This past December, Pantone, the global authority of color trend information, debuted its newest color of the year: Greenery. Each color of the year choice is a symbolic representation of what is predicted to occur in global culture that year, and usually influences fashion, beauty, architecture, technology, food, and travel. Last year came with the release of not one, but two colors of the year, Rose Quartz and Serenity, a pale pink and pastel blue respectively. The pairing was meant to represent the recent blur of of gender norms in terms of fashion and everyday life, coinciding with gender equality movements around the world. The last time we saw a shade similar to this year was 2013’s color choice of Emerald, which was chosen to symbolize elegance and luxury.
Referred to as “nature’s neutral,” this years yellow-green tone carries the lightheartedness of the first days of spring, representing new beginnings, and a refreshing, revitalizing mood. Arriving in the midst of major changes to the social and political landscapes, Pantone wanted to evoke hopefulness, rebirth, and rejuvenation. Although the idea of “going green” is not a revolutionary one for 2017, the color also symbolizes a growing movement to protect nature amidst the ongoing fight against climate change.
Greenery has already made an appearance on several Spring 2017 Ready to Wear runways, like Gucci, Balenciaga, and Valentino. Although this shade may seem hard to wear, new arrivals in the beauty, accessories, and fashion industries are proving the tone to be easily wearable for anyone. Butter London released a nail polish to commemorate the newest color of the year, and cosmetics brands like NYX, MakeUpForEver, and Sephora all carry easy-to-use products in the green hue. In the accessories department, check out Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer Lightforce sunglasses in green and Burberry’s Small Banner Leather Tote in pale pistachio green. Surprisingly, Greenery can be easily paired with a wide variety of color combinations; try pairing the green tone with last year’s colors of pale pink and blue for a more bold look, or with neutral tones of beige, gold-browns, and cream for a more subtle pop.
Click through the slideshow above to see our other top picks for beauty and accessories in Pantone’s newest color of the year choice.
