Fall Color Trends from Pantone

What colors will you be wearing this fall?  According to the Pantone Fashion Color Report for fall 2010 (you can download a free PDF at the bottom of the linked page), the on-trend fashionista's palette will be made up of vivid brights anchored with neutrals like khaki and chocolate:

"Mindful of consumers' need for practicality, plus their desire for newness, designers offer many options for women to extend and embellish their wardrobes this fall," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Building on the color palette from spring, this season's offerings include innovative takes on fundamental basics, as well as transporting, lively colors that conjure images of travel and adventure, whether real or aspirational."

Sephora Collection Colorful Palettte
in Eternally Purple, $24 at Sephora.com

The concept of carrying color over from the last season for economic reasons is echoed from the Spring 2010 report, which focused on neutrals mixed with primary brights already in most closets.  Shades od coral, red, khaki and green have carried over from the spring and are warmed up with chocolately plum, warm yellow, and fall's hottest shade – purple.

Purple is where's it's at this year!  Makeup and nail polish are hot in every shade from plum to lavender, and purple hues were all over the fall runways.  What's great about this shade is that it's almost universally flattering.  There's a shade of purple for everyone, and it's a rich, saturated color that feels simultaneously warm and vibrant. 

Mossimo sweater, $17.99 at Target.com

The warm gold on Pantone's list isn't as easy to pull off.  If you're pale (like me) or have a cool-toned complexion, yellow can easily wash you out and leave you looking sickly and tired.  If you're feeling daring you can punch up a neutral outfit or black dress with a pair of brightly-colored tights, which will both keep your legs warm in the autumn chill and allow you to wear colors you normally couldn't since the color isn't right next to your face.  Or you can layer a lightweight sweater like this one from Target under a blazer (boyfriend blazers are still big!) or break up the color by adding a scarf at the neck.  That way you get a pop of the yellow without it overwhelming you.   (I think this sweater would look great with some zebra print accessories if you want to combine trends!)

With springy colors like coral and turquoise, it can be tough to know how to transition them into a fall look.  The trick is pairing them with richer shades:  instead of khaki, try wearing your coral pieces with gray, green, or chocolate brown.  Carry turquoise into fall by mixing it with gold.  You can shake up your neutrals, too.  Try gray shoes where you might have worn black for an updated look. 

And as always, an easy way to try out a new color is with accessories.  Add a bold scarf to a neutral outfit, or look into a bright pair of pumps or a bright purse.  That's also a simple way to update your look without spending lots of cash.

For some more ideas on fall's hot colors, check out this article at CollegeFashion.net 

Quickie: Spring's Hot Makeup Shades

Allure Magazine has a rundown of the 6 best makeup shades for spring.

Probably the least shocking news is that red lips are in. (Is this news anymore? Are red lips ever out?) Also big for spring: khaki green eye shadow, metallic purple eye shadow and liner, and flushed pink cheeks and lips. Not necessarily all at the same time.

What I love about makeup is that it's a quick, fun, and commitment-free way to give your look a little punch. You can freshen your face by switching your normal neutral eyeliner for a purple without having to embrace Lady Gaga's Poker Face. The nice thing about Allure's list is that the six shades their featuring can be made to work on just about any skin tone or face. There's nothing on their list that's so crazy you can't give it a try.

Spring Color Trends

If you work in art or publishing, you know Pantone. Graphic designers and printers depend on Pantone's consistent color palette to translate ideas into reality. We spend hours comparing chips or varying shades, looking for just the right one to apply to our work. We count on their consistency, knowing that the chip we show a client will be the same color as the finished product. In the fashion world, Pantone is better known for seasonal reports on trending colors. Twice a year they produce a Fashion Color Report on what shades are going to be hot from the runway to the street.

Spring 2010's FCR (you can download a free PDF at the link) forecasts sunny brights offset with light neutrals will be the big look for spring and summer. I know – brights and neutrals for spring! Groundbreaking! (Next they'll tell us that red lipstick is hot!) But cynicism aside, there's a reason this season's palette is taking the safe road: money. This season's report was tailored to the current economic climate and the fact that consumers have less cash to spend on new clothes:

Designers bring splashes of sunshine to the runway for spring 2010. Vibrant brights add a sense of excitement to the color palette, while practical neutrals provide a safety net for cautious consumers.

“Now more than ever, women are vigilant when it comes to spending,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Instead of re-inventing their wardrobe at the start of each season, consumers want pieces to complement what they already own. Pairing a bold color with a basic piece or freshening up their look with bright accents addresses the need for practicality, as well as fun.”

The inclusion of basic colors most women own (like khaki and tomato red) makes it easier for fashionistas on a budget to update our look without spending a ton of cash. A basic pair of khakis or blue jeans and a white shirt look instantly fresh when given a pop of color with a pair of yellow sneakers or
red sandals.

Accessories like scarves and jewelry are an inexpensive (and low-commitment) way to embrace the newest color trends without overhauling your closet. They're also a great way to work in colors you don't normally feel comfortable wearing – a necklace of bright yellow beads is much less intimidating than a bright yellow dress. If you're looking for an update but wary of committing to a garment in a new hue try starting with baby steps. A bright pair of earrings, a new bag, a bright skinny belt at the waist of your favorite dress or sweater.

If you want to get a little more bold, try a belted t-shirt dress like this one from Old Navy (only $15!). A dress like this is great because of it's versatility: on cool spring days you can wear it with a cardigan and boots, then carry it into summer with a chunky necklace and sandals. I would pair the blue version of this with accessories in Pantone's turquoise or aurora yellow (my taste tends toward the bright and the bold), but it would also look sharp with bright white, khaki, or grey. The turquoise version would look great accessorized with Pantone's fusion coral or pink champagne shades to create a beachy summer look.

Another versatile piece that can add a quick hit of color (and get you through spring's chilly days and evenings) is a great cardigan. This Merona sweater from Target brings in spring's violet and yellow shades and works as well over a shift dress at the office as it does with a tank top and jeans on the weekend. Old Navy's lightweight pointelle cardigan comes in shades resembling Pantone's fusion coral, aurora yellow, and pink champagne.

Pantone's Fashion Color Report is a great resource for knowing where the seasonal trends are headed, and they provide a variety so that almost anyone can find something to embrace. No matter what the trend – color, print, style – the most important thing is finding your comfort zone and working within it. Just because Pantone says yellow and coral will be hot this season doesn't mean you need to embrace them if you hate those colors or just don't feel your best in them. The key is finding a way to make the trend work for you. Real style isn't about following trends, anyway. It's about seeing the trends and deciding for yourself how you'll apply them (or ignore them). And more than anything color is about confidence. The right color can lift your mood and make you feel invincible just as the wrong color can make you feel drab and out of place. Because who cares if your outfit is in style if you hate it?

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