Choose the right color for your blazer

I was walking down the street on a particularly bleak New York city day when a woman in a chic taxi-yellow blazer passed in front of me. Usually reserved for rain slickers or summer dresses, this bold, sunny and, well, daring hue simply isn't seen very often on "serious" clothes.

That's why she caught my attention, changing what only seconds before had been a dingy black-and-white day into something much more cinematic and beautiful. I was reminded how transformative color can be, especially when it shows up where it's least expected. So this year we decided to make our annual bright-fest (aka the Color Issue) all about surprises.

Not only does "New Ways to Color Your Life!" unveil the shade of the season (a peachy pink called Honeysuckle), but it's also bursting with juicy-toned wardrobe updates, no-fail palettes for your home, and the eyebrow-raising news that grape Kool-Aid is the ultimate hair brightener. And that's just the start. This riotous issue is packed with stories about violet makeup, colorblock accessories, and cobalt blue clothes. The latter, incidentally, look pretty amazing with yellow.