The Queen arrives at the Trooping the Colour earlier in June CREDIT: JOHN STILLWELL/PA WIRE
Thanks to The Queen neon sales have risen 137% in Britain
By: Alice Newbold-Junior Style Editor/UK Telegraph
You might have thought that neon was a no-go area once your highlighter-hued festival crop top days were over. But it seems that The Queen has persuaded her loyal subjects otherwise. As The Telegraph reported yesterday, over the past week high street retailer JD Williams says it has sold 134% more bright green pieces, with sales of one green dress in a similar shade to the Queen’s birthday outfit, jumping seven fold. It is believed other shops have also seen sales increases. It doesn’t stop at blindingly bright lime either; sales of bright pink garments have jumped 107% while bright orange is up by 69%.
If your interest has been piqued by Her Majesty’s recent dalliance with neon, there are a few things you need to know. Let’s be clear, wearing neon does not mean anything day-glo, nor does it involve complementing your look with any kind of rave make-up.
Instead, think of neon as a cheerful extension of summer’s brightest color palettes, or an alternative to a punchy print. It might be unabashedly bold, but if HM The Queen can wear it, then so can you. Here’s how to stand out in all the right ways in neon this summer….
Keep the rest of your look pared down
Chief executive of the British Fashion Council, Caroline Rush, could be spotted a mile off at London Collections: Men thanks to her high-vis green top (above). Look at the rest of her outfit though. The reason her fluro three-quarter length crew-neck works is that the rest of her outfit is black. There’s not an ounce of conflicting color, bar a flash of metallic on her watch strap and the fastening of her clutch bag.
Wear your own neon pieces with a blank canvas (navy or black are both fail safe starting points), and keep accessories to a minimum. As much as you might enjoy a happy color mash-up in the rave tent at Glasto, your colleagues won’t take kindly to wearing sunglasses around you.
Play with contrast
Clever color contrasts will show you are fully au fait with the neon trend. At the Trooping of the Color, for example, Queen Elizabeth pinned a purple flower on the brim of her green hat. It was a bold styling flourish that was entirely unexpected of a 90-year-old. Playful unions, such as these, jolt the eye, but highlight your fashion nous – it takes a confident dresser to mess with fluoro.
Choose one key accessory
A neon cross-body bag instantly brings monotone looks to life, as demonstrated by Dutch blogger Linda Tol, who relies on a tiny Paula Cadematori bag to spruce up navy workwear. Keep bags compact though, the idea is that the accessory will act as a neat punctuation mark on outfits, not take center stage.
Trainers are an easy, on-the-go option
White plimsolls might be de rigueur, but you have to admit a neon pair of kicks would be incredibly fun to wear. Look for a traditional running shoe – Nike’s popular Roche style comes in a myriad of hues and can be customized – and wear with loose, minimal suiting. Once you’ve grown tired of them, they will look equally fab in the gym.
Neon + pastels can actually work
Bright yellow and pastel pink don’t sound like likely bedfellows, but blogger Susie Bubble shows they can make for a wonderfully feminine duo. The key is not to experiment with such colors in blocks on heavy fabrics. Look for light, fluid garments, like Susie’s laser-cut dress, for a playful look which teases out the colors, rather than shouts about them.
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