Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2018. From earthy greens to sunny yellows, the 2018 seasons have been brimming with hues and shades that evoke the senses and clearly come from creative minds. Pantone delved deep into not just the colors of the season, but also the feeling of unity that comes from the fashion world. Pantone took the two colors that seemed to come up the most, both the primary blue and primary red, and blended them to create Ultra Violet purple.

Ultra Violet is the purple hue of the midnight sky during the first snow of the season, stars still twinkling behind the puffy pieces of pillowy snow that fall lightly from the clouds. Young children are awakened by eager siblings, excited at the prospect of a day off. New lovers rest their heads on each others shoulders, admiring the sky they fell in love under. Long time partners reminisce over a hot cup of cocoa, the scent reminding them of the last time they were stuck in the snow. Ultra Violet is the fresh scent of the snow sticking to the ground, fawn sniffing at the mysterious blanket that has enveloped the land.

Dresses

An Ultra Violet dress is perfect for a New Years Eve party in the city, dancing all night with champagne in hand and the thrill of a new year and new opportunities in the air. Even when the ball drops, you can be the focus with Attico’s sequined dress, detailed with stunning fringe that grazes the legs of those who pass by, causing them to stop and stare in wonder at such an electric color. Gucci’s sequined ball gown was made for a socialite gathering at an exclusive museum gala, making a statement in a room full of static. Rochas’ long dress and bell sleeves should be seen at a small gathering of scholarly artists, as you fill the intimate apartment with the sound of lively debate and eclectic chatter. Spend the night on the town with your partner in Sandro’s simple style, painting the town purple as you rediscover the love you share. Blame it on the boogie with Zadig & Voltaire’s leopard print dress, and spend the night twirling at the hottest nightclub, slipping out the side door at the end of the night and leaving everyone wondering who you were and where you got that stunning dress.

Get dressed with these purples:

Full Ensemble

Step out in Ultra Violet, perfect for vacations to far away places that feel more like home every day. Calvin Klein’s suit was made for a month in Italy, riding the gondola and drinking coffee on small side streets in Venice, relaxing in an apartment overlooking the beautiful river that serves as the heart of the city as you wait for the adventures of the night to begin. Halpern’s disco jumpsuit can be seen hip bumping and foot thumping in Greece, waking up in the soft sunlight that dances on the surface of the sequins, almost as bright as the sun rise over the Mediterranean sea. Hermes’ pants and blouse set should be traveling through Thailand, enjoying sticky rice and a warm breeze that brings the scent of the jungle to you as you sit by a hot spring. Perla’s belly-exposing jumpsuit makes waves in Brazil, spending the night on the beach under flashing lights and the twinkling stars, taking off your heels to feel the soft sand slip between your toes as you let loose in your new home.

Fill your closet with these fabrics:

Pants

Ultra Violet pants are perfect for invoking the senses and getting the creative juices flowing. Head to the Met to sketch sculptures in Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood’s floral pants, a piece of art themselves, rivaling the ancient art that hang on the walls. Relax on Venice Beach, where future rockers roll by on roller skates, poets monologuing in the moonlight as you observe in Area’s joggers. Make your way through the Louvre in Calvin Klein’s slacks, admiring the passion of the paint that sticks to canvas, hung on walls to display their beauty. Gucci’s velvet pants are perfect for poetry readings in small cafes, finally finding the courage to stand up and wax poetically about the love you have lost and learned from. Enjoy an opera in Holly Fulton’s trousers, moved to tears by the sound of the orchestra as it underlines the melancholic tone of the singers on stage.

Pick out one of these purples:

Skirts

Ultra Violet skirts were made for exploring new cities and quaint towns. Search for your future home in Barcelona in Cacharel’s pencil skirt, looking for a studio with open lighting so you can sketch designs in the pure morning light, allowing the beauty of the city to inspire your art. Dennis Basso’s skirt is ideal for discovering Morocco, shopping in Marrakesh and enjoying stuffed grape leaves in the sun. Fall in love with Austin, Texas, a center of arts and culture, as you sip lemonade and let the street art remind you that not all artists work with canvas.  Moschino’s tutu lives for London in the summer, sitting by the Thames and munching on Fish & Chips once the afternoon rain has cleared, leaving little puddles to reflect the sunlight, sending rainbows around London as children splash in puddles. Rochas’ elegant midi skirt is perfect for savoring sashimi in a small restaurant on a side street in Tokyo, the lively city seeping in through the door as fashion icons strut by, bathed in neon lights that flash and dance in the night.

Make magic with these fabrics:

Tops

Ultra Violet tops are perfect for hosting dinner parties with all of your friends. Host a cocktail party in a cabin in Balenciaga’s simple sweater, cups of cocoa and pigs in a blanket passed around as charades is played by a roaring fire, snow falling fast, tucking the cozy cabin in for the night. Kenzo’s tunic is perfect for a summer garden party, games of badminton and croquet go on as glasses of chardonnay are poured and finger sandwiches are raved over. Maison Rabih Kayrouz’s blouse and slacks are ideal for hosting a house warming party, as your old friends inspect your new home, sharing stories from their old apartments and bringing the warmth required to turn a house into a home. Rochambeau’s sweatshirt is an impromptu get together, a potluck thrown together last minute as old friends reminisce and remind each other why they are still friends. Zadig & Voltaire’s blouse is perfect for a rehearsal dinner, as you toast to the rest of your life, and the love that you share not just with your partner, but with the families that you unite.

Be top tier with these fabrics:

What do you think about Pantone’s color of the year? Let me know in the comments!