Pantone, how it’s a good tool for my clients and readers…

For many years as a designer, I would find all kinds of inspiration from so many different things, whether it be nature, objects, vintage, circumstances, travel, or my favorite inspiration, color!

Color to me sets a mood and tells a story.  What better way to greet the world than saying, “Hi! This is the mood I’m in!”

Color is great inspiration because it can trigger so many different emotions while setting the mood and tone of your day.  The great part about color is, you can actually change the mood and tone of somebody else’s day by what you wear.  Ahhh… The power of color!

The reason I decided to make this a topic is because I plan on posting the Pantone colors for my followers each season.  For those of you who don’t know what this is, it’s kind of a trade secret for color direction.  It gives designers a good foundation of where the color direction is headed, and also makes it easier for industry people to communicate their ideas. Pantone is not the end-all be-all of color by any means; however, it does inspire designers and possibly spark some good ideas. How will this help you?  I think if you get to take a peek of the color palette for the upcoming seasons, upon shopping, you will know what colors to be drawn to. Having an idea of what colors compliment each other can be a powerful tool for building a wardrobe.  I can’t lie, it’s also kind of fun to follow trends and see which divine color made it to “the Pantone color of the year.”  Yes!  There is actually a color of the year!

If you would like to learn more about Pantone color, I have attached some great information from their site.  Included above is the Palette for spring 2013, and below is the oh so exciting color of the year! Enjoy!

The following information is from pantone.com:

What is Pantone? 
Pantone is a standardized color matching system, utilizing the Pantone numbering system for identifying colors. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all reference a Pantone numbered color, making sure colors match without direct contact with one another. The most commonly referenced colors are in the Pantone solids palette. The Pantone Solid palette consists of 1,114 colors, identified by three or four digit numbers, followed by a C, U, Or M suffix.. Originally designed for the graphics industry, the pantone solids palette is now used by a wide range of industries, and is the most commonly used palette.

History
. Pantone developed the first color matching system in 1963, which consisted of a large number of small cardboard sheets, printed on one side with a series of related color swatches and then bound into a small “fan deck”. This system was referred to as the Pantone Matching System, or the PMS system. It’s goal was to allow designers to ‘color match’ specific colors when a design enters production. This system was widely adopted by graphic designers and reproduction and printing houses and is still used today to specify colors for a wide range of industries.

How Does Pantone Work?  The Pant

one Solid Colors Palette, with over 1100 unique, numbered colors, was originally devised to help printers and designers specify and control colors for print projects. This is the most widely used Pantone palette, with colors sometimes referred to as ‘PMS’ (for Pantone Matching System) or ‘spot colors’, and is used in the graphics, print, and publishing, industries.

What do Your Clothing Colors Say About You?

When a woman wants to be noticed her first inclination is to wear something red. When a man wants to convey a message of power, he reaches for his red tie. Why is that so?

The reason is simple: Colors sometime convey certain messages. Whether it’s the color of the clothes you design or the color of a product’s packaging or the color you choose off your Pantone color system to help create a company’s identity, col

or has the potential to make a definite impact.

Pink is not just for girls.  For years men refused to wear pink because the stereotypical opinion was that pink represented femininity. It’s an association that starts literally from birth: blue for boys and pink for girls. Fortunately, that’s no longer the prevailing opinion and today even the manliest men dare to wear pink.

For a long time, black was the color people wore only while mourning the loss of a loved one. Dressed in black from head down to toes, others knew without a doubt that the person in black had suffered a recent loss. Black was also the color of choice for the “bad” guys on screen, making it easy for viewers to know which men to cheer on.

Black is anything but basic.

Today however, black is perhaps the most versatile color of all. The “little dress” wouldn’t have nearly the impact if it wasn’t for the color black. And because it’s so forgiving, black hides a multitude of weight problems, too. Black is also the preferred color worn by creative types. Take a look at what you’re wearing right now and chances are some or all of your clothing is black!

Colors such as navy blue and gray relay the message of conservatism. If you don’t believe this, take a look around next time you’re in a financial institution. These traditionally conservative colors exude an image of credibility, trustworthiness, and confidence; all of which are important when you’re letting someone else manage your finances.

The color purple tends to be associated with royalty, wealth and sophistication; lighter-colored blue with casualness and white has traditionally represented purity.

While there’s no doubt clothing color can make a statement, times – and perceptions – are changing. Clothing color is starting to break out of its traditional mold and is becoming more an expression of individualism than tradition. So go ahead, grab your Pantone color system and dare to express your individualism!