Neon doesn’t have to be an avoided color, and now that its various shades are showing up across fashion runways around the world, it’s time to learn how to wear it responsibly before investing in this year’s color scheme.

Avoid Full Highlighter

While neon is back from the ‘80s, you’ll still need some practice before the big leagues. Start safe with muted colors that are then paired with one neon article. You can go with a black tint bolstered by a pink shirt or otherwise turn a neutrally toned outfit into an eye-catcher with some neon pants.

Mix it Up

This addition might prove to be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Mixing a neon with a print is far from a faux pas if you manage to find colors that complement one another. The easiest way to do this is a find a print that already has small splashes of a neon color on it and simply wear a piece of neon that matches the print. Once you have that down, you can expand to see what else works.

Step Out in Stripes

As you transition to more neon on your clothing, stripes allow you to include a higher percentage of neon while still avoiding the highlighter look. Horizontals are the preferred choice with this though the size and angle of the stripes are points you can play with to accentuate your natural curvature. Remember, you still want the piece to flatter you.

Neon Colors

When you’re finally ready to go full neon, choose two to three neons to pair together. Because of the bright nature of the colors, which colors you pair don’t matter too much. Just make sure you can find shoes to match.