You may remember that last year’s colour was Emerald (which I quite liked and even made my own emerald dress!) and that we’ve previously discussed their autumn tone Mykonos Blue and how to get the look for yourself – see the blog post here. This year Pantone have announced that the shade which will be influencing trends in fashion, graphic design, interiors, beauty and product design during 2014 will be Radiant Orchid – a bright purple shade with both cool and warm tones.
Pantone describes the colour of the year as an enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones and says that it is an inspirational shade: “Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.” A colour that emits love and joy is certainly something that I should be interested in so I’ve looked into ways of incorporating the Pantone Colour of the Year 2014 into our homes and wardrobes to bring even more happiness and energy into daily life – or will it?
My problem with this is that – ironically enough – purple was my favourite colour as a teenager. I therefore do a little wince every time that I see it reported that purple is making a comeback. I wore a lot of lilac, rocked deep purple velvet and even enjoyed all shades of plum at once in a tie-dyed t-shirt. And now that I’ve finally grown out of purple, are you telling me that I have to put it back on the menu again? I don’t know if I can… but here goes!
In terms of making a welcoming home you may want to begin adding elements of Radiant Orchid to your interiors. After a few years of taupes, greys and beiges being on trend, this vibrant colour should work with existing neutrals to reenergize your home – or so Pantone says! If you want to unify your interior spaces, simply adding a few splashes of Radiant Orchid on walls or soft furnishings will help to enliven almost any colour palette and I don’t doubt that it will bring a bright and cheery feeling into your home for Spring and Summer.
Children, especially, will love a more lively colour scheme and your friends and family will admire your design knowledge even though you have only spent a fraction of the cost of redecoration by adding a couple of cushion covers or an artwork in this bold colour. That’s the theory anyway – but my home is very much UN-neutral so I’m not sure that even a purple rug would work in my own home. That’s not to say that it wouldn’t look great in your home, it’s just a clash-too-far for my retro living room!
If you’re planning to incorporate Radiant Orchid into your spring/summer 2014 wardrobe, you may already be thinking ‘what on earth can I wear it with?’ Well, I’ve done my research and have discovered that the shade works great with those from a similar colour palette, such as purple, lilac and pink. It’s already a bright tone but if you want to make an impact with a real pop of colour, combine it with scarlet red! Similar to the interior design ideas, using Radiant Orchid as a splash of colour in your neutral wardrobe will bring your existing fashion pieces up to date and need not cost a lot to get the look – a piece of costume jewellery or a pair of colourful shoes will increase your fashionista reputation with only a handful (or should that be armful?!) of new accessories.
I think this is the most likely way that I’ll be incorporating the colour of the year into my life – I already have a cute My Little Pony t-shirt in exactly the right colour (one that I’ve never worn since I bought it around 5 years ago, maybe it’s time for the t-shirt to shine!) and I’d be more likely to invest in a handbag or bracelet rather than a whole outfit. The other problem I have with this colour is that it’s not really a colour you can find in the vintage or second-hand/charity shop market.
I think everyone, like me, chucked out their purple wardrobe back in the 90s and no-one thought to reuse them as ‘vintage’ because they were so dated. So where would I even buy any ‘Radiant Orchid’ clothes? Certainly not in my normal retail stomping ground of car boot sales, retro markets or charity shops. Nope, this would probably need to be a new wardrobe investment and I’m not sure I really want to wear it that much! Still, I will keep a look out for bright pinky-purple items when I’m rummaging through the flea markets and see if I come up with anything!
Pantone has discussed the use of this colour in beauty and tells us that the rosy undertones of this shade will enliven complexions and radiate on the skin. Despite looking like an unwearably strong make-up shade at first, this tone of colour (which is actually both cool and rosy at once) can be worn as an eye shadow to outline eyes and make them glisten or as a lipstick to bring a healthy glow to the skin. It’s supposed to be an almost universally flattering shade, looking great with many combinations of hair, skin and eye colour, so don’t be afraid to try out such a bright colour for yourself. I have decided that nail polish is the way to go for getting this look on a budget whilst still looking like myself!
I hope these tips have helped you to identify ways that you can incorporate Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2014 into your daily life, bringing your home and wardrobe up to date and infusing your life with the joy and energy that Radiant Orchid promises to bring!
