It is always an exciting time to look ahead to a new season and as I shared in my previous blog post, new beginnings. Even though I get a peek at the prominent colors when I go to market, the season doesn’t fully take shape for me until the new spring merchandise begins arriving in the store. Those racks begin to fill up with a burst of newness, and the whole store gets a color makeover.
The colors for the spring 2017 season are grounded in nature. According to Pantone.com, the dominant color for the season will be Niagra blue (third from the left on the bottom). In this case, dominant means Niagra showed up the most on the runways of fashion week and will be prevalent in prints and solids. Based upon my early shipments from Elan, I am finding this to be true. We ordered several new tops in Niagra, as it felt fresh. It is a soft blue but with plenty of pigment to keep it from being whimpy.
Niagra is next to Kale(to the right) which, if you have ever eaten this good for you green, you will agree is an excellent description of the color. Kale is a deep, almost dark, green. Lapis rounds out the row and is placed at the end. All three colors are somewhat muted and softened and remind me of the ocean and forest. They are all calming colors and will be a joy to wear this season.
On the same row, you will find Flame (on the end) and Pink Yarrow (second from the left). Both are the colors of tropical flowers and make a beautiful contrast to to their more muted partners. They also provide some liveliness to the color palate. These are colors that you use to “pop” an outfit. A Pink Yarrow jacket, for example, will look radiant paired with white ankle pants. These are also the colors to use in accessories or as layering pieces.
On the top row, we can begin with the left and work our way to the right. Primrose yellow is the first color, and is vibrant without being bright. It is a warm yellow and exudes the warmth of a sunny day. Next to it is Pale Dogwood. This, barely there, soft pink is the perfect compliment to sands and tans, giving them color but keeping them very neutral. You can see how nicely it pairs with its neighbor, Hazelnut, for example. The neutral shades in the palate ground it in earthiness and are contrasted to the last two colors on the top row: Island Paradise and Greenery. The turquoise of Island Paradise conjures memories of island vacations and the intense blue of the Carribean ocean. It is a universal color that compliments most complexions. Greenery is the color of the year, and you can learn all about it in my last blog post.
Keep checking back as I give more tips and tricks in the coming weeks on how to wear and pair these colors.
Rose Quarts, for example, reminds me of softness, the early stages of a sunset, and everything feminine. Serenity is a soft blue like the light blue sky in springtime. Imaging these two colors causes a relaxed sigh to escape my lips. I find myself smiling as I write this blog post and listen to ocean waves playing in the background. That place – sunsets, blue skies and ocean waves- sounds like a great alternative to the 20 some degrees outside my office window.
Talking Trends 