Looking back at 2020, which could possibly be the worst in human history, the Pantone Colors of 2021 feel like some affirmation.
With Ultimate Gray – like the cloudy sky, and Illuminating – like the warm, yellow sun, Pantone seeks a sense of grounding and hope.
As Pantone official announced ,
Ultimate Gray – “solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation”
Illuminating – “a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power”
The union of Gray and Yellow also encompasses exactly as the world is right now. The ongoing struggles of social communities, the perpetual lockdowns, and constant political upheaval, as we see it. But at the same time, there is hope for better days ahead. With people working towards a healthier, safer future, there’s a silver lining.
How the Pantone colors affect us
Every year, the Pantone Color Institute predicts a color that would rule the upcoming year, through art and design. This color highlights the relationship between color trends and what’s happening in the world. Sometimes, the color is also a forecast of what could happen around us.
2020 became a year of a global pandemic, social and economic distress, and a lot of cultural and political turmoil. Amid all this, these colors seem like a light at the end of the tunnel. Or at least we are all hoping so.
2020 has been bizarre, to say the least. With radical highs and lows (mostly lows), our lives have spun out of control. But the world, as a whole, pulled through with immense endurance, strength, and positivity. These traits are what the colors are all about.
As color theory and chromotherapy explains, each of these colors has certain attributes.
“Practical and rock-solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted, this is essential to the human spirit.” – Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director Pantone
Daily dressing in grey and yellow
The reason the colors of our clothes affect us so deeply is that they are always attached to us, impacting our energies.
Together in the Pantone duotone – Grey and Yellow convey a message of strength and hopefulness, seriousness and cheerfulness. It tells us that this is the time of enduring and uplifting ourselves, and others.
The best way to do this is to incorporate both or either of these tones in your daily dressing.
Monotones of yellow and grey
If you are feeling a little low, little blue, put on something in bright, warm yellow to feel positive. If you want to send some affirmation to a friend/loved one, send them something in yellow to cheer them up – a scarf, a dress, a top, or even a pair of shoes.
Similarly, if you want to keep your mind stable and feel stronger than you have been, wearing something grey will positively impact you. The somberness of grey keeps us on the ground, and our energies steady, thus helping us think clearer and make better decisions.
Combining the duo tones
Now, to evoke a little whimsical in your style statement, add a touch of yellow to your all-grey ensembles.
Also known as the Red Sneaker Effect, combining the two colors can catapult your surrounding energies in a positive direction. For instance, if you are wearing a grey head-to-toe, sweatpants, athleisure, or workwear, throwing in a little yellow accent will keep your spirits high while your mind calm.
Try pairing a bright, illuminating yellow top/shirt with grey jeans, pants, skirts, or yellow shoes/scarves/belts with a grey suit/dress. Alternatively, use one color as an accent over the other for combined effects.
The combination of seriousness and vibrancy is just what the world needs right now. It’s stable and cheerful at the same time. The duo-tone is apt to signify that despite the upheavals in the world around us, there will be dependability and warmth in the times ahead.
