A New {albeit not unfamiliar} Favorite

Well, perhaps I'm behind on the times--though my research thus far leads me to think otherwise--but I just yesterday discovered Pantone's Color of the Year for 2012.  If you are unfamiliar with Pantone, simply give the link a click and explore away.  It's really a very cool corporation that deals with...you guessed it...color.  And when I say "color", what I mean is all sorts of glorious colors, in every possible variation that one can humanly imagine.  For the year 2012, their choice of color is Pantone 17-1463, otherwise known as Tangerine Tango.

And it is gorgeous.

Last year, Pantone chose shade 18-2120--Honeysuckle--as their color of the year.  Their version of the color honeysuckle is a rather medium shade of pink with bluish undertones, almost bordering on mauve.

    (Photo source: www.pantone.com, via Google images)

It's a nice color, don't get me wrong--but Honeysuckle didn't quite catch my eye and cause all sorts of interest and admiration.  We all have our favorite hues, but this one just isn't one of mine.  And then I saw this year's color, and I must say...

Pantone, you had me at "tangerine".

(Photo source: www.blog.imagesmith.com, via Google images)

Red has been a favorite color of mine for a long time.  But now, this year, there is this shade of red, and it is a red that is a fiery red with a healthy and vibrant splash of orange.  I think this is my new favorite color.  It's bright and vivacious, sharp yet sophisticated, bold yet alluring.  It brings to mind not just tangerines but also blood oranges and pomegranates and coral--and one of my favorite dresses that I have in my wardrobe.  It's a color that is--I think--universally flattering and appealing in any season of the year, in rain or shine.  In this shade, there are so many items that look "simply stunning", as Mr. Darcy would call it.  

And yes, as you've most likely already guessed, Pantone's Tangerine Tango has immensely inspired me. Might I present two forms of this inspiration?  Very well!

First off, we have tangerine as a fashion statement shade.

Tangerine can be worn in cosmetics, as a color note in a blush, lip-color, or nail polish.  It's a shade that is rather fiery, yet it also has some bluish undertones...and that means that whether you have a warm, yellow-based complexion or a cool, pink-based complexion, tangerine is a shade that can work for you.  It's also a shade that works really nicely when you base a makeup look around it: as you can see from the picture of the model above, she's wearing a tangerine shade of lip-color, and a bit of the same shade in her blush.  (What you can't see in the picture is that her nails are also painted the same shade...sometimes, an application of the same color in slightly different tones and amounts can work together to be cohesively pretty.)  

If you're going to use tangerine anywhere in your makeup, just keep the rest of your makeup clean and simple.  After all, tangerine is a bright shade--and bright shades deserve some respect too.

My thoughts on wearing tangerine in your clothing or accessories follow along that line of thought.  You can wear an outfit that is composed entirely of different shades of tangerine for a tone-on-tone look, or you can wear a piece or two alone, for an eye-catching pop of color.  It really depends on your own personal style--but I guarantee you, tangerine is a shade that will not fail you. 

Secondly, we have tangerine as an interior decor statement shade.

For this set, I decided to compose a riff on a bright, saturated palette of tangerine shades that are accented by white, tan, and gold.  Whether this color is found in cosmetics, accessories, clothing, or interior decor, it is energizing, optimistic, and passionate.  A room done in these shades--whether it's this much color or less--seems to me as though it would be a light-filled and fun kind of space.

Tangerine can be sophisticated, bohemian, minimalist, romantic, or exotic, depending on what other accents and shades that are paired with it.  Neutrals look nice with tangerine, and brights look great with it too.  Turquoise is an obvious partner for tangerine, but red, fuschia, purple, cobalt, and seafoam green also coordinate with it.  A fun, bright shade such as tangerine should be played with in color combinations--compare and contrast it with other shades, and see how you can be inspired!

I'm looking forward to the new spring and summer trends for 2012--and tangerine will definitely be a major element in my wardrobe this year, I can tell you that much right now!

What colors and trends have caught your eye recently?

À bientôt!

Cait