Tuesday Shoesday – Pantone’s colour of the year 2015

Each year I get excited about the announcement of Pantone’s Colour of the Year. I know how much these selected shades influence the world of design and I find it really interesting to keep to see how it infiltrates into every area of life. Not just a guide for fashion looks, the Colour of the Year informs interior design, packaging, graphic design, home furnishings, beauty, web design, fabrics and even food, so you can imagine how important this announcement is every year for anyone working in a creative field.

The colour that Pantone announced for 2015 is ‘Marsala’, a dusky burgundy shade. Based on the tones of fortified wine, this warm earthy shade is perfect for creating a feeling of luxury and is the ideal ‘in-between’ seasonal shade – not overpoweringly bright nor oppressively dark. It looks great with fresh pastel colours and floral motifs so it is ideal to combine with the tones and textures of Spring. Which brings us nicely on to fashion choices that follow this trend for Tuesday Shoesday.

Luckily enough, I am already a big wearer of burgundy tones and I already have a lot clothing in similar shades. As we can see in the images from Pantone’s official Marsala photoshoot, it’s not just about the colour itself – the shade can be used in varying depths of richness and can be picked up in patterns and different textures. I bet you already have a few rich purples and warm burgundies in your wardrobe too so 2015 is the year to dig them out and think about pairing them with denim, soft pastel pinks and bright royal blues to create the ultimate Marsala look.

The colour looks great with a soft sheen so look out for fabrics such as taffeta, satin, leather or silk. Pair these Marsala pieces with muted textures including knit, denim and tweed to ensure that the look isn’t too ‘glossy’ and will be practical for Autumn/Winter. I chose to include my leather brogues from Clarks in my winter Marsala look to bring a touch of shine, alongside chunky knit tights and deep burgundy knitwear. Just these few Marsala accessories will bring my wardrobe up to date for 2015 and can be carried through into spring/summer.Any combination of light-washed denim, baby blue patterns, pastel pink lace and icy silver-grey knits will brighten up the shade for later in the year.  For a brighter look using Marsala I have chosen to pair a marl dress with navy brogues and a baby-blue patterned shirt. Add burgundy knitwear for spring or pair Marsala accessories such as this chiffon skirt with a pink slogan t-shirt and floral shoes from Hotter for summer. I already had all of these items in my wardrobe so hopefully this shows that you don’t need to head straight out to the high street to follow this colour trend; clothing and accessories that you already have can be easily incorporated into a subtle Marsala look for 2015.

Do you like this colour? Do you already have clothing or accessories this shade? Let me know what you think of Pantone’s Colour of the Year and whether you’ll be including it in your wardrobe for 2015 by leaving me a comment below.