Gone are the days of wearing grey, brown and black — with spring right around the corner, it’s finally time to pack up your dark, depressing neutrals and drape yourself in luxurious colors that say “spring” without using words. While there are so many colors to choose from on the spectrum, not to mention a host of colors making their way through the fashion industry, it can be difficult to land on stylish colors for spring that are both universally flattering and right on trend. That’s where Pantone comes in.
Known for their annual announcement of the “color of the year,” in fall 2016, color-matching company Pantone released a forecast report predicting the hottest colors in fashion for this spring. Filled with soft neutrals and saturated colors alike, the report provides 10 colors that will surely take off this spring, such as the Fairfield-appropriate color, “Pale Dogwood,” a faint, taupe-based blush color that is perfect for everything from shoes to jackets.
But neutral colors such as “Pale Dogwood” and its list companion “Hazelnut” (a light brown) may not be the happy colors you were searching for to fill your spring wardrobe, no matter how necessary they may be. Luckily, Pantone’s list includes several jewel tones that are just as bright as they are exuberant. Perhaps the best part about these colors, which are reminiscent of gemstones like rubies (red), amethysts (violet) and sapphire (blue), is that they are universally flattering; this means that no matter your skin tone, a jewel-toned hue will likely complement your skin pigmentation and let your inner beauty shine. Here are a few of Pantone’s gem-inspired spring colors:
Primrose Yellow
This vibrant shade of yellow is most reminiscent of the yellow tourmaline, a rich yellow that almost looks like mustard. This shade has been a major trend on red carpets since last award season and it’s showing no signs of slowing down — look no further than actress Leslie Mann’s Academy Awards gown for proof. An instant way to boost your look, adding this color into your spring wardrobe even in small doses such as through shoes or jewelry can boost the brightness of your style.
Flame
Although this Pantone color is named after fire, it can also look like the gemstone citrine. A red-based orange, both “Flame” and citrine are deep enough to provide bold color, but light enough to not read as “winter.” What’s helpful about this particular color is that it can be worn well into the summer and even into the fall, making it a utility player in your wardrobe — you won’t have to worry about spending a ton of money on a piece in this color when you’ll surely be wearing it three out of four months of the year.
Pink Yarrow
Perhaps my favorite color of Pantone’s roster is “Pink Yarrow,” a hearty pink that is similar to magenta in its warmth and akin to the pink sapphire gem in brightness. Described by Pantone as a “a whimsical, unignorable hue that tempts and tantalizes,” there is no better way to make your wardrobe pop than with this stunning tone. And make no mistake: this tone isn’t just for the girls. In fact, a relative of this color coats a style of the men’s Nike Hypershift sneaker. Inject a shot of this color into your wardrobe via sneakers (and other styles of shoes,) tops or accessories, and you’re sure to be “unignorable.”
Lapis Blue
Described by Pantone as a “strong and confident” shade, this deep and almost dusty shade of blue seems to be rooted in the gemstone of tanzanite, which offers a saturated shade of blue in a way that is not overbearing, just like Pantone’s “Lapis Blue.” This is likely the most functional color out of all of the gem-inspired tones, as it is a pseudoneutral — that is, a color that has enough saturation to read as a color, but is soft enough to be paired with other, brighter colors (like a regular neutral, such as brown, black and grey). Beyond its ability to be paired with many other colors of varying vibrancy, this shade can be worn in all four seasons, saving you lots of time and money when stocking up for each of our distinct New England seasons.
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