2019 Pantone Color of the Year: Living Coral

It's (sort of) that time of year again! Sorry I'm a little late this year! The color company (yes, that's a thing) Pantone releases its annual Color of the Year, and each year I try to translate this color to something a dark fashion wearer would enjoy, since mainstream fashion stores, makeup companies, and others will be releasing items in this color. Last year, the color of the year, Ultra Violet, was a common color for most traditional and romantic goths (especially in room decor). This year, it is Living Coral, a color that is "animating and life-affirming" and "optimistic" and "sociable." Here's the press release:

So these are the opposite of a lot of concepts of dark fashion. Dark fashion is more antisocial than social, more death and macabre-focused than life-affirming, and though I wouldn't call it pessimistic, I wouldn't say it was optimistic. It is not an easy color to style with dark fashion.

Coming to terms with this, you can find ways of playing with life/death contrasts by incorporating coral, if you choose to. Pastel goth looks do this--that's kind of the entire aesthetic of the look. I've noticed that most pastel goth looks use cool-toned pastels. This is a great warm-toned pastel that may be more flattering on some groups of people.

I also think that Feminine styles also work well with this color, especially lace, which I am seeing everywhere at the moment. Whether it's just coral lace or black lace over coral, I think this is a more mature and modern alternative to the color pink. If pink doesn't look right on you and you want to go for a feminine look, coral might work.

Also since Romantic and Victorian looks are making a comeback in both mainstream and dark fashion brands, coral will be a modern way to update those looks. If you shop at mainstream stores, you'll probably be seeing this color everywhere. Since we already covered lace--and I think there will be a lot of coral lace--I think another way to interpret this color is in aristocratic-style jewelry, since there is some history. Please don't buy the real thing, though.

My final tips for wearing this color this year is to wear it with more historical styles. If pink is too girly for you and you want to wear something feminine, this is another option. Personally I think Romantic and historical goths will get some wear out of this style, as well as pastel goths, and maybe some nu-goths as well.

Do you agree with Pantone's choice for color of the year? How would you wear this? Let me know in the comments!