Orange can feel like a commitment before you have even tried it on. Start with a softer version of the color and a piece you already know how to wear: rust with white trousers, or terracotta beside brown.
The aim is to find a combination you enjoy, rather than assemble an outfit around a trend label.
Borrow the pairing, not the whole outfit
In Who What Wear's early-autumn Zara edit, an embroidered burnt-orange kaftan is shown over white trousers. The contrast makes the warm color easy to see, while the white gives it room.
You can take that idea into an everyday outfit without buying the pictured pieces. Try an orange shirt with white jeans, or a rust knit with cream trousers. Use what is already in your wardrobe to find out whether the pairing suits you.
Change the amount of orange
If a full top feels like too much, test a smaller detail: a scarf or bag against a neutral outfit. If you want more color, keep the silhouette simple and let the orange piece carry the look.
Shade and fabric matter. A matte terracotta knit and a glossy bright-orange bag create different effects, even when both are called orange. Look at the actual item in daylight rather than relying on the color name online.
Make it repeatable
Before adding anything new, find two outfits you could wear it with. A color becomes useful when it works on an ordinary day, with shoes you own and a fit you like.
Would you wear orange with crisp white or warmer brown?
Image credit: Zara, via Who What Wear.