Shades of Green
Each year, Pantone releases the “Color of the Year,” or what has recently become colors of the year. 2016’s favored hues were Rose Quartz and Serenity, suggesting a softer take on color and a departure from 2015’s bold and saturated Marsala. While I’m sure there is a scientific approach to Pantone’s decision, I am always a little curious about the company’s color choice. I mean, did you find yourself in blushes and purple-y pastel blues this year? Maybe, if those are colors that happen to look great on you. The Pantone color choices, in my very humble opinion, are generally more applicable to interior design than fashion. But that doesn’t mean Pantone’s predictions should be altogether ignored either. They certainly represent a direction, a mood, a story that typically can be seen across the decorative arts, even if the lauded Color of the Year is not always applicable to our wardrobes.
In September, Pantone announced 2017’s top ten colors for spring. The list is decidedly subdued; it featured muted, earthy tones with occasional bursts of bright colors. I am not yet convinced that you will find yourself wearing a lot of Lapis Blue or Primrose Yellow, but the undercover star color I would bet plenty of money on is Kale. Kale represents a whole host of earthy greens that are popping up in clothing, on everything from outerwear to pants. We should have seen this coming, too. Along with the return of the cargo style as well as a long-held industry esteem for all things military — it was only a matter of time before variations of Army Green, or Kale, started to surface.
You might be smitten with the bolder, brighter hues but do take a closer look at all shades of earthy green this fall and winter and even into the spring. Look at it as a neutral that requires little thought and results in effortless style. Wear it on coats and jackets, pants and shirts, scarves and bags. My only request? Avoid kale-colored shoes. It just doesn’t work and you’re just going to have to trust me on that.
Our friend Carter is modeling a fur-trimmed and -lined cargo jacket that is both stylish and utterly functional. Here, we styled it with a Rag & Bone sweater, Rag & Bone Jeans, and our favorite orangey-red Rag & Bone loafers (also available in black if you’re not into the red).
It looks a little darker in these photos than it actually is but Deborah is pictured wearing one of our very favorite pieces in the store — this army green coat by IRO. A little oversized, it packs a style punch but will keep you warm all winter long! Worn with Veronica Beard slim green cargo pants, a white Equipment sweater, and Vince booties.
Our Rag & Bone camo cargo pants are a staff favorite. Worn here with an NSF cargo jacket, white Current/Elliott blouse, and Vince gray suede booties.
The sad news is that we had to send this awesome hooded jacket back because it wasn’t fitting well. But the good news is we still have this really fun green-and-white striped button-up with a distressed green pocket! Worn with Vince slip-on sneakers and Mother denim.
Our Alicia Adams Alpaca wraps and capes have been flying off the shelves. While we can order just about any color or style for our customers, we recommend the bone-colored wrap with the green trim. It’s more versatile than you think! Here it is work with a Rag & Bone denim dress and Rachel Zoe lace-up-the-back booties.
The cargo pant is back and we are actually pretty excited about it. Both comfortable and forgiving, it makes a great alternative to jeans. Worn here with Vince slip-on sneakers and a gray Inhabit sweater.
And if none of this is speaking to you, just accent your wardrobe with a touch of green with Rag & Bone’s classic dagger wrap.
Photo Credit: Sarah Marcella Creative
