TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Yellow Alert

ADVERTISEMENT

By CLOE CABRERA

ccabrera@tampatrib.com

Published: December 28, 2008

Tough times call for yellow underwear.

In the weeks leading up to the New Year, Juan Varon can't keep yellow underwear on the racks of his clothing and lingerie store, Pompis, in West Tampa.

The Colombian-born vendor ordered an extra shipment of canary-colored panties, thongs, boy shorts, bikinis and briefs. By early last week, he had only few pairs left. He's already sold out of the g-strings twice.

"Most of the year I can't sell one pair of yellow underwear," says Varon, pointing to the few that remain on the rack. "But when it starts getting close to the New Year, I can't keep them in the store."

Why are yellow undies so red hot?

In many Spanish-speaking countries, wearing yellow panties into the New Year will bring wealth and luck. Yellow is the color of choice because it is most closely associated with gold, Varon says.

Unfortunately, the luck of the yellow couldn't save his business. Varon planned to close his store Friday because of poor overall sales.

"I've got to sell a lot more than underwear to stay" in business, he says. "With the economy the way it is, I'm sure a lot of women will be wearing yellow this year."

Tradition says you must cast away your old underwear at the stroke of midnight on New Year's and put on a yellow pair. To be lucky, they must be new. Want some extra luck? Wear them inside out. How you get the underwear is believed to make a difference, too; receiving them as a gift is said to be best.

Sorry, fellas, but the folklore only applies to female undies. And bras and slips don't count. Now, if you're a guy who likes to wear women's lingerie, well, that's a whole different column.

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year's, you better believe Marcia Robles will be wearing yellow undies.

"All the women in my family wear yellow underwear that day," says Robles, 39, of Ecuador. "I have to wear underwear anyway; they might as well be yellow."

Robles says she'll don her new skivvies before the new year rings in, to avoid a mad rush to the restroom at the stroke of midnight.

She believes she's been able to woo fickle fortune with her yellow panties in the past. "I think it's worked; it's been very lucky for me," she says.

The underwear tradition can be traced back to Spain in the Middle Ages, when it was forbidden to wear bright colors. The people believed wearing yellow would bring them good fortune, so they wore the color underneath their clothes.

Now if you're looking for some love in the New Year, shuck the yellow and put on red; it will bring passion.

"I didn't have to wear the red ones for long," says Robles, who has two children. "I got married at 18."

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

FIRST-LADY STYLE

You may not have Michelle Obama's budget, but if you love her budget-friendly style, you can get your hands on some of her looks locally. Target has partnered with designer Thakoon Panichgul for its GO International program, which offers affordable fashion from renowned designers.

Obama has been photographed wearing several of Panichgul's dresses to high-profile campaign events. Starting today, the designer's limited-edition collection will be available at Target stores and www.target.com.

The Thai-born, Omaha-raised Panichgul is known for putting a contemporary spin on classic resort wear. His line is strong on color, stripes and Shibori prints (a Japanese method of dyeing cloth with a pattern).

The collection features a gathered sundress, a coat made of canvas, hip-length cardigans, flutter sleeve tees and brightly colored bikinis and tunics. Prices range from $16.99 to $44.99, and the collection will be available until Jan 31.

Got a tip worthy of Hot Pursuit? Let me know at (813) 259-7656 or ccabrera @tampatrib.com. Try on the blog at TBO.com, keyword: Hot Pursuits.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT