Chinese New Year is the best reason for one to go full-on red, since the hue symbolises prosperity, luck and good fortune. In fact, we bet this colour will be omnipresent everywhere and on everyone, especially on the first and second day of the Lunar New Year. If you’re one who hates ubiquity, or if the striking shade is just not up your alley, here are some tips that can help you when you’re planning your outfits for this year’s festivities.
Text: Sean Tham / Images: Shutterstock.
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According to the feng shui school of thought, putting on your lucky colours for the year is said to help improve your luck, fortune and happiness. So, instead of red, you can get into the festive mood by incorporating a piece (or two) fashioned in your auspicious hue based on your Chinese zodiac sign. Who knows, you might score big at the ban-luck table. And in case you missed it previously, here’s the list:
Rat: Sage green and Naples yellow
Ox: Azure blue and Fuchsia pink
Tiger: Malachite green and Slate grey
Rabbit: Indigo and Indian yellow
Dragon: Smoke grey (and Cardinal red)
Snake: Leek green and Fresh butter yellow
Horse: Burnt orange and Silver cloud
Goat: Smoke grey and Cerulean blue
Monkey: Mayan blue and Orchid pink
Rooster: Flamingo pink and Spring green
Dog: Suede blue and Indian yellow
Pig: Venetian yellow and Vermillion red
If red’s too pedestrian for you during this period (because hello, everyone’s going to be tagging #OOTD and #red on their Instagram), we say try going for radiant and cheery colours instead. Think pink, orange, yellow and even bright blues and greens — they have the same impact as the scarlet hue. But don’t wear them all at once — you don’t want to look like an over-the-top peacock.
Pro-tip: Pair a sunshine yellow maxi number with an emerald green crossbody purse, or stick to one vibrant hue and keep the rest of your ensemble neutral to let that piece steal the show.
We know wearing black during CNY is a big taboo, and more often not, showing up at your relative’s abode in this shade is guaranteed to bring you gasps, death stares or an hour-long session of nagging. But if monochrome has always been your thing and you’re not about to break that style rule, here’s how you can get away with it: Bright and bold accessories.
How about a pair of statement neon orange tassel earrings? Or a bright blue handbag? You can also play around with scarves or throw on a cropped jacket in a brighter shade. Do this and you’d avoid getting the side-eye from your family.
Thankfully, the Pantone colour of the year for 2019 isn’t Fiesta or Jester Red. Rather, it’s a vibrant and lively orangey-peach hue called Living Coral, which can be fun to incorporate into your existing wardrobe.
Invest in a piece of this shade, but before you impulsively buy something ostentatious (that you probably won’t wear again), consider the product’s versatility before you start splurging. Opt for a printed t-shirt that you can match with your bottoms, or a pleated skirt that you can rework for the office. Or even a pair of earrings that you can foresee yourself rocking for many occasions to come.
Versatile and functional, no one can give you a thumbs down if you choose to wear denim during the festive period. However, before you get a new piece, you need to understand the difference in weights.
Naturally, these cotton pieces run from 5 to 16 oz (approximately 142g to 454g), where the lower the number, the softer and more flexible the fabric is, and vice versa.
Certain denim — like raw and heavyweight pieces — can be a tad too thick for our unforgiving weather. Keep this in mind and choose lightweight pieces (washed) or mid-weight ones (selvedge) during your next shopping haul.