Hooks the Look

Rose Quartz & Serenity

I’ve often been amused by the names given to colors. The Husband and I delight in telling visitors to our home that the color of the accent wall in our dining room is ‘chocolate pudding’ and that the color of wall with the fireplace is ‘wine stain’. Alternate descriptive names like ‘wet mud’ or ‘blossoming bruise’ do not sound nearly as romantic and do not evoke the same imagery in one’s mind that chocolate pudding and wine stain do. Whether the names of color are associated with paint or fashion, they are intended to capture our imaginations in a way that will attract us to the item in question. But do these names sometimes miss the mark?

Case in point is this year’s Pantone color of the year which is actually two colors, Rose Quartz and Serenity. Rose Quartz seems easy to figure out although it turns out to be a much lighter shade of pink that I initially expected, but what is Serenity? According to the Pantone website, ” Serenity is weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, bringing feelings of respite and relaxation even in turbulent times”. The intent behind the selection of the two colors was to “demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace”. You can read more about the colors and the psychology behind them at Pantone.com.

So basically, Rose Quartz and Serenity are light pink and light blue. I don’t know about you but my first thoughts when seeing pink and blue are of baby showers and small children so I wasn’t very excited upon hearing Pantone’s choice for color of the year. After seeing the colors starting to hit the racks in stores and after seeing many blog posts and Instagram pics of how others are incorporating the colors into their outfits, I decided to give it a spin. Once this decision was made, I knew that I had my theme within a theme for this week’s Powers the Flower link up.

Along with the blog posts and IG pics of Rose Quartz and Serenity, the How I Wear MY team of Jill and Adrienne challenged viewers to submit photos of how they are or would be wearing these colors which they would then showcase in their monthly HIWM feature. I’m really excited to share that the photo I submitted of the outfit in this post appears along with the photos sent in by 15 other bloggers on Everything Just So and a photo from my recent denim-on-denim post appears along with photos sent in by 14 others on The Rich Life (on a Budget).

As I said earlier, I initially thought that Rose Quartz would be a darker shade of pink much like the coat you see in the picture below. I’ve had this coat for about 12 years (I bought it at Robinsons-May which ceased to exist in 2005 so bought before then) and the color has gone in and out of popularity a few times since. Like many of the other older items in my closet I have considered getting rid of it but hung onto it nonetheless but I like the fit and style.

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The item that ties all the colors in this outfit together is the floral pattern of the shirt. It is one of several Simply Vera tops that I own ‘simply’ because I find it hard to resist the floral designs and color combinations that are so prevalent in this clothing line. The flyaway sweater is also by Simply Vera.  It’s lightweight and perfect for layering or if I just need a little something against the chill.

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Gray slacks, a faux croc handbag, and tan suede pumps round out the outfit.

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Are you on board with the Pantone colors of the year for 2016? Do you favor the Rose Quartz or Serenity? And lastly, I’m starting to see a lot of florals posted in blogs and I hope you’ll share them on the Powers the Flower link up. Just click on the little froggy below.  Next week’s theme within a theme for Powers the Flower will be embellishments.

 

 

12 Comments

    • finewhateverblog

      I think that in small doses light pink can look good but it is tricky for fair skinned people to wear a lot of it because there’s a chance that a first glance you could look naked.

    • finewhateverblog

      Thank you. I am discovering that there are several pieces in my wardrobe with the colors so I guess the Pantone’s choice is not so odd after all.

    • finewhateverblog

      Thank you. While I do have pink and blue in my wardrobe, the shades tend to be darker than the Pantone ones. I think what’s most confusing about the two colors is the idea of wearing them together. Perhaps a couple of tie-dyed items with those colors would solve the problem.

  4. Highland Fashionista

    Found you on the linkup. LOVE the new Pantone colours, but I tend to look better in more vibrant hues, so I’m finding that I am incorporating them more in accessories than in my clothing. That pink coat is The Business.