Its 2024 and so many of us are scrambling to get our resolutions, our yearly words, our ins and outs, and just general life goals in line. As a fashion queen (yes, I just called myself a queen), I have spent the past few weeks reflecting on the forms of fashion I am putting out into the world. A very tough part of being a fashion content creator is trying to stay up with all the trends. Not only is it mentally exhausting, bad for the planet, but it can also really take a toll on one’s finances. And while I have a lot of ins and outs for this new year, a big one is to present fashion in a more sustainable way. For me, that means no more fast fashion. It means only showing off thrifted, previously owned, or rented pieces.
*Did she just say rented???*
Yes! A phenomenal service that several different companies offer is the option to rent high quality, expensive items at a fraction of the cost. They typically work as a subscription, and you can hand select the pieces that get sent to you. It’s a service I found in mid-2023 but am becoming a tad more devoted to. Because staying trendy IS important to me, but buying clothes to wear less than three times is just not it.
Now, I am a dopamine dresser. Which means MY trends don’t always coincide with the general trendy looks we see day to day. While I love a basic cream trousers with a grey body suit and gold jewelry, it’s just not me. I can see the value in the simplicity and minimalism of the look but it’s not what brings ME joy. And dressing yourself is all about finding joy. What’s great about trends is that they don’t have to be super finely specific.
Pantone is a company that is most well known for their Pantone Matching System, which is a proprietary color system that is used in graphic design, fashion, product design and printing. While Pantone isn’t inherently involved in the fashion industry, it has undeniable influence of color choices and mixes. What many people don’t know is that every year, pantone selects a color of the year. The color is more than just a new uniquely designed hue, but also a prediction into what the fashion world has to come. It’s created and chosen to encompass what the new year may have to hold. And for me, it poses a challenge to incorporate an unparalleled tint into my wardrobe.
So, what has Pantone predicted for 2024? I present to you 13-1023 Peach Fuzz ???? Per Pantone, “Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It’s a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.” Not only is this a color, but it appears that its intention is to encourage self-care, the supporting of our community, and to boost our intellectual, physical, and spiritual growth. All things I can totally get behind. In fact, my dear friend Peach Fuzz almost feels like it’s screaming “It’s time to re-evaluate your relationship with alcohol. Mind, body, and soul???”
Do you know what can help you regain identity and control of those things? Giving up alcohol.
This color comes at a perfect time. Just as so many embark on their Dry/Damp January journeys, peach intends to help cultivate your “New Year, New Me,” declaration. Just don’t forget that a new year doesn’t require you to reinvent yourself. It’s just a good time to reflect, evaluate some potentially needed changes, and to adorn yourself in all the shades of peach as a nod to the Pantone prediction!
Now let’s talk fashion:
Peach is not a go to color for me. In fact, when preparing for this article, I was digging through my closet and was only able to pull about three pieces that matched the peach vibe. If you know anything about my robust and overflowing closet, you know this is an anomaly. Despite not having much, I really wanted to challenge myself. I hit the thrift store, dug through my mom’s closet, and rented a few items to push myself past my color comfort zone. And shockingly, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did peach not look like a total disaster on me, but I also actually ended up loving some of the outfits. They’re ones I will definitely wear again. The outfits all ranged from total, head to toe peach dresses, a hint of peach sweater vest, and a whisper of peach on pink formal dress for date night. What I learned through this experiment is that wearing peach doesn’t mean that my entire body must be donned with the color. It’s more about including the hue in complex and dynamic outfits that complement it well.
So, with all that being said, I encourage you to play (as I have before). If there is a color you have sworn off, or even been told is not for you, try experimenting adding touches of it back in. Now, if you hate a color, by all means cast it aside. My point is: let’s not limit ourselves to what we or others think harmonizes with who we are. And this point is much broader than colors. It’s about approaching the new year with an open mind and allowing yourself to observe and examine what is and isn’t for you.
Saying no to Peach? I support it. Saying yes to boundaries? I support it. Shutting down diet culture and throwing out your scale? I support it. Re-evaluating your relationship with alcohol? I support it. Trial and error, my friends. Facing what we fear might just surprise us. ????
As always, thanks for reading. And if the color peach is too daunting, maybe just eat one in the name of Pantone!
Follow along with me on IG @styledandstressed
PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, the Pantone Color of the Year 2024
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