For the first time in the past 16 years, Pantone announced two Colors of the Year. Pantone, a company established in 1956, is best known for creating a color system that many design professionals use. In late December, Pantone released the names: Rose Quartz and Serenity. According to Pantone, this pastel pink and blue combination are supposed to reflect not only society now, but where it is going. Rose Quartz and Serenity represent balance as well as the blurring gender lines in fashion and self-expression.
As a former yearbook junkie, Pantone Color of the Year has become something I look forward to every December. The Color of the Year influences the design for the entirety of 2016, whether it is fashion, home decor or beauty. I love seeing the color starting to appear in stores as the Spring fashions start hitting shelves.
This year, I really appreciate the message they are promoting by choosing two colors. Pantone’s website described their choice for Color of the Year as a “blending of two shades,” representing gender equality and fluidity. In my own style, I enjoy mixing traditionally masculine and feminine styles. This shifting idea of less-strictly gendered clothing is really powerful and exciting to witness.
I discussed [last week](http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2016/1/16/bowie-starman-and-fashion-icon/#.Vp_AP1MrJXg) how Jaden Smith’s announcement as the face of Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2016 womenswear campaign was important to the bending of gender norms in today’s fashion world, in addition to the past influence of David Bowie. The fashion world is changing, and that can challenge society to change too.
As for the colors, I think they’re really stunning. The two pastels contrast last year’s deep, brown-burgundy Color of the Year, Marsala. Looking at the [Fashion Color Report](http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr/?season=spring&year=2016&from=hpfeatures) from Pantone, I’m intrigued to see how the colors show up in stores across the country.
New spring clothing should be hitting shelves soon, even though we are in the midst of winter. You should be able to find shirts, pants and dresses in Rose Quartz and Serenity.
The colors are pretty muted, so you can pair them with a lot of items. Serenity, according to Pantone, pairs well with peach, a buttercup yellow and a royal blue. Rose Quartz pairs well with peach, gray and, of course, Serenity.
You could use either color as your statement color and use others as accents. Using Rose Quartz or Serenity as your accent color instead of finding bigger pieces could also help you save some money. Accessories are cheaper than buying a new sweater in Rose Quartz or jeans in Serenity. A scarf or pair of earrings is a great alternative to help you tie in the colors of the year to your everyday outfit.
However, most people don’t see colors the way people at Pantone do. Find something pastel pink or blue in your closet and say that it’s Rose Quartz or Serenity. It saves you money and time — we are college students, after all. No one’s actually going to be able to tell the difference. Just don’t run into any Pantone color specialists.
