The Pantone colour of 2013 has officially been announced as emerald green, which can be daunting for most women to wear. No matter who you are, bright green makes a statement. But making emerald green work for everyday wear is not as difficult as you might think. Here are some easy ideas to incorporate this colour into your wardrobe and makeup without going back to the 80s.

A Little Goes a Long Way

Emerald green makes an impact, so keeping it minimal is the key to making it work for daytime. For example, use a rich green eyeliner but keep the rest of your makeup neutral and soft to avoid overdoing it. Or if you want to incorporate it into your clothing, use accessories like jewellery or a purse. Choose one piece, say a pair of heels, and use them to bring a little whimsy and interest to your outfit. Don’t force them to compete with everything else you’re wearing.

Play With Shades

Maybe emerald green is still too much for you. Try playing with the different shades of green to see if any of those are more flattering. Just because the shade of the year is emerald green doesn’t mean you can’t still be trendy by using a soft, spring green sweater or a deep forest green necklace—it’s still green. For makeup, the colour olive is flattering to all eye colours and skin types, and it’s also one of those colours that’s versatile enough to be worn softly for daytime but with a little extra black liner, can work for a night out too. The idea is to explore colours and try different trends, so as long as you’re in the green family, a few shades off won’t make a huge difference.

Stick With What You Know

If you want to try something new but are afraid you might not like it, it’s easiest to pair it with something familiar. If there’s a particular clothing store or makeup brand you use often, try finding an emerald green there. It will probably work better for you than trying a new place or brand and chances are, since it’s the colour of the year now, it won’t be hard to find.

Trends Come, But They Also Go

Try to keep in mind that this is only the colour of the year, not the decade. Venturing out and trying something new is always a good thing, that’s how you can discover new favourites for your closet or makeup drawer. But this is a trend, and next year the trend and colour of the year will be much different. So don’t invest in expensive pieces or stock up on a ton of emerald green in everything from hats to socks. This time next year, you might be looking for something bright pink.