When Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2019, I was eager to hear the intel on which hue would dominate in fashion and design and ultimately set the trends for the year ahead. But upon learning the news that Living Coral, a salmon-pink color, would be crowned the title, I just laughed (sorry if you're reading this, Pantone). As a fashion editor, I pride myself on staying abreast of the latest trends, and nowhere in my view was this coral color. Not to mention, I had avoided the shade for a long time, knowing it did nothing to complement my skin tone or my hair color and never knowing what colors pair well with it. I was surprised, to say the least.
It got me wondering: What are the fashion color trends of 2019 that I do stand behind? I dove headfirst into some trend research and decided upon the following five color trends. These are the ones you'll be double-tapping, adding to cart, and ultimately wearing throughout the year, so I suggest you get to know them if you, like me, are proposing a ban on Living Coral.
From reinvented pastels that are actually groundbreaking for spring to the one non-color color trend that Instagram's already having a field day with, keep reading to see and shop them all.
DRIED SAGE
Slime green may have emerged as the buzziest color trend only a few months earlier, but the overpowering shade of green will be replaced by a much softer (and easier-to-style) hue for the remainder of 2019: sage green.
Shop the trend:
DOVE BLUE
Pastels for spring—groundbreaking, I know. This dreamy shade of blue comes with all the apropos springtime pastels without any of the clichés.
Shop the trend:
LEMON VERBENA
Remember when Gen Z yellow was all anyone could talk about? Well, the sunny color is being revamped this year with a particularly saturated, zingy twist. Think of farmers market lemons or, I don't know, a Post-it note.
Shop the trend:
DUSTY ROSE
No lie: I used to be anti-pink, associating too many negative "overly girly" connotations with the color, but the rise of this more subdued take on the color has me reconsidering. The dustier shade feels like a more grown-up version of Millennial Pink.
Shop the trend:
NON-BORING BEIGE
Okay, so technically, this color trend isn't really a color at all. With the influx of earth-toned ensembles and #stickofbutter outfit 'grams, one of the chicest spring color trends may actually be a far subtler and more sophisticated shade than anything else of high saturation.
Shop the trend:
Next, eight cult pieces that you'll see over and over during fashion month.
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