Ask Earl With Laurel Pantin: How to Style Primary Colors for Spring

We all have that one friend we turn to for fashion advice. On the internet, that second set of eyes is Laurel Pantin—a writer, editor, mom, and entrepreneur-about-town—whose never overdressed or underdressed. Ask Earl is a direct line to Pantin’s brain, where once a month, she’ll help you solve the age-old question of what to wear—and how to wear it, well—for any possible scenario. Trying to figure out how to style work pants without looking corporate? Or how to pack for a long-haul flight with toddlers? Maybe it’s summer outfit ideas that don’t involve dresses… Whatever your question, Ask Earl is where you’ll find the answer.

Hi! I’m Laurel Pantin, and this is my dream come true. I write a style and shopping newsletter on Substack called Earl Earl where I write about, well, a lot of things, but mostly personal styling and identity, and how to feel current without looking trendy. Last October, I brought my newsletter to life when I opened Earl IRL (get the pun?) in Beverly Hills. It’s a teeny tiny boutique and styling studio where I can work one-on-one with clients helping them figure out their own personal style, and build an arsenal of clothing that makes them feel excellent. My favorite thing in the world (besides my kids) is helping people solve their style and wardrobe, and I’ve made it my job—my actual job—to answer styling questions. What a trip!

And now I’m more than delighted to bring my perspective and eye to Vogue Shopping, and to launch my new column, Ask Earl. Every month I’ll be answering a real style question from a real reader, and hopefully making getting dressed every day both a little easier, and a little more exciting. My personal style sweet spot is a blend of practicality and expressiveness. I’m not really a minimalist or a maximalist, I’m emotional about clothing, and inspired by an outfit’s ability to make something innate and personal visible to others. Style is one more way of communicating something interior, and when you feel like you’re properly expressing yourself visually, the rest of your day becomes so much easier.

So, for my very first Ask Earl, I’m talking about color. I wear a lot of color in my everyday life, and a lot of very bright ones. On the runways this season, we saw so much bold, primary color from brands like Loewe, Celine, and Dries van Noten (my favorite), and it is super intimidating for a lot of people! However, after a few years of beige and neutrals, it feels so good to wear something bright. Here are some of the ways I do it.

One Pop and an Accessory

I hate the term “a pop of color”, because I think it usually looks gimmicky and only makes the color feel like more on an outlier. But in this case, I think it works because instead of a bright sweater with a black outfit, I’m wearing navy, which is also a color. Whenever I’m wearing color, I need to wear it with more color, not black or white. The navy suit is from Kallmeyer, and while it’s dark and traditional, it’s a beautiful color. The sweater is a super-off shade of yellow-green from Zankov, and if I were wearing it with black it would look a little jarring. The navy softens it. Then, the bright blue Esha Soni bag brings out the blue in the suit, and meets the weirdness of the Zankov sweater.