The comeback of cerulean blue, and other shades of sea and sky
Was it visions of summer’s turquoise seas or the longing to embrace more air and light? Whatever the inspiration, the color blue made a strong showing in several designers’ spring/summer 2012 shows. Miu Miu showed austere A-line skirts, many of them a unique shade called cerulean blue. You will remember this particular blue as the color of the sweater that Miranda Priestly expounded on in The Devil Wears Prada. So what color exactly is cerulean? It is referred to as the color of sea and sky, and ranges from deep blue, sky-blue, bright blue to azure. The cerulean blue pigment (according to Wikipedia) was prized by artists when painting skies because of the purity of the blue, its permanence and opaqueness.
The saturated hue appeared in cropped jackets in pale blue at Wes Anderson. At Yigal Azrouel it was fab in an oversized coat, while at Gap it was all about soft sweater dressing. It also turned up on several stars walking the Golden Globes red carpet. At the Chanel Couture show, creative director of Chanel Makeup Peter Philips said his brief from Karl Lagerfeld was “blue” and “make sure models don’t look like stewardesses.” Instead of black kohl liner he used pearly blue alternatives.
Color of the new millenium
In 1999, Pantone declared cerulean blue the “color of the millennium.” This was the time when the millennium bug threatened to crash all our computer systems, and people felt the need to take a break and escape. Spas boomed and designer waters became the “it” drink. (Meanwhile, Crayola created its own version of the shade, the color it called “Bright Cerulean.”)
So it seems to suggest that we will have a lighter, more optimistic mood in this millennium. Despite my love for black I find myself drawn more and more to blue as a new neutral for the months ahead.
How to wear it
Forget about navy for now and opt for more saturated colors like cobalt blue or cerulean. Sky blue looks modern against monochromatic whites or pale grays, or paired with metallics like pale silver or gold. Accessories are also a great way to incorporate this color into your look. I love this look at Jason Wu where a blue snakeskin clutch was juxtaposed with the flash of bold coral nails. Try teaming it with other primary hues like yellow, purple and blood red.
Explore blue as an alternative to staid black to brighten your look and breathe fresh air into your wardrobe. For color-phobes, you can introduce this shade into your wardrobe with an accessory, like a pair of cuffs from local leather shop Our Tribe or a ladylike convertible shoulder-clutch from bag designer Lally Dizon (who has just opened new branch of her shop Vintage Restore along White Plains road). I also spied these über-cool shades from Ray-Ban, a great way to express your new blue worldview.
