budget! Orange you glad you can help support Goodwill’s ongoing mission of job training for the less fortunate?  I’m sure you are!