Color Buzz

The Royal Ascot

By Michèle Coppin

Started by Queen Anne in 1711, the Royal Ascot is the premier social event of British horse racing. It takes place every year at the end of June and the five days of the "Royal Meeting" provide one of the most unique and colorful occasions on the sporting calendar. Besides going to witness top class horse racing, the crowds also come to see the Queen and other members of the royal family – the Queen always taking center stage.

But the real spectacle of the Royal Ascot is the festive "Ladies Day" parade, as the Royal Ascot brings out the best and most elaborate fashions.

All spectators are expected to dress up, while members of the audience in the "Royal Enclosure" are required to wear formal attire, with hats for the ladies and top hats for the gentlemen (lucky for us Yankees, overseas visitors are welcome to wear the national dress of their country).

The hat competition is fierce, ranging from the bizarre to the beautiful. The more outrageous the hat, the better, in this “heady” celebration of color and creativity.

This year was no exception:

The Queen looks cheerful and elegant in yellow while Prince Philippe is dashing in his top hat.

Checkmate!

Cucumber and watercress sandwiches - very British indeed.

African Fashion Statements

By Megan Leblond

American fashion has many styles due to the wide range of influences. Cutting-edge design sensibilities and the borrowed traditions of our melting pot combine to form eclectic styles all our own.

In Time Magazine’s Style and Design section, Kate Mossman and Chad Pitman’s photo spread ‘Out of Africa’ pays homage to African patterns adopted by current designers. Interestingly, I found that African prints and patterns actually serve certain purposes in the culture.

Kente is a specific type of cloth made in Ghana. The cloth features symbols and colors which communicate specific messages. Patterns and motifs  transcend village languages and can identify a wearer’s purpose or a specific adage or philosophy. In African Kente weaving, each and every thread is used in a way that allows each thread to be seen. The warp and weft colors are laid out carefully, each carrying specific meanings within the pattern.

Examples of these motifs include messages such as, “One person does not make a nation,” “The extended family is a force,” or “One who climbs a tree worth climbing gets the help deserved.” These fabric patterns express the wearer’s community’s needs and ultimate goals in life.

Robin's Egg Blue

By Megan Leblond

    

The robin has long been seen as a harbinger of spring in the United States. In the past week on the Northeast coast, I have seen our first spring robins! Hopping about the lawn, they are a delightful sight to see after such a long winter.

The robin is famous for its reddish-orange bosom and beautiful blue eggs. Many candy companies make robin’s egg treats to tuck into Easter baskets and celebrate the season. Did you know that the reason a robin's egg is blue is to hide it from color blind mammals? Lucky for us, we can see the cheerful color!

My favorite of these birds is the Rose Robin, seen above. This tubby robin is found in Southeastern Australia and its fantastic pink color is a happy treat for those who are lucky enough to catch a rare glimpse!

   

The popularity of robin’s egg blue has only amplified since Tiffany and Co. adopted a similar hue as its signature color. They certainly recognized the appeal of this fresh and simple springtime color. 'Tiffany Blue' has been trademarked in the U.S. and other countries, which is a very difficult process for a single color. The color must make its way through the World Trade Organization to achieve this status.

The beautiful aqua color can add both an energetic and soothing look to a home. Often paired with dark brown, the color does not stray too far from its natural origin—the bird! If you have a room that is dull and dreary, a fresh coat of light aqua will certainly brighten the space.

Here are some lovely Valspar colors for spring:

                       
Woodlawn Blue Angel 5003-9B         Gentle Wave 5007-7C

                        
        Pale Cordovan 3010-7                   Labrador 3009-9

                               
                               Cosmic Pink 1001-1A

Don't forget to take our Color Buzz Poll about where you find your color inspiration.

In Living Color

By Michele Coppin

New York is always buzzing with color. Following the old adage of life imitating art, wild and cheerful colors spill onto the streets from the Fauves exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the German expressionist exhibit at the Neue Galerie on Fifth Avenue.

The Fauves, meaning “Wild Beasts” in French, were a short lived and loose grouping of early century modern artists whose work emphasized painterly qualities and strong colors. One of its founders, French painter Henri Matisse, celebrated color with contrasting and bright color schemes.

     
                            

 Similarly, German expressionists like Ernst Ludwig Kirchner used powerful, sometimes violent color combinations as means of expression.

                             

These eccentric color palettes are currently walking all over town. New Yorkers are spotted sporting strong contrasting colors, reveling in multicolored ensembles and polychromatic fashions. The New York Times “On the Street” photographer, Bill Cunningham, illustrates this trend in his recent slide show from the Style pages. Mr. Cunningham points out that in this ailing economy, the best tonic is adding "pick me up" colors to our lives; colors that are bright and strong, fun and unapologetic.

                                     

So, if you are feeling down, maybe a bright scarf, different colored socks or shocking red lipstick might just be what the doctor ordered. That is at least what this Beehive girl recommends!

Its Party Time!!!

By Michèle Coppin

                

Time to paint your body, wear a mask, stick feathers in your hair, grab a drum and go dancing in the streets! February is the month of carnivals and all over the world, people celebrate life with fantastic parades, music, dance and wildly-colorful costumes.

                    

This festival of fun, also know as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, finds its roots in the Pagan celebrations of the ancient Greeks and Romans. However, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII made it a Christian holiday, and placed it on the calendar just before Lent so all the debauchery would be finished in time to fast and pray. The holiday evolved into a massive celebration of indulgences—the last chance for fun before the 40 days commemorating the Passion of Jesus, ending with Easter.

Each country adds its own flare to the celebration, but all parades display explosions of color and sound. The colors of Carnival are bright, saturated and cheerful—a nice break from the dreariness of winter.

                

In any Mardi Gras parade you would find gold, silver, lemony yellow, aqua, lime green, turquoise, deep red, vermilion, brilliant purple, lively orange and hot pink. Each of these colors are intense and exaggerated and they mix together in joyful swirls of dance as the costumed party-goers dance down the street.

             

Whether you like the elegance of Venice, the wildness of Rio and New Orleans, or the eccentric atmosphere of Belgium, the colorful celebration is magic!

This year, Mardi Gras falls on February 24 - don't forget the confetti!

The 81st Oscars Fashion

This year's Academy Awards red carpet was once again a show of fashion and glamour. Who could miss out on stars polished up to their dazzling best. We saw striking blocks of color, which gave a foundation for draping details. However, white seemed to have ruled the carpet last night. The reason for this may have been a need for positivity and a fresh start, given the economy. As always, black and red played a big role as well.

Here's a quick run down of some of the stand out colors:

                    

Alicia Keys wore a lilac Armani Prive gown, which brought out the deep auburn highlights in her hair.

Queen Latifah looked beautiful in a navy-colored Georges Chakra gown.

Christine Teigen wore a soft powder coral-colored gown by Julia Clancey.

                    

Heidi Klum stopped the show in a red Rolan Mouret. Others in red included Virginia Madsen in Kevan Hall, Amanda Seyfried in Valentino, Amy Adams in a flowing Carolina Herrera and Susan Downey in Blumarine.

Meryl Streep looked absolutely elegant in an off-the-shoulder gown by Alberta Ferretti in what I would call a smoked oyster color.

                    

Classic black was not forgotten last night either.

Diane Lane walked the red carpet in beautiful Dolce & Gabbana dress. Angelina Jolie wore a black Elie Saab dress with striking green accessories. Marion Cotillard was in Dior. High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens looked so mature in a black Marchesa gown.

Leslie Mann wore a gorgeous silver dress made by designer Pamela Rolland.

                     

The color of the night was white. Award-nominee Marissa Tomei wore Versace. Jessica Biel wore a flowing dress with a large front draping by Prada. Penelope Cruz took home an Oscar wearing vintage Pierre Balmain. Miley Cyrus looked beautiful in a white Zuhair Murad that looked like an opening flower blossom. Award-Nominee Taraji P. Henson looked beautiful in Roberto Cavalli. Melissa George wore Dolce & Gabbana and stylista Anne Hathaway looked great in a white Giorgio Armani.

Sarah Jessica Parker looked fabulous in what she called a “barely mint” gown by Dior.

One of this year’s hottest colors is gold, which Viola Davis wore by Reem Akra.

                    

Big winner Kate Winslet wore a dress from Atelier Yves Saint Laurent by Stefano Pilati.  

Melissa Leo matched her hair color in a golden copper brown dress by Badgley Mischka.

                     

Natalie Portman looked stunning as always in a bubble-gun pink gown by Rodarte. The color looked bright and lively with her coco brown hair color and eyes.

Lisa Rinna wore a deep-plumb gown by Gustavo Cadile.  

                    

Slumdog Millionaire wasn’t the only big winner of the night. Freida Pinto, the lead actress from the film, won in my book in her stunning royal blue, Bollywood-inspired gown by John Galliano. Congratulations Frieda Pinto! This deep blue color looks absolutely gorgeous with Frieda's coloring. 

The Colorful Runway: New York Fashion Week

Looking over the runway shows of Fashion Week, you see lots and lots of layered, muted tones. Purple, royal blue, jade green, red and ochre pop out from time to time, but classic black decisively reigns.

Diane von Furstenberg is on the move with clothes that are wonderfully wearable. Her cocoon coats look like they would wrap you up and keep you safe from harm. Her hats are a joyous crown of pompoms. Who could be dour with that on top? She had one piece that has deep plums, fuchsias, and ochres percolating up from below the surface

                      

Mark Jacobs seems to have brushed off the current economy’s doom and gloom and instead decided to play. He continues his jump back into the 1980s with bold color blocks of hot pink, electric yellow, clear green and electric blue, each matched with black and gray foundations. He also takes this look to a more subtle and sophisticated level (which is an accomplishment in itself!). He transforms the 80s palette and makes it his own with golden ochre shimmering from below charcoal leather with a cool, off-white coat and gun-metal gray tights. 

                  

To create a room with this palette, I was thinking of accents of Grand Hotel Geranium Pink, Purple Stripe and Tidal Wave. These are all bold and deep colors. To make them work, I would try a soft warm beige-gray on the walls like Woodlawn Misty Morn. This warm tone allows the others to pop. To bring in the deeper color from this dress, try Italian Leather. It actually has a lot of green in it, which again lets the bolder, purer colors pop.

         

Michelle Obama's Inaugural Gown

By Veronique Habermann    

       

A week ago, there was a lot of guessing about what Michelle Obama was going to wear for inauguration day. Michelle wore two beautiful outfits, including one yellow ensemble for the inauguration ceremony, and a flowing, white gown for the inauguration ball.

 

Earlier in the day, Michelle wore a yellow dress and coat set from Cuban-American designer, Isabel Toledo. The color yellow symbolizes hope and optimism. The decision to accessorize with green gloves and shoes was very modern. Michelle stayed true to her classy, yet sexy, approach to style with this outfit. I think she will go down history also for her unique sense of fashion.

For the evening event, Michelle chose, apparently at the very last minute, a white chiffon, one-shoulder gown by young designer Jason Wu. The dress looked absolutely beautiful on her, not unlike a wedding dress. Jason Wu described his dress as "soft, feminine and powerful." He went on to say that he “wanted it to look like a sign of hope.”

       

I think the white gown was an excellent choice because it was a neutral color. This stunning dress was a far cry from the usual reds, blues and other jewel tones worn by Michelle at past milestone events. It was unexpected, while still maintaining her usual sophistication. The gown was beautiful, but it didn't scream extravagance. For me, just as designer Wu had wanted, the dress brought to mind peace and hope.

No matter what she wears, Michelle always demonstrates impeccable taste. I am looking forward to see what other daring colors choices she will make in the next four years!

Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Fashion

By Veronique Habermann

   

Although this might seem frivolous in these harsh economic times, I would like to add to the online discussion predicting Michelle Obama’s inaugural dress. There are several blogs and news outlets all over the country, including New York Times and the Boston Herald, that are devoting lots of coverage to the First Lady-to-be’s wardrobe. For me, what makes this so interesting is the fact that Michelle Obama is a trend-setter who has shown a refined, unique sense of style throughout the campaign, often pairing J. Crew cardigans with couture designer items. Many are asking if she will be the next Jackie O.

                         

With the inauguration just a little over a week away, she has a tough choice ahead of her: What to wear? With so much emphasis built up about her clothing choices, she will have to choose wisely on this very special day. She will have to look great, but she certainly won't be able to wear an outfit that is too expensive looking. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes right now!

 

For fun, I asked my 15 year old son, what he thought she should wear and his immediate response was a dress in a dark shade of red. What do you think Michele should wear?

*Check out another post on Michelle’s fashion from the Democratic National Convention.

2009 Color Trends

Last week I had the opportunity to contribute to one of iVillage.com’s House Calls blog posts on color trends. Since 2009 color trends seem to be on everyone’s mind, I thought we’d provide some of our top picks for the year. It’s always interesting to see how home décor follows fashion about a year or so behind. That’s why it’s no surprise that yellows, greys and purples are big this year – they were prominent on the 2008 spring runways and in 2008 fashion.

As we’ve blogged about before, Pantone has selected Mimosa as the Color of the Year, further cementing yellow’s place as a hot color in 2009. People have embraced yellow with its warm and happy glow, and its energetic feel symbolizes optimism and hope - a great thing in today’s economy. Yellow was popular in fashion last year, it began popping up in home décor throughout 2008, and we see it brightening up 2009 as well.  It can be paired beautifully with greyed-out, lilac neutrals, or you can create a cool graphic look by pairing it with navy. And don’t be afraid to try it on an accent wall with a bold yellow like Chickadee, or a nice buttery yellow like Lazy Sun.

                                  
                    Chickadee 3002-1B                  Lazy Sun 3006-6A

Fellow Beehive designer and blogger, Michele Coppin, wrote a great piece on greys a few weeks ago, and I recently spoke with Stacy Downs at the Kansas City Star about grey’s “triumphant return” as the new neutral. Greys and greyed-out tones have shown up in fashion all year, as an alternative neutral in Marc by Marc Jacobs's Winter 2008 Collection and silvery tones in Bottega Veneta’s Spring 2008 Collection. Grey is a soothing color that can be romantic and sophisticated, ranging from soft lavenders to cool, misty greens and complex blues. Despite its many shades, greys are easily matched and Michele offers a good rule of thumb on pairing greys in her blog entry.

                    
  Orchid Ash 4003-3B          Plump Grape 1003-7A   Churchill Hotel Ecru 3002-10C

Finally, purple continues to gain popularity and was named the “must-have” color of the year by the Color Marketing Group. Here at Color Buzz, we have been talking about purple all year - how to update purple and avoid the “disco ball” look, pairing bold purples, purple’s versatility and the love/hate relationship many have with purple. Purple ranges from soft, grey-lilacs like Orchid Ash, to delicious plums like Plump Grape, and can be the perfect complement to many yellows and greys, as mentioned above. Pairing purples with silvers and warm off-whites with a touch of grey in them, such as Churchill Hotel Ecru, gives a sense of balance and freshness, while letting purple be the star. We saw purples in different forms on the fashion runways, including Michael Kors’ lilacs and greys, and Cynthia Rowley’s lilacs and smoky mauves. Even though mauve had a disastrous finish in the 80’s, it is making a reappearance in warm and sophisticated shades, and can be quite elegant when paired with complex colors. Try Lilac Buds with Cream Delight and Smoked Almond for an updated arrangement.

                      
   Lilac Buds 1004-8B          Cream Delight 7002-14      Smoked Almond 1006-9A