Wear Yellow for the New Year

What color knickers will you be wearing on New Year’s Eve? If you’re like me, you hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. But if you’re like many women around the world, you have already picked out your yellow panties in preparation for the big day. In many Spanish-speaking countries, wearing yellow panties at the stroke of midnight as the New Year turns is thought to bring wealth and good luck in the coming year. Yellow is the color of choice because it is most closely associated with gold. Tradition says you must cast away your old undies at the stoke of midnight and put on a yellow pair. There are some details to keep in mind, however: to be lucky, they must be brand new; for extra luck, you can wear them inside out. The folklore only applies to women, not men, and other kinds of lingerie (like bras, slips, and garter belts) don’t count. If your knickers were given to you as a gift, they are said to be the luckiest of all.

The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was forbidden for Spaniards to wear bright colors. People believed wearing yellow would bring them good fortune, so they wore the lucky shade as underwear, which couldn’t be seen. If you’re looking for love next year, wear red instead of yellow. Here are some cute yellow panties I found at HerRoom.com from Honeydew and Ed Hardy, which you can hopefully find at a store near you in time for the big day: