Almost as popular as highlighter parties on campus are the highlighter-toned statement pieces on campus Fashionistas. It’s no secret that neons get you noticed, but this Fashionista brilliantly applied the knowledge to up the trend-quotient on her outfit overall. She paired her bright, peachy-pink pants with a tank printed in the same neon coral tribal print. Tribal-inspired prints are everywhere, especially for the summer months, probably due to the warmer climates of the lands from whence the originals came, but these patterns in neon colors put a new and youthful twist on the trend. It’s perfect for the fun campus atmosphere and draws attention to the fashionable statement rather than just to the color itself, as with solid pieces. The floral and leather bag is a great addition to the ensemble, bringing it back to earth tones and nature-inspired designs without looking disjointed. Likewise, the loose, wavy hair, flip flops, and aviators make the overall affect natural, casual, and free-spirited.
This Fashionista struck a hard balance to come by — there is a wrong way to wear neon, i.e. one that is tacky or garish rather than simply attention-grabbing. More than one neon color with nothing to break it up, like a bright green top and coral bottom, for example, is going to give the innocent passerby a headache, as might pairing your neon with too many busy accessories, like a lot of jewelry, colorful sneakers, detailed hair pieces etc. The color speaks for itself, so you don’t want to make it look like you’re trying too hard. A few weeks ago, I went into a retail store that shall remain nameless and saw a display of every piece of clothing one could possibly need in every color that highlighters come in, all packed into one corner of the shop. I had to leave again almost immediately to save my eyes. I’m not sure if they intended for all of those pieces to be mixed and matched together, but I wouldn’t recommend it – try this Fashionista’s look first. Neon patterns were also seen on the runways of Manish Arora, Louise Gray, BCBG and others during Fall Fashion Week 2012
