By Fashion Apothecary Design Co.
We love color. We love how it draws attention, releases energy and evokes feelings! The cheerfulness of the coming spring/summer season is reflected in its color palette of the collections filled with tantalizing names such as snorkel blue, provocative red, radiant yellow and rainforest green.How can anyone resist throwing on these colors to be instantly transported to lush idyllic islands with deserted beaches and the continuous radiance of the sun!Color has always played an important part in fashion. The first dyes were of course natural dyes extracted from plants and animals. Scientific advances beginning in the 18th century played an important role in the use of color in fashion. The discovery of Prussian blue, the publication of Newton’s Optics (1704) and the invention of the synthetic mauve dye in 1856 were some of the important early developments. These and many other advances created an array of color dyes providing fashion designers a much greater range of colors than had previously been available and at low cost. Interestingly, many of these colors came available just at the time when the fashion world was emerging from the standard black of the mid-19th century Victorian era.
In today’s world of fashion, we have an almost infinite color palette available to us, and even during seasons when ‘Black is Back’, there are plenty of colorful hues to choose from. And in 2008, it’s going to be a bright and sunny spring, judging by the rainbow of colors previewed at New York Fashion Week. There was little or no black even in the collections of Donna Karan and Calvin Klein! Especially effective is the use of color in the most monochromatic wardrobe - a splash of color can invigorate and empower anyone who is willing to embrace it. A perfect way to incorporate some of last fall’s grays into this year’s spring wardrobe! To create a unique and distinctive look use pops of color with neutrals. Contrast bright primaries against earth tones, the color play will lift your spirits, make a statement and attract attention.Feeling the blues? Let buttercup or canary yellow cheer you up this spring! But please…don’t be matchy-matchy! Be imaginative, choose colors that complement and create unexpected contrasts while maintaining a unified vision of your ‘look’.