Color of the Year

Every year Pantone, the self-acclaimed "world-renowned authority on color" announces its color of the year.

Admittedly, Pantone has provided the standard on color for the print industry for many years. "In 1963, Lawrence Herbert, Pantone's founder, created an innovative system for identifying, matching and communicating colors to solve the problems associated with producing accurate color matches in the graphic arts community."

So for 2011, the color is (drum-roll)...HONEYSUCKLE! 

Pantone chose honeysuckle for the coming year because it's courageous, confident, and vital. "A brave new color, for a brave new world."  Really?  I didn't know a color could do all that.  Yes, color can evoke emotions and represent certain ideas, feelings, etc.  But really?  All that?  

According to Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues”. And by warding off the blues, I'm assuming she means letting go of what's soon to be last year's color, turquoise, which was the color of 2010. 

Where Will You See This Color?

Everywhere (supposedly).  You'll see this color in:

• Fashion: sweaters, skirts, shoes, handbags, etc.  For starters, Pantone suggests: "Honeysuckle always works with the standard basics of black, navy, charcoal or light to mid gray. But using complementary bronze greens like Willow PANTONE 16-0632 and/or Tapenade PANTONE 18-0840 adds a new sophistication to the combination that showcases the energy of Honeysuckle."
• Wedding Apparel: Yes, you can have your bridesmaids and flower girl all color coordinated thanks to the Pantone Wedding Colors available from Dessy, a leading manufacturer of wedding apparel.
• Paint: Yes, Pantone paint is now available in its line of eco-friendly paint.
• Packaging: Available for a variety of packaging materials and products, it is especially recommended as a good shade for food or drink packaging. 
• And More!  You can even get a PANTONE Visa card in honeysuckle. See www.pantone.com/visacard for more information.

Have fun color coordinating all your walls, kitchen appliances, lingerie, and garden tools!  **Wink wink**  I'm still trying to find all my turquoise stuff from last year.