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December 16, 2016 Leave a Comment

Greenery? What’s Up With That?

Greenery is the 2017 Color of the Year from Pantone®. I am always glad when the color of the year is a green, not just because I love green, but because green makes other colors look so great.  Don’t think so? Think about foliage. It is the perfect backdrop for every shade of nature–from bright pink to yellows to browns, blues, you name it!

Greenery: Pantone 2017 Color of the Year Quote from Lee Elseman

Greenery: Not for Allover Wear

Even trees don’t wear this shade of green all over, except at that time in spring when we need to be lifted from the winter doldrums, when every leaf is the color of Greenery. But it doesn’t last. After that first greening new leaves may be that shade, but the all-over-ness of that shade of green is nearly momentary.  So don’t worry if you don’t see yourself wearing it as a trench, or pants, or a dress, not a problem.

This is a color about promise.  We may, right now, be wary of big, overblown promises, so think accent. Maybe a bracelet? A tank top? Trim? See, you don’t have to go whole hog for a change of pace and attitude!  Personally, I wish there were a touch more yellow in it–this shade is really too raw for me, but I’m betting there will be great opportunities to add something green to your wardrobe or your knitting.

Greenery:  A Color Study

I took some screen shots of the color stories Pantone has on their website.  Let’s look at how green interacts in these color stories.  If I was teaching a class I would discourage students from picking more than one green in a color story. People don’t like to wear green, so I think it is best to let it do what it does best, which is to interact with other colors. The other thing I require of student color ways is that the colors can all live together. This is much harder to do than it sounds.  If you want to see all the color ways Pantone shows, go here.  The New York Times had a good article, which can be found here.

  1. Analagous. I feel the saturation of Greenery doesn’t work here.  Here it is the primary shade, and that isn’t usually how we want our greens served up.  If it is strictly an accent, it will work, but in smaller doses.
    Greenery: Analagous color story
  2. Ethereal.  This has a balance between colors and neutrals.  You could swap the Marlin with Caramel Cafe and still have a balanced palette.  This looks like a great palette for making prints: not too bold, and a balance of warm and cool tones.
    Greenery: Ethereal Material color story
  3. Fathomless.  This is so pretty.  As long as you didn’t want any warm colors in your palette.  I think Greenery, with more yellow would be a nicer accent. As is it would make beautiful, cool prints.
    Greenery: Fathomless color story
  4. Forest Floor.  I love this palette. It looks a lot like what my closet looks like.  Arguably there is way too much green and this too lacks a true neutral. If you look at the palette with an eye to putting each color together, I’m a little unhappy with the Bronze Mist paired with Greenery, and perhaps Willow Bough as well.  But if you are looking to make me happy.  Done.
    Greenery: Forest color story
  5. Moody Blooms. See how nicely that green goes with all the colors?  If you can imagine it sitting next to each of them, they will all look better than they do as-is. I would ask where is the blue? There is really no neutral here.  If this was on a rack as clothes, it would be hard to take in.
    Greenery: Moody color story
  6. Rev It Up.  This is likely to be seen in lower price points and for juniors. I’m not sure why the gray is there! A smoother neutral would have smoothed this palette out. It feels to me like these were leftovers that got thrown together.
    Greenery: Rev It Up color story

     Greenery:  Let It Work for You

Unless you are a fan of green–and Greenery–don’t feel you have to seek it out. But I encourage you to entertain it, and to see what it can do with the other colors you wear or knit with.  Study how color dyers use greens, then take a cue from them. Choose a shade that works with colors you are more inclined to, and let a touch of green make them pop.

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Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: color, colors, green, greenery, palette, Pantone, shade

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