How to Wear Pantone's Colors of the Year 2021: Illuminating Yellow & Ultimate Gray

Pantone

Jan 10

Each December, the Pantone Color Institute (undoubtedly the fashion industry's most trusted source for color trend forecasting) releases their color of the year, a shade determined by careful research to reflect the mood of the year to come.

As if 2020 hadn't been weird enough, Pantone selected not one, but two colors of the year for 2021: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. It's only the second year to require two colors to accurately read the room. The only other year turbulent enough to require two colors was 2016, when Pantone selected Rose Quartz, a blushing light pink, and Serenity, a calming pale blue.

Though 2021 has just begun, the year has already shown itself to be filled with high and lows accurately reflected by the dueling sunny yellow and grounding gray hues. Less than two weeks into the new year, we've already seen sky-rocketing Covid rates, a post-season loss for the Seahawks, and talks of impeachment after rioters breached the Capital building.

Today, we're dissecting Pantone's Colors of the Year 2021— Ultimate Gray and Illuminating— and teaching you how to wear the trending colors throughout the coming year. We'll highlight how top designers showcased the trend-setting shades on their Spring/Summer 2021 runways to give you ample inspiration for wearing the year's biggest color trends in fashion.

What are the Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021?

The Pantone Colors of the Year for 2021 are PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating.

According to Pantone, the pairing "encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly. A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit."

Expect to see the bright yellow shade, Illuminating, used for celebratory styles, like those you'd wear to your first summer picnic, family reunion, or night out post-pandemic. Ultimate Gray's straight-forward, utilitarian appeal makes it a popular choice for work outfits, streetwear, and minimalist wardrobe staples. Paired together, they perfectly reflect the duality of the times.

According to the Spring/Summer runways, this is how to wear Pantone's Colors of the Year 2021.

Illuminating Yellow

According to color experts and Parisian designers, vibrant hues will be a major color trend for 2021. "As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity, and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality," says Pantone.

Reminiscent of smiley faces and sunny summer days, Pantone's Illuminating yellow is full of vitality and life. Wear this statement-making color and you're sure to turns heads the moment you walk into the room.

Here's how to wear Pantone's Color of the Year 2021, Illuminating:

Boho Summer Prints

2020 taught us to celebrate the many joys in life: sunny summer days spent with friends, the sand between your toes at the beach, the liveliness of a busy farmers market or crowded bar, and traveling to your favorite city abroad.

Illuminating perfectly encapsulates the sense of hope and optimism we all feel as we look forward to a post-pandemic world. As countries around the world begin distributing vaccinations, a Covid-free future feels closer than ever.

At Etro, the sunny yellow shade was used for summery looks designed for your first stroll through the market, Mediterranean vacation, or perhaps just a socially-distanced picnic with friends in the meantime. Complete your look with trendy raffia espadrille sandals and a woven basket bag that compliment your carefree summer vibes.

Minimalist Outerwear

Bright outerwear will undoubtedly be one of the biggest fashion trends of the year. Expect to see bright yellow coats all over your Instagram feed this spring. By investing in a high-quality statement piece with a minimalist silhouette, you can ensure your colorful coat will be in style long after 2021.

Don one of Prada's brightly-colored 'clutch' coats, and you're sure to turn heads everywhere you go. According to the brand's new creative power couple, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada, you should let the bold yellow color speak for itself.

Buttery Soft Knitwear

If you aren’t one for lemon yellow, try a softer take on this year’s biggest color trend. A buttery light yellow offers a less in-your-face alternative to Pantone’s Illuminating and stays relevant in your closet for many years to come.

Salvatore Ferragamo's Spring/Summer 2021 collection offered a softer take on Pantone's Illuminating yellow shade. Paired with pops of cherry red, chestnut brown, and crisp white, Ferragamo's butter yellow knitwear and leather separates felt exceptionally chic.

The timeless Italian house drew inspiration from the Technicolor used in classic Hitchcock films when creating their spring color palette. “Lockdown has been dark, surreal, and mysterious, like a Hitchcock movie,” said Creative Director, Paul Andrew, in an interview with Vogue. “But strangely, like in a Hitchcock movie, the ending is always somehow beautiful. I’m trying to celebrate the beauty that is going to come out of it.”

Colorful Accessories

If you aren't particularly fond of wearing H2T yellow, there's no need to fret. Designers also used Illuminating as a vibrant accent color for prints, footwear, and accessories in their Spring/Summer 2021 collections. Throw on a pair of lemon yellow sunglasses or strappy summer sandals any time you need a quick mood boost.

In Miu Miu's most recent collection, the bright color was used in small doses: a skinny stripe on a candy-colored sweater, a sporty print on a retro tracksuit, an iridescent glow on a metallic handbag, a ruffled chiffon blouse with a jeweled collar, and a punchy pair of kitten-heeled sneakers.

Pops of Color

Use Illuminating to update ultra-sexy silhouettes with the eye-catching color of the year. Opt for timeless cuts that help tone down the trendiness of the recognizable color and give this year’s purchases staying power in your closet.

At Versace, Illuminating yellow was paired with other vibrant colors. Creative Director Donatella Versace celebrated the rich colors and fantasy world of the underwater city of Atlantis. To further the modern-day Little Mermaid fantasy, the Milan-based house revived their 1992 ‘trésor de la mer’ seashell prints.

One show-stopping dress, in particular, a daring babydoll number with a ruffled hem and jeweled bra top, stood out among the rest. Square-toed heels and a brightly-colored purse took the playful silhouette to the next level.

Ultimate Grey

After a year that upended almost every aspect of our everyday lives, we all could use a little grounding energy in our life. Ultimate Gray, a calming mid-toned gray, provides the stability we all undoubtedly seek this year.

According to Pantone, "Ultimate Gray is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colors of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness, and resilience."

Here's how to wear Pantone's Color of Year 2021, Ultimate Gray:

Metallic Separates

If Pantone's choice of pale gray left you feeling a bit underwhelmed, you're not alone. After years of eye-catching 80s neons and early 2000s pinks, the drab grey felt like a bit of a letdown. Thankfully, the metallic fabrics and asymmetrical ruffled styles from Isabel Marant's spring collection quickly quelled our complaints.

While the simple shade may feel a bit blah in wool suiting fabrics and simple cotton poplins, it's a standout choice for 80s-inspired separates in delicate metallic fabrics and leathers. The metallic take on Ultimate Gray is the ideal color choice for a night on the town.

Basic Blazers

If there's one item to add to your 2021 work wardrobe, it's an oversized blazer in Ultimate Gray. According to color psychologists, wearing gray helps you to appear dependable, practical, and more willing to compromise, making it the perfect choice for Zoom meetings with your boss.

To keep an all-gray look from feeling boring, add an unexpected twist through your styling. Take a cue from Sportmax and style your gray office outfits with gold jewelry instead of silver. Or pair your monochrome gray outfit with a boldly-colored pair of statement shoes, like their mustard yellow strappy sandals worn with sheer tights.

Sheer Fabrics

Let's face it. Gray isn't exactly a sexy color. We think of gray as being serious, conservative, and refined. While it's the perfect color for a business suit, it wouldn't be anyone's first choice for lingerie. But when styled correctly, these grounding qualities create the perfect balance of sex appeal and sophistication.

That's precisely why Ultimate Gray made an unexpected choice for sexy silhouettes and sheer dresses at Acne Studios. A loose kaftan-style dress in sheer gray chiffon skimmed effortlessly over a crocheted bralette, stopping at mid-shin to expose a pair of kitten-heel flip flops. Sheer gray pants billowed beneath an oversized blazer, topped with futuristic accessories. And Acne's iridescent sheer midi skirts felt like the perfect choice for a post-pandemic dancefloor.

Chains & Metal Mesh

Pantone's Color of the Year will also influence our jewelry choices. Though gold jewelry has remained the most popular metal choice of the past few years (think dainty layered gold necklaces and stacked rings), we're predicting many street style stars will add more silver jewelry into the mix this year.

For another trendy way to incorporate silver into your 2021 wardrobe, try one of the metallic mesh styles seen on the runways during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 seasons. This season, chainmail-inspired dresses, tops, and accessories were seen at Balenciaga, Jil Sander, and Paco Rabanne. The intricately woven metal mesh acted as stylish armor for a post-pandemic world filled with uncertainty.

Paired with Neon Colors

One of the most unexpected color pairings for Ultimate Gray was the neon green seen at Balmain. The pale gray offered the perfect blank canvas for sleek retro-futuristic looks.

When pairing neon colors with neutrals like Ultimate Gray, it's important to find the perfect balance between the two contrasting shades. Avoid mixing neons and stick to one neon shade— like hot pink, neon green, or even fluorescent yellow reminiscent of Pantone's Illuminating— to keep the look cohesive. As a rule of thumb, follow a 2:1 ratio of two neutral pieces to one neon piece.

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Runway images c/o Vogue Runway

Sarah Maberry