Okay, I’ll admit it. When I first heard that Pantone was releasing two Colors of the Year for 2016—Rose Quartz and Serenity—I thought it was a marketing gimmick. Twice the official Pantone® merchandise! But Pantone actually chose these colors to make a statement about the traditional roles associated with them, e.g. blue for boys and pink for girls. According to their website, “this more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity.” (Fun fact: before around the 1940s, pink was a “boy color” and blue was a “girl color”.)
I do think there should be a better variety of colors in men’s clothing, but that’s a topic for another article. In the world of women’s fashion, where no colors are societally off-limits, the Colors of the Year go with everything. I’ve really come to appreciate them in the few months since they were announced. Here are five different ways to wear the colors of 2016:
1. Rose Quartz / Greys
There’s a reason so very many eyeshadow palettes have a combination of greys and a pink shade. Pink and grey go well together and look good on everyone. I really liked Black Swan, a movie with a very defined color palette among other more memorable things.
2. Serenity / Browns
If you prefer to wear warmer neutrals with these shades you can, and it will look just as amazing. Here, Serenity provides a nice contrast to beige tones.
3. Rose Quartz / Serenity / Brights
Pale pink and red seem like they shouldn’t go together unless it’s the entire month of February Valentine’s Day, but they do! Look at this radiant dress from the Golden Globes a few years back. (Well, actually, I just really like Natalie Portman.)
Rosario Dawson is similarly stunning in this dress, which pairs Serenity with orange and a brighter Rose Quartz-y shade:
4. Serenity / Cool
This color looks great with beige above, but here it’s paired with navy and looks equally great! Is there anything these colors can’t do?
5. Rose Quartz / Serenity / Pastels
Last, it’s a no-brainer that these colors go with each other and with other pastels. Take a look at this gown from the 1950s. It has a purple bodice, but the skirt is literally Serenity layered over Rose Quartz. I would wear this in a heartbeat.
If you prefer something more modern, this dress is cute and trendy:
Go out and have fun with these colors! You really can’t go wrong.