You May be Entitled to Compensation

**Have you, or a loved one been injured by this color choice? Did you attempt to seek treatment, only to find that the hospital had been completely abandoned?** 

Y'know, just when I thought "quiet quitting" was some junk-term breathlessly conjured by desperate journalists with nothing left to write about, Pantone's Fall / Winter 2026-2027 Color Trend Report landed, just over a month ago with a muffled thud, and oh my god.

Better Late Than Never?

I think that depends entirely on who you ask, but for anyone eagerly anticipating my bi-annual color gripefest, the wait is finally over.  Let's get into it!

"Color is My Day-Long Obsession, Joy, and Torment" -Claude Monet

Preach, Claude, preach.

Viva la Revolución

With the close of 2022 came the Pantone "forecast" announcement of the new Color of the Year for 2023.  Now ... If you're new around here, you may not be familiar with my Pantone gripe.  The good news is, you can read more about it over here.  The, uhm, other news is that you will very quickly discover how wordy I am.  I'd apologize, but honestly?  I clearly needed to get all of that off my chest, like, it can't be healthy to hold that much animosity for the color equivalent of groundhog's day -- A harmless holiday(?) that means nothing, but also kind of something..?

Comfort and Joy

 

 

Last month, like clockwork, Pantone released its choice for Color of the Year to represent, lend focus, and inspire us as we move through 2021 ... and as surely as night turns into day, I hate it.  

The Classics

"Instilling calm, confidence, and connection..."

#BoycottZara

Image: courtesy of AdamJK

ZARA, the world's largest apparel retailer, and notorious 'fast-fashion' copycat brand, is at it again this summer ripping off popular independent artists around the globe and selling their poorly-fabricated, illegal / unauthorized reproductions across their main, and subsidiary companies.  When confronted they clapped back at one LA-based, indie artist, Tuesday Bassen, with a very neaner-neaner we're more popular than you, so we can steal your work kind of response.  Which, I'm sure she was thrilled to receive after dropping 2k on a professionally drafted Cease & Desist letter to the company informing them of their misstep.

Lighten Up, It's Just Fashion!

Which is true, except when it's not. 

With New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2014 winding down, and London's just getting underway; air kisses hanging like a thick cloud alongside thrilled gasps of front-row glitterati over how fabulous next year's donation pile is going to be, I'm wondering just how "fabulous" the people of last year's factory collapse in Bangladesh, and other sweatshop workers around the world are feeling.  My guess is, not very.

Don't be fooled by the high price on your designer duds, the people behind the construction are, more typically than not, cutting and sewing in the same human rights violating factories pumping out threads for your local one-stop-shop retailer.

At some point something's gotta give.  Right now our actions are saying that we value a pretty new dress over human life.  It's time to put the champagne down, and get real.

 

 **Updated 2022**

Originally, there was a video that accompanied this post, and while the information reported was correct, it is from a broadcasting organization I do not wish to promote on this page.  For more information on the topic of the intersection of human rights, and the fashion industry, please take a look at this list of films compiled by Remake (a registered 501c3 non-profit organization that exists to shed light on the human rights violations and climate injustice being caused by the fashion industry):

 

12 Films About Fast Fashion That Will Change the Way You Think About the Apparel Industry

And the PANTONE 2013 Color of the Year is ...

Emerald

RGB: 0, 155, 119  /  CMYK: 99, 0, 69, 0  /  Html value: 009B77  

More emerald goodness here.

Groundhogs are Liars

Who knew?  I mean, they look trustworthy enough.  I could just be cranky since every cold, crisp yet sunny day seems to bring with it another week of rain, dark skies, and even snow leaving me to wonder will this winter ever end?  Did I just say that?  I LOVE winter ... but even I have limits.  I'm ready for something else.  I've got a terminal case of cabin fever, and I'm itching from the inside out for something other than "sog". 

Everywhere I look, soggy skies, soggy trees, soggy doggy, soggy shopping bags, soggy ... well entirely anyway.  But because once it came off my needles, and directly after that moment of "Oh God, did it work?" when I situated it atop my head I gasped with delight, "Perfect!"  And since then, this little guy's been everywhere with me.  Not too big to stuff into a purse as you're running out the door, and definitely not too cumbersome to throw on even when the temperature isn't tooth rattling.  Goldilocks herself couldn't have seen this one coming, especially if she's a reader 'round these parts. 

actually, I've been staying quite dry thanks to this little gem:  I've adequately dubbed The Perfect Hat - not because of my oh-so-awesome knitting skills, well not

There's something about February, Me, and hats ... probably because I'm bundled up to my eyeballs from now 'til April (and if you're a PNW native then you know that can drag out well into May -- and June, but who's counting?).  This time I've nailed it though, not too bulky, not too wimpy, sleek slim fit, and oversized kitschy upcycled flower made from reclaimed fabrics, and felt derived from post consumer plastic bottles (omgodzorz, it's green too!)

Now if I can stop flapping my gums about it, and get some photos taken they'll be listed here shortly ... stay tuned!

xoxo

Out to Pasture?

Okay, okay it's that time of year again ... Labor Day, and how many of us are actually sending our whites to the big color farm in the sky?  Granted, around this time the ol' girl is looking a little long in the tooth, but I don't think it's glue factory time just yet.  And now for the shock, and scandal I tell you: I believe in winter white!  I also believe in stiff white shirts to match the crisp fall air.  I believe in crunchy leaves under a bright white sneaker with jeans and a cozy sweater.  I believe in ALL colors ALL the time.  I'm a mood dresser, not a trend/fad/tell me what I should like from your glossy magazine dresser.  And quite honestly I don't think I'm alone here. 

It feels to me that there is a shift happening out there.  People are tired of the same old assembly line junk that everyone else has, that the prestigious few tell us we should want, and definitely need if we don't already have it ... but don't forget you'll be throwing it out next season when you're told it's "over"!  We're sick of being told what to do.  Our rights are being mutilated before our eyes, blatant abuses of power are being thrust upon us under the guise of course that "they" know what's best for us (um, by the people for the people? Not so much), as the whole world seemingly creeps closer and closer toward a universal police state ... Fashion Police, do you see where I'm going with this?  You don't actually exist, and we don't need the "threat" of you hanging over our heads anymore.  There are more important things happening out there than what color I'm wearing after which day on the calendar.  If it makes me happy, what's the problem?  And really, shouldn't that be what we're all striving for, sharing and spreading happiness -- accepting one another and each of our quirks instead of regurgitating a lot of rigid and antiquated rules about something as silly as fashion? 

Silly as fashion? 

Yes, fashion IS silly, the whole nature of it is!  We're picking out decoration and coverings for our bodies, we're not curing cancer in the closet every morning ... and if you are, may I say that's amazing!  Enjoy it, it's meant to be fun!  The ones taking it so seriously are either trying to get rich off you, or doing some kind of Wild Kingdom ram's dance before they butt heads and one can be declared a winner.  And for them I say, please do us all a favor by getting back on your high horse, ride it to your ivory tower, and lock yourself in, because the rest of us are having a blast ... and you know what they say about party poopers! 

What's my final word?  My name is Stormy, and I believe in winter white.

Talking Leaves

That was a name I coined for a color in college, it was a Native American themed project, and I thought both the people I was studying, and the phrase had a certain mystery about them.  I love the thought of leaves suspended high above us, with something to say about everything down below, like thousands of little busy bodies whom never let even the smallest details slip their attention, or guardians passing along important messages as the wind carries them to the appropriate ears. 

My leaves are certainly talking today, they've been good company all morning as I'm elbow deep in
projects.  I see the heavy limbs dip so they can peek in through the window at me to see what I'm up to, and bounce back up to the dark gray sky to pass along the news.  Somewhere along the way they mentioned to me that it was Fall now, though I knew it a week ago that the weather would not be waiting for the calendar to catch up ... it never really does around here.  But just in case I wasn't ready to believe the leaves swaying to and fro while others danced around twirling like my niece in a princess dress til the cold moist grass tickled their toes I saw Tommy (the squirrel, and yes I name everything) run by with some non-perishables for his pantry, and it hit me, not like a ton of bricks or anything.  Fall is something I ease into like a hot bath, it just envelopes me completely. 

There's something exciting to me about that first bite of crisp air that lets you know something more is going on than meets the eye.  I've been flirting with the rich colors of the season, and day dreaming of wrapping up in the warm woollen camel colored coats we'll be seeing everywhere soon.  And this year like many before it sends thoughts through my head of crackling leaves underfoot, ivy covered brick, age stained book pages, tweed jackets with leather elbow patches, beaver fur coats, pennants, Oxford bags, and new beginnings.  Autumn to me has always been more about new beginnings than Spring ... the acorn has to fall in order for something to be sprouting come springtime.  Even though everything seems to be coming to life, something had to be planning the arrival beforehand. 

Well it's back to work with me, I just had to take a break before tantrums ensued ... I have that problem when I'm working on intricate things that require a new definition of tedium, there's something that would be so soothing in the sound of breaking glass when I've been going at it too long.  I chose this instead, and no clean up required!

xoxo

Good Morning!

I may be the only person on Earth who wakes up with a hot cup of decaf ... (true!) ever since slaying
the caffeine dragon about two years ago, and in doing so, once the detox ran its course, I realized I never really drank coffee for its stimulating effects. I love the taste of it, and the more I pay attention to the things I do, I've come to see I'm a creature of all things comfort. Good food, good drink, music, textures, lighting ... what can I say? I like to be cozy.