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These images were acquired from the Victoria & Albert Museum website. These drawings are from the late 1920's, 10 years after the end of WWI. The former black mourning dress is seen here with colorful accents, like the pink and red rose accessories or the bring green interlining with blue wrappes. It can be seen as an evolution from the mourning dress, then turned Little Black Dress by Coco Channel and now slowly incorporating color.

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As we are now approaching 3 years post Covid-19, color is coming back into our lives. This is what inspired me to understand how color cycles and what affects this cycle.
This is multi-media padlet consists of blog posts, interviews, a photo essay and a analyzing video all related to the cycle of color in the fashion industry. We will go over a bit of history of color, how it cycles, trends that arise, what colors may mean, how people use color in their day to day lives and more.
Welcome to the Color Cycle!

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This image was acquired from the Victoria & Albert Museum website. Dating back to 1934, I think this image perfectly captures the slow incorporation of color, post World War I. We see an all black jumper, which most likely has a tie to the all black mourning garments worn, with orange accents. There orange gloves and hat resemble how color was slowly making its way back into society after such a depressing wartime.

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Fashion design, by Victor Stiebel, London, 1933. Museum no. S.544-1983

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“Following the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression, new, more down-to-earth attitudes forced on the world offered great scope for a new simplicity, as encapsulated by Coco Chanel (1883–1971). In Britain, fashion became more eclectic but also more feminine and graceful and, by 1930, the 'boyish' look had disappeared.” - Victoria & Albert Museum

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(Taken from The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain Article by Regina Lee Blaszczyk)

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This is the standard color card from 1928. The Textile Color Card Association (TCCA), established in 1914 was the official color management authority in the United States. This copy belonged to Mrs.Rorke, the managing director of the TCCA from 1919 to 1954. These shade cards where sent to manufactures, retailers, mills etc to let them know what the upcoming colors of the season were to be.

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The reason I chose to focus on color and its place in the fashion industry is because it's an ever changing cycle that is affecting by many components. I realized that during the pandemic, I was constantly online shopping but everything was in neutral tones. I then moved to Paris and found myself dressing in creams, and lots of black. Three years later and I find myself indulging in color and wanted to know why this cycle is happening. I spoke to friends and family and started to realize how color affects so many parts of our lives and how such simple things can also affect the way we use color. I see a divide in our society right now; one leaning towards neutrals and basics, whether that be in our wardrobes or in our home decorations, and the other leaning towards this maximalist, full force use of color. I personally, grew up surrounding by color. My home growing up had a different color paint in every room, my mom and family have always worn lots of color and stayed away from blacks and neutral. Color has so many components to it and can be used to portray an array of emotions, messages, etc. I find this topic so extremely interesting, as there are so many layers and aspects to dive into. So let's dive in!

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This photo essay shows how people dress and incorporate color in their day to day wardrobes. I asked my family, friends and people around school if I could take a picture of their everyday, most themselves outfits. The first photo is a basic pose in black and white while the second picture is in color and the person is posed however they liked. This demonstrates how and which colors people feel the most comfortable in. Along with the photo is a quote from each person describing their style or dressing of that day, their mindset behind it as well as what colors they may lean towards and why. Enjoy!

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(Taken from The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain Article by Regina Lee Blaszczyk)

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This color card is from 1939 and was the Fall Season Color Card for the US. These color cards were key to keeping up with color trends and making sure that the next hue was available.

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Isabelle Vallejo, also known as Izzy, is 20 yrs old and currently studying communications and fashion in Paris. As her roommate, I have seen the evolution in the way she dresses and have seen the shift to wearing predominately neutrals or black. In my conversation with Izzy, it was interesting to understand how she views color in her wardrobe and why she tends to stay in a more neutral pallet and of course her favorite, black.

What does color represent in your clothing?

Izzy: I see color in peoples clothing as their vibe or aura. Personally, I think too much about color and when I pick out outfits I dont really care about mood, I could be the happiest person but still wearing all black because that’s what I feel the most comfortable in. I just find black to the best color to wear on the days that I dont want to be perceived.

How does black make you feel?

Izzy: Powerful. Hidden some days. Especially winter time in Paris when everything gloomy, I feel blended in. I don’t care for standing out unless my fit is fire. I guess I feel like just myself.

If you were to incorporate colors into an outfit, which colors would you lean towards?

Izzy: Neutrals. Black. Sometimes light blue for jeans, white shoes. Dark greens, anything dark.

During Covid, did you find yourself indulging in neutral or bright colors?

Izzy: I wore dark hoodies and had maybe one colored. I mostly wore sweatshirts and sweatpants all day, everyday. We weren’t allowed to online shop. I don’t think the pandemic had anything to do with that for me. I didn’t really shop online or look into clothes so I don’t correlate those two.

Have you noticed a trend in the rise of decline of color?

Izzy: There’s been a rise. Everyone’s wearing color now. But I do think it depends on the season because now with the sun out everyone’s going to be picking colors, like light pastels and bright colors. But if I could wear black in the summer, I would.

How do you think your own self of style has changed in the sense of color?

Izzy: I use to love wearing all blue, light colors but I do feel like my style has changed for the better. I feel more comfortable in grays, black, whites and it just feels easy because you can wear anything with it.

Do you think neutrals go hand in hand with that minimalism, capsule wardrobe trend?

Izzy: Yea absolutely. That’s kind of how I imagine myself. A minimalist, with a minimalist house, with my minimalist things and outfits. All full of neutrals. I want my future house to be all black if it can be.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the media or hectic social world and does it affect the way you dress?

Izzy: No. No matter how I’m feeling, I will never let myself leave the house, looking like my mood. I just 1) dont want people to know or 2) in my mind if I dress well then I feel well. I tried to make my outfits better than my mood so I can maybe feel better.

Do you ever find yourself trying to wear color to bring up your mood or feel better?

Izzy: In the summer I’ll obviously start wearing lighter colors like white or light blue. But anything thats pink or orange or green green, I dont think I could do - its too bight and its just no me, not my character.

Is there anybody in your bubble wear lots of color? How do you view people that do wear color?

Izzy: My friend Olivia, for example, always has good outfits, lots of color and I see her as super bubbly, confident and just loves life.

Do you avoid color when you’re shopping?

Izzy: Yes. If I saw this hoodie in five different colors, I would pick the black one. Even if they had the cutest colors or pastels, I would still get black. It’s just my go-to, for anything. You can never have too much black clothes. I almost feel like I dont have enough.

Do you think color can have an affect on your mental health?

Izzy: Oh yea, absolutely. Sometimes I hate that I do wear all black and wish I could wear colorful clothes but I just feel like I’m not that person. But yea, I don’t know, there’s definitely and up and down side to wearing all black. But if I do wear all black I almost feel like I do have to be in a stink mood. It can alter me to be more gloomy or hidden especially if it matches the weather. There’s so many different factors.

When did you stop wearing colors?

Izzy: Definitely has to be these past couple of years. I wasn’t like this in high school- I was a bubbly little freak, and wore so much blue. But definitely moving to Paris made me switch up. Especially when we go out, we all wear all black. I feel like it’s a natural thing we all do now, especially in Paris, we just wear all black to go out.

If you were to add a pop of color, what would it be?

Izzy: White. *laughs* Damn, I really don’t wear colors. Maybe dark green and I guess I’ll wear red accents but yea, that’s funny.

Additional Comments from Izzy:

I feel like our generation now has two sides. One side that wants everyone to be minimalist and the other that wants everyone to maximalist like your most vibrant self, super colorful. In hot places, I feel like I try to not wear as much black, I’ll always have one thing thats black to feel myself but in the summer its too hot to wear all black. I barely even do it out of convenience, I just love it, it’s a very natural thing.

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Cecile Poignant was born and raised in France and is an expert trend forecaster and works in brand identity. She also teaches a module at AUP and during our interview, Cecile gave great insight on how trends work, the cycle of colors as well as her own thoughts on color and dressing. I was very excited for this interview as Cecile has an exclusive point of view and extensive knowledge on not only color but how trends cycle and work in general.

How did you get into the field of trend forecasting and then specializing in brand identity?

Cecile: The curiosity I had when I was a kid never stopped. I decided to study fashion and applied art and by chance, I went to a professional fair in France and saw a small trend form which is where I discovered this whole concept of trend forecasting. For me, it was a small revelation because it’s what I was doing all the time: trying to connect things together, trying to understand the pattern, trying to give meanings to things, to actions. It’s what I was looking for since I was a child, trying to understand the things around me and share it with people. At this time, there was no specific courses (on trend forecasting), but what you really needed to have to do the job was curiosity, an open mind, a desire to find new things and to discuss with people. Applying the girt of trend forecasting on really everything in life. When you look at trends and want to make a living out of it, it means your clients are brands. You need to understand what a brand identity is and how a company can move forward in the future without losing their DNA. You are doing two things at the same time, keeping the DNA of the company but keeping it more aligned with the future so it’s a bit tricky.

Can you describe the steps you take to forecast trends? How do you remain on top of trends?

Cecile: We go back to curiosity and it means you have to look at many many different things, not just focusing on fashion shows and glossy magazines. Because i’m interested in global trend forecasting for all kinds of activities, I think grocery stores are a great place to see trends, the tube, when people are waiting to enter the cinema, everything is very much a place where you can grab information. You have to follow politics, science and innovation and also must be very open to young contemporary artists. Artists are very sensitive people and feel, what the French all, L’Heure de Temps, which means they are really filtering what’s important. You also have to consider the idea of cycles that you have in trends, like in colors, sometimes one trend or color can be very popular and after some time we don’t want it anymore and are going to change.

How do you balance between keeping current and developing a distinctive brand identity?

Cecile: I think it’s easier when the brand’s really got a purpose. That it’s very clear that the brand is really producing something, could be a product or service, that is really helpful and meaningful. So if this is the case, it's easier to move it to the into the future. If the what the brand is doing is somehow a bit weak or a bit like nothing special, then it's much more difficult so.

What do you believe will be the most significant trends over the coming few years, and how do you anticipate them to affect brand identity?

Cecile: Well, in general, there was a come back a couple of years ago, first of yellow, then of pink. I think this was interesting because yellow and pink had been put aside for many, many years and and I think it's interesting now to see that the millennial pink is now being seen kind of like a classical pink. Pale, classical pink and that yellow. It is everywhere, especially also in home decoration. And so I think it's nice to see cycles and to see that colors are coming and going but things are evolving. For instance, normally the color that French people preferred used to be blue but, now it is green, which means a lot. It means that people are more interested in nature and are more interested in sustainability than before, so things like that can evolve too. I feel like blue is very common too, the blue jeans are very classic.

How do you identify different colors?

Cecile: You have a lot of people that have written very good books on the history of colors.

We also know that, for instance, Black is one of the first colors that humankind has been using. So I mean you have a lot of history of colors that can help you to understand that colors have been going through different times and have been perceived by people in different ways. Some people still say that pink is the color for little girls and that blue is the color for little boys, but it has not always been like that. Black is a very strong color because it's got a very large, symbolic meaning, you know, because it's the the color of the pirates. But it's also the colors of the little black dress. So it can be very cheap, but it can be very punk at the same time. Somehow it's also very linked with religion because there was a time, a long time ago that men were wearing a lot of patterns, feathers and colors. Religion said it was not OK anymore, so they asked men to start to wear black and women to only dress in colors. So every every color has a long history.

Can you describe a trend or brand identity project you worked on that was really difficult or satisfying, and why?

Cecile: The best subject is always the latest one because I'm quite passionate about what I do. There has never been a a subject that I didn't like. I just told myself that I never wanted to work for people doing guns or doing cigarettes. These were the only two things that I never wanted to do. But for the rest, I mean with a curious mind like mine, everything is interesting. Everything is a new challenge. Also, I have an interesting point of view as an outsider. I'm just a trend forecaster outside every of those industries, but using the same grid of analysis and the same grid to try to help people to be more aware of the future and be more ready for changes. So it’s interesting.

Is there a certain trend that sticks out to you the most?

Cecile: When you have a look in the streets of Paris, or even globally, it's like there’s uniforms. I had a discussion the other day with someone about uniforms. And I said OK, but people are already in uniforms. Everyone is wearing sneakers. Jeans are mostly black during the winter, you know? So it's already a kind of uniform. I think the reason also, is dealing with the idea that you might have bad test and that might be a problem. So you know that you're not going to do something ugly when mixing white, black, grey together. I mean this is. OK, it's not going to be a problem at all, but if you're going to buy, I don't know, a pink coat, maybe everyone is going to look at you. You are not sure of yourself  or your self-confidence on how to use color. For many people it does go together. So it's that and also I would say that it's more about convenience and social impact rather than sustainability.

How do you see the trend of color in clothing especially during the pandemic?

Cecile: During the quarantine period, what was obvious, is that we were not dressed at all. We were using pajamas, loungewear, joggings… I mean all kind of very easy-to-wear clothing. Socks, no shoes, stuff like that. I think it was mostly about neutral colors, but I think what we see now, in the fashion landscape, is that many brands are trying to come back with bright colors. Like the pink Valentino. Many brands are making statements about colors, or trying to, and it's true that it looks really nice when you see that. But it is difficult to wear out and also it's very noticeable. I mean, if you have a green coat, then you have a green coat. If you see a client, and two weeks after that, you are still wearing your green coat, well then its very visible. You need to have quite a lot of money to have a large part of your clothing be colorful. So yeah, brands are trying to bring back colors, but the street is still wearing no colors. Kind of like that sense of wanting to be comfortable and not wanting to be too loud. You also don't feel like spending the whole day with very bright pink, long sweatpants at home during the confinement. I mean the whole story and the whole situation was already very frightening and difficult. So there was no need to shouting it with bright colors. You know you just want to have something that was, you know, no problem.

Do you see a decline in color in fashion or a specific time that this trend occurs?

Cecile: I would say that maybe what is interesting now is that we see a shift around colors because some people started to realize that dying something, whether it's paint or a fabric or a paper, uses chemical products and those products are very bad for the planet, but also for your health. There is this quote that says “if you want to know what color is trending, you have to look at the colors of the rivers In China”. it’s very harmful for the planet, but also for ourselves. I would say a trend is emerging around non dyed products. Blue is a color that is used a lot, and because of the problem with mass production products, natural dyes might not be enough. You cannot dye everything on indigo. Also, the pigment is not very stable. So it means if you have a dress that is has been dyed in indigo, you have a white bag, your bag is going to be blue. So it's it's interesting to see what people are trying to find out. Solutions with non dying or with natural colorants, trying to find alternative to chemical products.

What does color mean to you? Do you wear colors depending on your mood, trying to portray something or is there no thought behind it

Cecile:  I must say that my wardrobe is mostly made of black and and white and pale blue. I would love to change all the black stuff that I have for more lighter stuff. This is my project, but I don't want to throw away my clothes because that’s not sustainable. So what I'm doing now when I'm buying stuff, I trying to see if I can go for more whites and beiges. I'm dressed in black, but for me, its like a shell. It was like something as a kind of self defense when I was younger, when I was a teenager. I kept it because when you are working in fashion well, it's easy. Everyone is everyone working in fashion is, most of the time, working in black. So I would love to wear more colors, but it means that you have to have a large wardrobe, which I don't want to have. I'm now trying to go more for neutrals because of the energy. Colors that are a bit more soft somehow, and I think because maybe I’m aging myself. I'm looking more for softness than for the violence but I used to love a lot of black because black makes you bold. You know?

I think also, in the vast majority of the world, you have a lot of guys working and not so many girls. And I remember when I was traveling a lot pre-COVID and doing a lot of conferences, most of the time, the assembly was a vast majority of males. So, it was important the way I was dressed. The way I was choosing my garments, work with that in mind, that I need to appear powerful and not powerless, so it could be with a bold government, even if it's black. Or it could be with a bright accessory, but I needed to make a statement with the way I was dressed. To impose myself. Its such a big aspect of the way you dress and present yourself, because it's kind of like how much space you're going to take up. And I think that's what is so interesting, especially about black, because there's two completely different kind of spectrums.

How does the color black make you feel? Is it something powerful or something that helps you hide?

Cecile: I think people look at it one of two ways. You either wear black and feel very powerful and very bold, or you wear black and feel kind of shielded and more closed off. So I think it's very interesting the way that people use black because they're like two complete polar opposites like. Either you wear it to hide yourself or you wear it to kind of pronounce like, “I’m here!”, Like I said before, you can have the little black dress and you can have the Sex Pistols. You can have both.

Do you find yourself learning towards neutrals or more bright colors when shopping or even getting dressed? Why? Is there maybe a cultural tie to this?

Cecile: Yeah, sure. There is always an explanation behind it. I would say that it’s like jeans, they try to make it different colors, but it always comes back to the blue. There are meaningful colors and I think the fact that the neutrals are called neutrals is interesting. The names you put with the colors are always interesting. And of course there is a history also and we all know that black is a very powerful color, but it's a very violent color. Maybe we are arriving at a time that we are looking at how the world outside is quite dark. The world outside is quiet. Maybe we need to have something that is in between. During the during the 80s and the 90s we used to have grey, but I think now when we're speaking about neutrals or naturals, we are not thinking of a mix of white and black; we are more thinking of something that is like of white, beige, those kind of tones. So it's more neutrals that are a bit more warm than the gray that we used to have during the 90s.

During Covid, did you find yourself indulging in neutrals or bright colors? Why?

Cecile: The easy answer is to say neutrals because it's easier to use and it could be produced without dye, which we still have a very huge problem with. A sustainable problem with chemicals products for dying. People are not completely aware, but I think there will come a time that they will be aware that also having fabrics that are dyed can be very bad for their health. So maybe neutrals are going to win, but there there will be always. You know, this is life. These are human people. There will always be people that love bright colors. People there are,  I don't know, Extroverted, you know?  I'm not sure that we will be very happy with just one choice. I mean there will be a time where we will have no other choice but maybe in the future, when the materials are going to be hard to get. You will need to keep things for a very long time, when you will need to repair them to keep them for a longer time. We human beings are not very clever, and sometimes we need really to be, you know, to have the world just there to say, “OK. We can't do it anymore”. But until then, I think people are thinking that fashion is a way of expressing themself. And so if they still believe that, they still also believe that colors is also a way to express themself. So I think until we arrive at the moment where we don't have any more raw materials, any more chemicals or any more people that have money to buy stuff, then we’re going to have bright color as well. We're going to have colors. It's not going to go completely away.

Do you think neutral colors and minimalism/capsule wardrobes go hand in hand?

Cecile: I mean Coco Chanel was wearing capsule wardrobe. Gucci was wearing capsule wardrobe. I mean, many people, Steve Jobs, you know, with the turtle neck, the black turtle neck. Mark Zuckerberg, with his very expensive Gray T-shirt. I mean, there was always for a certain number of people that liked the idea of it. It should be easy to dress up every morning so that you don't have to make so much of a choice so that you know what you're going to wear and you wear it. I think also, the idea of capsule wardrobe is, still very much here. But people are still shopping at Bershka, buying stuff at Shien and so on. I mean, it means that the vast majority of the world is not in capsule wardrobe. People are a bit more aware of the problem with fast fashion, but for many people, there is no problem, so they still go and buy the stuff that they are going to wear for, I don't know, one summer and then, you know, they just get rid of it. Or maybe they try to sell it back on Vinted. I would say that the capsule wardrobe, for me. is is a very good solution and I think it's something that is very peaceful. But you have to be OK with it, and you have to have enough self-confidence to know that it's not because you are not following the latest fast fashion trend that you're going to be out of the game, you don't need to follow that latest trendy whatever jeans, whatever top crop, whatever. I think the problem is that globally, the society in our Western world, is not is not given the tools of self-confidence and so that's why the situation is bad; because they are in a bad mood because they are depressed or whatever. They go and they buy, for a couple of euros, whatever kind of small garments. You know, new T-shirts and new shirts, whatever. And this is the part of the problem. So until we are working on self-confidence and people can’t be independent in the way they dress themselves and not following trends.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the media or hectic social world and does it affect the way you present/dress yourself?

Cecile: People may feel overwhelmed by the media or just by the outside world in general. That kind of transcends into them, presenting themselves and dressing themselves more. I had a talk the other  day with a psychologist. She told me that somehow, our brain is not made to deal with so much information. As many as we have now, I mean, we know everything- we know what's happening in Ukraine, we know what's happening in China. So we know so many things. Somehow too much information and we get drunk with this information. We are seeing it in home decoration, but at the same time we are seeing two large trends; one towards more minimalism, a but like the Marie Kondo style, you know, to get rid of stuff, try to have really things that you need and not too much, and more neutral colors and so on. At the same time, we have a trend which is about maximalism. So you have minimalism, but you have maximalism. I think some people are thinking about sustainability also as something that you can bring into your own place. So that your own place can be more sustainable. So it does not mean that it all needs to be natural colors, but it's means that you don't have too much information. Not too many objects, so that at least your own place can be a a place where you can slow down. To have something that is not too bright and and you know sparkling, that it's a bit more peaceful, that you have a place where you can rest.

Additional Comments

I see my job as helping people to be more aligned with what we all need, which is a sustainable future. So I think the problem is that now, by using this speedness in fast fashion and ultra fast fashion, the world trend is  meaningless and it's even dangerous. And I think also patterns can be also an interesting way for women to impose themselves. Patterns is something interesting because it's bringing colors but not just one flat color,

To be at the beginning, you know, trend forecasting was a good idea. It was the idea, not to develop that stock, but to try to develop things that people wanted at the moment they wanted. But then, since fast fashion and ultra fast fashion arrived, it's not bad anymore. It just to bring up new ideas that are just chasing the old one from last month, you know? So this is crazy. I mean, it's like you are driving at a super fast speed and and you know that you cannot stop and you know that there will be a wall. So I think, yeah, when you say to people that they need to be dressed with the latest trends so that they can exist, that the car won't stop.

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Laura Cabello Plasencia is 32 years old and lives in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. I wanted to interview Laura because she has always stuck out as somebody who wears lots of bright colors and loves to mix and match. She had her own brand at one point named PlayMoreHouse and gave great insight on how she views and uses color in dress.

Can you tell me a bit about our background in the fashion industry?

Laura: I studied fashion design in Madrid and then moved to New York and ended up in a company, that starting off selling scarfs. We were designing the prints and they were really bright and colorful which is why I really liked that company. Then, we started a women’s wear collection which was amazing. I then moved to London and ended up in Fyodor Golan, which actually closed up a few years ago. They were also super bright and colorful and played a lot with colors.

How would you describe your sense of style? Who/What has influenced this?

Laura: My sense of style is “wear everything”. It doesn’t matter if it matches or not, if it makes a little bit of sense then it will be great. It doesn’t matter if people on the street turn around and criticize you, its okay- Its actually better. So wear absolutely everything. Big headbands with big earrings and a colored necklace, everything, everything is gonna be great. I was vert influenced by my mom since I was little. She always told me everything was fine and that it didn’t matter if you weren’t like your classmates. They’re basic and you are a star, basically. I do also have my grandma that literally wears everything, every single day so it makes me feel great. It makes me feel like colors and mixing and matching and having a bomb of color for everyday is amazing.

What does color mean to you?

Laura: It’s a way to sell, it’s a way to show emotions. It’s how we live, how we perceive our life. It’s a way to cheer me up. I really love bold colors and when you live in the south of anywhere, whether that be Spain or Italy, wherever it’s warm, the brighter the color, the brighter you are. It’s very sunny in the Canary Islands, where i’m from and live ,and it’s just not the same wearing a bright jacket in London as wearing a bright color in the canary islands. The colors are never the same and when the sun hits, the colors are exceptional, like you’re shining everywhere.

Do you wear colors depending on ur mood?

Laura: Yes definitely, there are times that I feel blue and I literally wear navy blue because i’m not feeling myself. Normally I wear a lot of colors and depending on how happy I am, I wear more colors. There are also times where i’m not feeling myself but I use colors to cheer myself up because theres no way i’m living that day as sad as I am inside.

What colors do you indulge in the most?

Laura: Bright blue, hot pink and green. I think right now whites as well but its a matter of trends. Whites just attract me a lot. Mixing all these colors can be a bit of craziness that makes other people look at you. I don’t mind, and I do understand that people use more neutral colors, like browns or blacks, grey, but i’m not anything like that.

How does the color black make you feel? Is it powerful or something that helps you hide?

Laura: I use a lot of black. I’m not gonna lie, I really like black. I think because of my background (in fashion), i’ve been taught that black is a sober and very sophisticated color that you must be wearing all the time. Although, I don’t use it as much as people in the (fashion) industry use it.

I think its meaning really depends on how you use the color. Depending on where I’ve been, in most of the big cities, people wear all black and they wear it in different kinds of ways. I think there’s a point when you’ve been living in a big city where you can actually tell different shades of black. At the same time, in the (fashion) industry, I think we are told to wear black because when you’re showing off your collection, you must give all the attention to the collection and not the designer. Like I said, it’s a very sophisticated color- s a color that you can go back to all the time and it’s always going to work.

Do you find yourself leaning towards neutrals or more bright colors?

Laura: I’ve definitely had my times. There was one period where I was always wearing neutral colors and always buying neutral things, but over the years, i’ve learned that you have to be playful. You have to wear what you’re not going to wear tomorrow. It doesn’t matter what people are going to think of you. So right now, i’m more bright colors, more patterns, more whatever. Could be checkers with flowers or flowers with stripes; everything goes.

Is there maybe a cultural tie to the way you dress?

Laura: I dont think so, I think it’s just a way of living. It’s when you’re getting inspiration from instagram or wherever you see it. I tend to be more attracted to those people that wear everything, where it makes no sense but it does make sense. All bright colors are okay, everything mixed is greater than neutral colors. I do love neutral colors but I don’t think Im able to pull them off just because of how attracted I am to bright colors right now. I can’t see myself wearing neutrals.

During covid, did you find yourself indulging in neutrals or brighter colors?

Laura: I dont think i’m the best example, since I did actually have to go to work every single day. It wasn’t a moment of showing off, people were either working from home or not working at all. There are moments to show up and this was not that moment. Anything was okay but not everything was okay, meaning like okay dress up but don’t exaggerate.

Have you noticed a trend in the rise or decline of color in the fashion industry?

Laura: Im not sure if it’s because of covid but yes, definitely . Right now, there is a trend of really bright colors. Bright orange, bright blue, bright pink. There is clearly a trend of bright colors and textures and prints.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the media or hectic social world and does it affect the way you present/dress yourself?

Laura: I don’t feel overwhelmed but I do check it all the time. I see a lot of things everyday and there’s a point where you can feel overwhelmed. But in my case, it’s a platform for inspiration and for what’s next or new. I think there are trends that are moving really fast all the time but I think that can be great. It just shows how the world is moving right now. There’s of course times that I wish the world were moving slower but people are presenting themselves on social media all the time and I think its great that we can find so much inspiration on a daily basis There are times that I envy people who are wearing new stuff all the time but I don’t think thats a regular person life so you can’t compare yourself to  a social media influencer at all. It’s not real life so I dont feel overwhelmed but I do find inspiration in it.

Any additional comments:

When we talk about colors, you have to be extremely comfortable in them. People say that in a big city, other people don’t turn around, but that’s a lie. You have to really, really, really feel confident to pull craziness off. I think i’ve learned in life that it doesn’t matter what people say about me or the way I dress. I dress like theres’ no tomorrow. It doesn’t matter if I feel comfortable sometimes or not, I just go out on the streets and try to feel as comfortable in myself as possible. I know what i’m wearing, I know it’s crazy, but I know I like it. I know that it sometimes makes other people uncomfortable with you but sometimes when you’re mixing a lot of colors, it makes the other person feel that they’re not as confident as you are. I think wearing a lot of colors depends on the confidence you have in yourself and how comfortable you feel with yourself. That’s the reason that people tend to wear more neutral colors rather than brights. When you’re wearing bright colors, you attract attention, you attract eyes, and people turn around. If you’re not use to it, then it might make you feel uncomfortable.

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MessyNessy created #stylespy as a series, observing Parisian dress,  from her office window in the 5th. Overlooking an intersection, Nessy has taken clips of Parisians, tourists, and all the above, seeing how the dress for a day in Paris. I am using (authorized) videos from MessyNessy's #StyleSpy to see how people incorporate color in their outfits!

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Black is one of the most interesting colors with so much history and layers of importance. Black plays a crucial role in mourning dress which then evolved to the Little Black Dress and can portray so many emotions. People wear black to hide themselves or blend it and others wear it to make a powerful statement. I personally use black in both ways. If I'm feeling down or don't want to draw attention to myself, I'll put on an all black fit. At the same time, If I want to make a statement, look professional or chic while going out, I will put on an all black outfit. Black is so extremely versatile and can be morphed to sit a large array of situations and emotions. It can be interpreted hundreds of ways and used for so many different things, Black truly holds such a strong power, not just in the fashion industry, but throughout our society as a whole. Black is essentially every single color in one. It's the absence of color. Defined by Oxford, Black is "of the very darkest color owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white".

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White is pure, it's classic, it's loose, it's relaxed. It's easy to pair with every color, and used in every season. An all white look is a go-to for a together, chic, calm look. It's bright yet neutral. It can be morphed and used to anyone's likings. White is the baseline for fun and creativity.

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Neutrals can be creams, beige, whites, tans, and even grays. In the 90's if someone said neutrals they were most likely talking about a grey where now a days, neutral are tied to the calmer, soft beige and creams. They are effortless, chic, zen, easy to pair and make for a perfect wardrobe capsule. They are perfect for all seasons and are becoming ever more popular. Not just used in fashion, neutrals are taking over home decor, architecture and more.

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Taken in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

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"I dress in a very maximalist fashion. Living on an island, there's color everywhere and I love to mix & match patterns and colors which make my outfits really stand out"

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Taken in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

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"I think black is a very efficient color to build off of. Whenever I try to buy basic pieces I’ll lean towards black because it goes with the rest of my wardrobe automatically then I’ll add color with accessories (shoes, jackets etc)"

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It's fiery, it's love, it's anger, it's passion: It's RED. Red makes me feel bold, nothing like a red lip to catch someone's eye, and nothing like red lace to make a girl feel sexy. This color draws on emotions and reminds people of passion and excitement.

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"I would describe my style as very classic with a twist of fun. I use simple classic palettes and indulge in fine accessories. I love to use color in my everyday outfits to have flow together."

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"There’s just something calming about a black fit, calming not in the sense that it is easy to put on but rather that it seems right"

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"I like wearing basics and neutral colors because I don't have to think too deeply about what I wear and everything pretty much matches. If I do wear color it's a statement piece in either light blue or pink"

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Green reminds me of our earth. It's sustainability, it's being eco-conscious, it's being grounded. Whether it be a dark green or a bright green, it gives a sense of calm and earthiness. I think green is also very gender neutral. Color doesn't have gender but green has always been the perfect in-between.

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Colors vs neutrals, seen through MessyNessyChic's StyleSpy. This video tallies off the amount of people walking around Paris, seeing whether or not they are dressed in more neutrals tones or color. Watch the video to find out which team wins!

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"I’m not exactly sure what I would describe my style as, it changes a lot based on my mood, but I love vintage, color; clothing with character, history, personality. I tend to find a balance between standing out/expressing my personality while maintaining comfort and function. As far as color, brighter colors feel natural to me and I tend to automatically color code myself without thinking but I notice I tend to wear a lot of blues."

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"I wear this leather jacket almost everyday and I wanted to put a shirt under my sweater bc it was cold and I thought the two tone grey would look better than nothing under it. But I mainly dress for comfort so I can get out the door quickly and still look out together / confident."

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Blue. It's everything and it's everywhere. The color of jeans, the many shades of blue are used in most peoples day to day outfits. Blue goes with everything and can be used in all seasons, making it such a versatile color. Light blue keeps me young, striking blue (like the image) makes me feel bold, navy blue makes me feel chic and warm. Blue is endless and a color that will stick around forever in everyone's everyday outfits.

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"I dress to reflect how I feel and how the world is. I don't care so much about coordinating with seasons as much as I do like putting many things together than can reflect whatever I feel, am inspired by, or like"

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"I dress based on the day to day and how I'm feeling. I'll wear black but I do like to change it up and add a bit of color like today. Reds, blues and whites are my go-to."

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It's the sun, it's light, it's happiness, it's spring, it's yellow. A color I don't tend to lean towards in my outfits but it reminds me of my childhood. The color of summer and springs: Yellow was the color of my childhood bedroom. It will forever keep me young and can instantly brighten my day.

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"For me style is about « i’m playing with y’all, guess who i really am on the inside ». Eventually,  I ended up thinking of style as a video game, where every day  i try to create different combinations. Style starts with appreciating/enjoying your curiosity and creativity, then see what you really like, take pride and own it your way."

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Pink is love. It's feminine. It's Valentino. Valentino's SS22 collection brought out the striking Valentino Pink. I found this to be extremely eye-catching, as the monochromatic looks left the viewer to understand the levels of garments, the cut, texture and fall. Traditionally associated to women, and although a very feminine color; Pink is for everyone. As Valentino's collab with Lewis Hamtilton says, "real men wear pink."

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Michel Pastoureau is a French professor of medieval history. He is also one of author of the most recognized color books. When speaking to Cecile Poignant, She mentioned that he is the most trusted person to speak on each color. He has written books explaining the history of each color. Each book being dedicated to a certain color, Mr. Pastoureau is the acclaimed author of "Black: The History of a Color", "White: The History of a Color", "Blue: The History of a Color", "Green: The History of a Color",  "Red: The History of a Color", and "Yellow: The History of a Color".  Each of the books illustrates a cultural visual history of the colors, allowing readers to understand the importance the colors have played in our world's story.

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I find loungewear to tie into the cycle of color because they both become popular and caught my eye during the pandemic. Both were rising in popularity and became intertwined in my eyes. Not only was I mainly shopping for loungewear during the pandemic, but all of the pieces were in soft, neutral colors. Included in this post, is a journalistic article for the Peacock magazine, written on the rise of loungewear.

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The Comfy Era: Loungewear as a Wardrobe Staple  

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“i would describe my sense of style as a mixture of masculine and feminine street style mixed with chic, but always comfortable. i’ll only buy color if it’s a statement accessory and it needs to be a striking color”

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“I was feeling childish today and when I feel like that, I like to wear what my mom use to dress me in. I do normally lean towards lots of greens and browns”

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I personal think Kim Kardashian has a strong tie to neutrals and being monochromatic in the various interviews that have come out where she speaks about color. Her brand Skims, launched at the end of 2019, just before the pandemic hit. Her clothing was offered in an array of neutral colors as well as some seasonal shades. The way she decorated her home also became a talking piece, as her entire time home is white. The walls, the furniture, everything. She said this was due to the overwhelming life style she lives, with so much happening in her day to day life, she wanted her home to be a place of calmness, a place for her to relax and not feel overhwhelmed, "My house is so zen". In the interview with Angie Martinez, Kim talks about the color palettes she requires her employees to dress in, which just happens to be all neutrals; grays, heather gray, black, navy, white, cream, khaki. This entire theme of neutrals is due to once again wanted a simple and easy outlook, as one can assume her life to be hectic. I find her to be a person of interest when it comes to neutrals, as although she doesn't dress in them day to day, she has incorporated neutrals to be a fundamental part of her brand and home.
(link to her interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5pBkYb0jSw)

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Kim Kardashian | Angie Martinez IRL Podcast

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Brenda Hashtag became popular on TikTok, thanks to her all white and black closet. Literally consisting of only white or black pieces, Brenda is said to never wear color. This went viral on TikTok and was something that immediately came to mind when thinking about color. In one of her TikToks, Brenda talks about one of her "closet flexs" and says, “i obviously limit myself to wearing just 2 colors but i strongly believe in a uniform and if i really love an item i will go out of my way to find a version in both black and white”. (link to said TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brendahashtag/video/7106892587562290438?q=Brenda%20hastag%20black%20and%20white%20closet&t=1682173476165).

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weird flex but go off i guess #closettour #archivefashion

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@brendahashtag
weird flex but go off i guess #closettour #archivefashion
♬ #3 - Aphex Twin

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“Pourqoui La Couleur a Disparu De Notre Quotidien” hosted by designer, Jean-Gabriel Causse, gives insight on the disappearance of color in our daily lives. He explains how things like mass production, issues with taste, consumption, and the avant-garde influence all affect this phenomenon of color slowly declined from our world. To get a general consensus of the way color has declined in society, the video brings up the decline of color in vehicle production. In 1952, 3/4 of cars were red, green or blue where as now, 3/4 of cars are grey, white or black. White made up about 5% of vehicles in 2006 and now makes up 30%. This was due to mass consumption and the need to appeal to a larger audience. Bright color ruled the world in the 60’s and 70’s where as now, our world is overloaded with bland, neutral colors. The fashion industry is also a major driver of this color trend, as the late 1800’s and early 1920’s was colorless opposed to oranges and reds that took over the 60’s and 70’s. The video also mentions the popularity and uses of the color black over time. It began in the 1860’s with the smoking tuxedo which was made black to protect from cigarette smoke. We then of course see the color black post World War 1 during the mourning period, which then swiftly detached from grief and transformed to be a symbol of elegancy, seen through the famous Little Black Dress created by Coco Chanel in 1926. Fashion designers even now are always head to toe in black, almost like a uniform. Finally, the video touches on how we can see a current rise in color, especially leaving the pandemic period, where color is making a return on red carpets, the music industry, and even architecture.

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Pourquoi la couleur a disparu de notre quotidien

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Blaszczyk, Regina Lee. "The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain." The Fashion Forecasters: A Hidden History of Color and Trend 

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 The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain 

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 The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain 

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In her book, Blaszczyk (2017) charts the development of color forecasting in the fashion business. She makes the case that color forecasting has become a more crucial tool for designers and manufacturers to foresee market trends and consumer preferences. Going back to the early 1900’s is the first sign of color forecasting, starting with the American Textile Color Card Association (TCCA) created in 1914 and British version, British Color Council (BCC) created in August of 1930. Holbrook Jackson, a British journalist and editor of Draper’s Organizer, described the tools needed to manage color for fashion business and gave credit to the ‘artistic and economic significance’ that color and commerce held. Color forecasting was important for every industry step, from textile mills to garment manufacturers and retailers who needed to know what was next up in fashion to keep up with demands. “The object of color prediction is to provide the fashion trades with information sufficiently in advance for a season for them to prepare for demand” (Holbrook Jackson). By doing this, they were able to reduce the uncertainty associated with incorrectly predicting color trends as well not wasting materials by producing hues that weren't in demand. Shade cards, seasonal shade cards and shade cards for special occasion, and color charts were all different tools perfectly crafted and curated, using the hot hues from Paris, to facilitate an easy color guide to follow. Margaret Hayden Rorke, also known as Mrs. Rorke, became the worlds most influential color forecaster. She was the backbone of the TCCA, one of her biggest contributions being better integrating season shade cards and regular color cards with the continually evolving fashion scene that’s ideally suited to the diverse mass market's tastes and expanding need for everyday fashion in America. She encouraged the association to become more independent implementing her method of analyzing past trends to make informed prediction on future trends. There was a high reliance on the fashion industry in Paris, which Blaszczyk says to be one of Rorke’s biggest challenges; obtaining quick and accurate color and trend information from European fashion capitals. Mrs. Rorke has immense connections to Paris, with fashion spys, that would report color news back to her. Because Paris was a fashion hot spot, there were about 50,000 different shades for each season, which of only 200 made it to the US and of those 200, only 20 would be generally accepted by the American market. As perfectly stated by Paul Hyde Bonner, an executive at Stehli Silk Corporation, “To wait and see which twenty of the fifty thousands will ‘take’ would mean missing a season” (pg 24). It was said that Mrs. Rorke, and her assistant at the time, Estelle Tennis, to have developed a sixth sense on color forecasting and trends. This is due to the fact that their years of practical experience forced them to differentiate between fleeting fads and long-lasting fashion trends, which was required for the creation of color forecasts. Both of the associations key objective was to “coordinate and predict color trends in ways that reduced uncertainty and minimized risk in the highly fragmented garment and textile industries in the United States and Great Britain” (pg 39).  Color forecasting had become a crucial component of the fashion industry by the middle of the 20th century, influencing both the creation and consumption of apparel.

(Blaszczyk, Regina Lee. "The Rise of Color Forecasting in the United States and Great Britain." The Fashion Forecasters: A Hidden History of Color and Trend Prediction. Ed. Regina Lee Blaszczyk and Ben Wubs . London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts, 2018. 35–62. Bloomsbury Fashion Central. Web. 3 Apr. 2023.)

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To better comprehend color trends in the fashion industry, one must understand the foundations of color psychology and how people perceive color. In their research on "Color and Psychology Functioning," Elliot and Maier (2019) examine the connection between color and psychological functioning. They discovered that exposure to particular hues can significantly affect mood, cognitive function, and behavior. For instance, warm hues like red and yellow are linked to higher levels of excitement, whereas cool hues like blue and green are linked to peace and stable behaviors. The model of color created by Elliot, Maier, Moller, Friedman and Meinhardt, determines that colors provide precise information and the meaning of color is based off learned associations resulted through repeated associations between colors and specific messages or concepts, as well as from innate biological tendencies to react to various colors in different ways in particular circumstances. The core premise of their model is that the affects of color are context specific and this context must be taken into account in terms of both domain and culture. For example, if looking at the color green through a consumer context, it would be linked with money and spending where as looking through a culinary context, green would linked with unfavorable tastes. Overall, the article allows for a deeper comprehension of the processes evoked by the perception of color and how the meanings a color carries can affect the way we respond and behave.

Elliot, Andrew J., and Markus A. Maier. “Color and Psychological Functioning.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 16, no. 5, 2007, pp. 250–54. JSTOR, http:// www.jstor.org/stable/20183210. Accessed 3 Apr. 2023.

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Lucie Whitmore (2018) ‘A Matter of Individual Opinion and Feeling’: The changing culture of mourning dress in the First World War, Women's History Review, 27

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In her article, “‘A Matter of Individual Opinion and Feeling’: The changing culture of mourning dress in the First World War”, Whitmore (2018) examines the changing culture of mourning dress during the First World War. The mourning dress is significant when studying the rise and decline of color in history as the specifics of the garment and time period hold historical importance. Dress historians like Lou Taylor and David Cannadine comment on the roles gender play, the indication of social class and the affect of color in mourning dress etiquette and culture. Between 1914 and 1918, mourning ettiequte changed drastically due to the First World War and never recovered after it. Since the 18th century, black has been the distinguished color for mourning in Britain and became widely popular and accepted in the fashion industry in the later half of the 19th century. Cannadine observed a gender divide in bereavement, as women were the only ones to wear the mourning dress as they were more heavily affected by grief and loss. Due to this familiarity, mourning garments were made available alongside the fashion industry’s latests trends and garments, as if it were the new latest style for women. Magazines like The Sketch, Petit Echo De La Mode, The Queen, The Gentlewomen, all published articles and commented on mourning dress. It became part of the fashion world in the early 1900’s, as it was so prevalent due to the circumstances of the war at that time. These magazines marked different periods of mourning, how long they should go for and how to accurately dress for each period. This culture impacted the lives of women and the role they played, as many wives received backlash for attempting to get back to work, or back into society as an available woman. David Cannadine suggests, “ostentatious wearing of black prevented widow from being treated as normal human beings” (pg 589). The mourning garments marked women and allowed society to know countless details, even social status. It was made widely available to all social levels, and by the 20th century had “reached even the very poorest levels of society”(581).  Overtime, the etiquette began to change to fit the ‘wartime lifestyle’ and became more of a personal choice. This meant mourning became more ‘a matter of individual opinion and feeling’ rather than being largely associated with social status. The dress itself was a semiotic object which categorized the wearer as widowed and in an emotional, grieving state. The way women chose the press that grief was determined the dress and was “an integral part of the grieving process” (591). Overall, Whitmore argues that mourning dress became an increasingly individualized and personal choice, reflecting a shift towards more expressive and subjective modes of grieving.

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"My style is very oversized/baggy street-style, mostly always in all black because that’s the colour I feel most comfortable/myself in. It can make me feel confident or powerful or dark n twisty

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“I’d describe my style as a mix of active sophistication, using color and different shades of color to add more personality and create a look that I find is cute. The color pallet that I typically lean towards is black white cream and blues, and will add in colors like red, pink, greens via details in makeup, scarfs, shoes, etc.“