Styling Tips by Niti Gupta
Butter yellow is quietly becoming the color of the moment—soft, creamy, and radiating a kind of understated charm that’s hard to ignore. While 2025 may have crowned mocha mousse as its official shade, butter yellow has been steadily making its own case, emerging as the season’s new neutral. From runways and celebrity wardrobes to Instagram grids and high-street displays, it’s everywhere—light, fresh, and quietly confident.
Mocha mousse may have been declared as the color for 2025, but there’s no denying that the pastel shade that has elevated itself to the status of a ‘new neutral’ is butter yellow—the color has been spotted, time and again, across runways, on celebrities, on social media and on high-street clothing store shelves. And while it’s easy to see why those with lighter complexions would find this colour immediately alluring, many Indian fashion-lovers have been slightly slower on the uptake, held back by concerns about whether the shade is as flattering on darker, warmer skin tones. However, the creamy, soft shade can actually prove quite flattering if styled right. Here are a few basic guidelines to wearing the color of the season in style.
- Play on contrast: While butter yellow is almost universally flattering, it can wash out certain skin tones. Here, picking a richer, more saturated version of the color can help. If you are, as yet, uncertain about whether or not the shade suits you, try pairing it with a classic neutral such as white or grey. Alternately, wear pops of the color in your accessories, including your handbag, a scarf, shoes or even a light jacket.
- Be unexpected: To add more depth and warmth to your look, style butter yellow pieces with bold colors such as purple, navy, chocolate brown or dark green. You could also play on texture for a more refined look.
- Build on the warmth: To bring out the inherent richness of butter yellow, pair it with gold-toned accessories. Brown leather accessories also play into the color story for a more sophisticated pairing.
- Keep it simple: If color-blocking isn’t adventurous enough for you, keep the butter yellow pieces stark as is for that contemporary modern country girl look. A plain mid length dress in butter yellow, with hair up in a ponytail, minimal make up and nude footwear can give that perfect chic look ready for a summer lunch!
- Tough it out: Every fashion-lover isn’t as enthusiastic about the soft girl or cottagecore aesthetic, and that’s okay… butter yellow can still be a part of your ensemble if you’re fond of an edgier style. Complete your outfit with tough leather boots, a leather jacket or even chunky sneakers or loafers to stay on trend while still shining in style.
Butter yellow is far more versatile than most people believe and can be an interesting way to spice up your wardrobe and everyday looks. These simple tips will help make the color more accessible, regardless of your preferred aesthetic.
About the Author
Niti Gupta, Luxury Style Curator, Founder & Creative Director of The AFRA World, and Curator of the NIFT Alumni Networking Group
