Summer Neon Love

Is it any wonder that I'm totally obsessed with wearing neon right now? It's finally warmed up and I get to dress more casually. Add that to the fact that EVERY store is carrying these awesome neons and you have a recipe for a classic Jae obsession.

Here's the problem though. Neons can look reallllly teeny bopper if you aren't careful. Seriously, I have a full on seizure every time I go into Wet Seal or something and it's wall to wall neon colors. It's basically a rave in there. So to avoid looking like you do ecstasy or are 12 or heaven forbid, BOTH, you really need to temper your neon for more grown uppedness. Here's some ideas.

Short sleeve cardigan, $45
Racer back tank top, $20
TOMS canvas flat shoes, $44
TopShop crossbody handbag, $45
Dorothy Perkins beading jewelry, 8.50 GBP
Zara belt, $16

Wearing neon with a neutral reallllly helps to tone down the brightness and the youth of the colors. I especially love neon with gray because it's not as stark and 80s aerobic clothing-like as wearing neon with black. When paired with uber-casual clothes, a neon shirt doesn't look so crazypersonshocking. ALSO! I know that some people hate TOMS. But please, how adorable are they with denim bermudas? I love.

Old Navy lightweight pants, $15
H&M flip flop shoes, 2.99 GBP
Rue21 bow handbag, $17
Rachel leigh jewelry, $50
Dorothy Perkins beading jewelry, 9.50 GBP
Rebel Yell Surf Athletic Raw Football Tee in Neon Pink, $73

My personal preference when wearing neons is to team them up with super crisp whites. I bought a psychotically bright orange shirt while on my Memorial Day shopping spree and I wore it with my white cargos that I never can match to anything. It was bright, crisp and a little boho without being completely overbearing. One of the other awesome things about doing neons, especially for casual wear, is that all neons match each other, so it really doesn't matter what colors you wear together. I recommend going with more monochromatic colors if you want to be ever taken seriously. While the nine year old in me would LOVE to wear neon orange and neon green together, I usually stick with pink, coral and orange together so as not to terrify the general public.

Scoop neck tank, 10 GBP
Old Navy khaki skirt, $23
Zara platform sandals, $100
River Island shoulder handbag, 37 GBP
Peacock necklace, 7 GBP
TopShop wrap ring, $20
MAC Nail Lacquer, $14
MAC Nail Lacquer, $14
MAC Nail Lacquer, $14

Finally, you can make a statement without actually wearing neon yellow pants. Just use neons in your accessories. Are these shoes not AMAZING? They made me die a little. Adding a necklace, a ring, some bright nails, they all work well IF the actual outfit is otherwise demure. Perfect for khaki and white. Scary on neon clothes.


The trick is always balance. If you want to wear neon in your clothes, choose one piece and keep the rest neutral. As accessories, everything is fair game so long as the outfit is subdued.

Now to figure out how to explain to my husband my insatiable need for neon shoes.