Designers look to mustard to spice up fall fashion

Mustard yellow might be just the thing to add zip to an otherwise bland fall wardrobe.

Whether it's the shade of a sweet honey mustard, tangy Dijon or hot wasabi, designers and retailers are counting on consumers to crave condiment colors this fall.

Designer Michael Kors, whose fall collection has a healthy squirt of the stuff, says mustard yellow seamlessly transitions from summer to fall and even winter.

"Gold, honey, mustard - you can do these colors in lightweight fabrics, so it's a head start on fall without the bulk," he says. "I think mustard has an automatic warmth to it."

But not everything looks as good on a dress as it does a hot dog. To find out which shades of mustard are in good taste, we asked Kors to evaluate six grocery-store brands and explain how to turn them into wearable styles:

• Maille Dijon Originale: This light, creamy yellow is probably the color that comes to mind when people say "mustard yellow," observes Kors, but that doesn't mean everyone should wear it.

A blonde will love how it looks on her, he says. It's also complementary to dark skin tones. He warns people with medium complexions, however, that they'll look washed out, especially if they wear it close to the face.

• S&B Wasabi: This lime green with yellow overtones is a great accent color because it's so bold, Kors says, but there's a potential risk for wearing too much of a good thing. He recommends sticking to a wasabi-colored handbag, shoes or sweater to add the kick to an otherwise neutral outfit.

That said, Kors does think this green would do well in evening wear as long as the gown showed enough bare skin. "It's sort of like an oxidized metal color at night - it's sort of a new way to wear gold," he says.

• French's Class Yellow: A bright shade like this primary yellow works better in textured fabrics, says Kors. Still, it's best as an accent color, he adds.

"I think it's good in small doses."

Lakeshore Wholegrain Mustard with Guinness Extra Stout: Kors describes this grainy mix of rust and yellow as "warm" - the modern answer to camel. "It's a flattering color on every woman," he says. "It's not a color I think you're going to want for an evening situation but it will look great in the daytime."

• Stonewall Kitchen Sun-Dried Tomato Mustard: Invest in this burnt orange with flecks of yellow and brown, advises Kors.

"You're going to see a lot of melding of all these colors, especially a glen plaid or a check. They work like the solid that's not a solid. A good investment piece isn't always black pants or a white dress."

• Old Fashioned Mustard By Delouis Fils: Kors says this mix of textured, brown-toned dots, alternating between cognac and honey, already has the look of tweed - a trend for the season. It's a wearable shade for almost anyone and it's not going to become too dated in a few years. It's "almost neutral," he says.