Pantone has named Radiant Orchid as the Color of the Year- 2014.
Here is how Pantone describes the color- “Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health”- pantone.com
Radiant Orchid is a beautiful purple color and I’ve always been drawn to this color. I used a similar color as the accent on the 344pm website. This color not only works in clothing, fashion accessories and make up, but it’s also a great color for home accessories, paint color, and furniture.
While radiant orchid is a fabulous color, I will say it could be a little tricky to wear depending on your skin undertone. Here are some tips on how you can wear the color of the year based on your skin undertone.
First, determine your skin undertone-
Your skin undertone is basically the tone that is under your skin and is categorized as cool, warm or neutral. This is different from your skin tone (the skin color that’s visible), categorized as light, fair, medium, olive, brown and black. There really isn't a direct correlation between your skin tone and your skin undertone. For example, a person with a light skin tone can have a cool undertone and a person with a black skin tone can also have a cool undertone.
Don’t know your skin undertone? Here’s an easy chart I put together with various industry standard questions that can help you figure out your skin undertone. Please note, there are variations, and if you go between cool and warm then you are considered a neutral skin undertone.
How to Wear Radiant Orchid If you’re a Cool Undertone-
Since radiant orchid is a cool shade your skin undertone works great with this color. You can wear it on its own, mix and match, or even go head to toe, it’s all up to you!! Click through the examples below on how you, Ms. COOL Undertone, can dress up or dress down radiant orchid.
How to Wear Radiant Orchid If you’re a Warm Undertone-
Radiant Orchid is a cool shade, so you may need to do a little “enhancing” when wearing this color. The first tip would be that you shouldn't wear radiant orchid close to your face because it could give you a “washed out” look. But, go on and incorporate this color in pants, skirts, accessories, handbags and shoes, basically anything away from the face. You can also use this color as an accent color, mix and match it with other colors, or wear different shades of it. Radiant orchid is in the purple family and purple looks great on warm skin undertones so, for example, you can wear a purple blouse, grey pants and add on some radiant orchid shoes for a trend right look. Click through the examples below on how you, Ms. WARM Undertone, can dress up or dress down Radiant Orchid.
Now that you are armed with the knowledge of how to wear the color of the year based on your skin undertone- go forth and go shopping for all that is Radiant Orchid!!
PS- Want information on the items above? Head over to polyvore.com. Click on Members, put in my member name- mk-344pm and all of my "sets" will pop up. Are you a member of polyvore? Follow me for access to more outfit inspiration.
