The Latino Inspired Color of Success – Viva Magenta!
6 Great Ways to Incorporate Viva Magenta in your wardrobe.
If you’ve noticed that suddenly, a particular shade of burgundy red is blowing up all over your social media feed, is in stores and everywhere in fashion, it’s not a coincidence. It’s because Viva Magenta is officially the 2023 Pantone color of the year. I can see many of you scratching your heads saying – qué significa eso?
Every year, the Pantone Color Institute which is recognized globally as a leading source of color expertise, provides their insights on color forecasting. They conduct in-depth research on the influences of color on society to determine color trends across fashion, packaging, home interiors, web design, marketing and just about any category of product you work with.
What makes this important in fashion?
Color is a very powerful force in our everyday lives. It has a very psychological effect on our bodies and minds. While we can all have a slightly different response to color, in general there are universal meanings to colors. Colors in the red spectrum are referred to as warm colors and include red, orange, and yellow. These can instill feelings of warmth and comfort but also anger and passion. Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are referred to as cool colors and include blue, purple, and green. These colors are usually described as calming and maybe also sad. Color can also elicit impulse purchases based on how you’re feeling. Selecting a new color to represent the upcoming year creates business buzz and opportunities for fashion and home brands to create and collaborate on projects that include this new fashionable color. It generates business opportunities.
This year’s Viva Magenta color selection has me excited because both the color and its name are very powerful and celebratory. As Latinos, we know that “viva” translates to “live” in many Latin-based languages (a nice little homage to our Latino community). It’s a very powerful word when we think of all the strong phrases it’s associated with like “Viva Las Vegas”, “Viva Mexico”, and “Viva la Vida”. It represents long life or pride in something.
Magenta itself is a very powerful color. It is a mix of red and blue violet. Red is all about passion, power and energy and blue violet is a more of an introspective quiet energy. Combined magenta is a harmonious blend of balance between the two.
I could tell you the properties of magenta, but I think you already know what they are as it is very easy to feel cheerful, happy, and optimistic when you’re around it or wearing it. Why Pantone selected this color I couldn’t tell you, but it makes a lot of sense to me. With the worst of the pandemic hopefully in our rear-view mirrors, we are all looking forward to a life of optimistic celebration, confidence, and fearlessness. We are all looking to create new beginnings and re-start our lives.
A fun fact about magenta’s origin story is that it was inspired by one of the oldest natural dyes. It originated from a beetle – the cochineal beetle. This is an insect that produces carmine dye which is one of the most precious, strongest, and brightest of natural dyes.
Viva Magenta: How to Pull Off Stylish Looks
Now let’s get to the fun fashion part of how to wear this super powerful and happy color! Because Viva Magenta is a bold red that strikes a balance between the warmth of reds and the coolness of blue violets, it’s versatile on many skin tones.
6 Great Ways to Incorporate Viva Magenta in your wardrobe.
Depending on your personal taste, you may want to wear this color all on its own.
As an alternative you may want to get a little creative and use some color theory techniques outlined below:
- Feeling powerful? Wear Viva Magenta as a full statement head to toe.
- If you like the color and all its gorgeous hues, join the monochromatic trend, and try it with other shades of pinks. For instance, a skirt could be Viva Magenta, a blouse could be a shade lighter and a scarf, shoes, and/or bag could be a very pale pink.
- Mix and match with neutrals. Use Viva Magenta for a blouse and keep your pants or skirt in a core black, navy or khaki. This is a great way to update a basic core t-shirt.
- If you just want to wake up a quiet outfit or test the waters with this bold color, then use it sparingly in your accessories such as a handbag, belt, scarf, or shoes
- If you really like to be bold and adventurous, check out the mini color theory tutorial below on how to pair with either complimentary or analogous colors for a fun unique look.
- Lastly, let’s not forget the beauty industry which is a close friend to fashion. This color can be used as a color wash for hair, a bold lip, nail, or blush color. It’s a color that is flattering for all ages and skin tones.
Check out these quick visuals for insights to help you put your looks together. The easiest way to instantly get this color into your wardrobe is by using it monochromatically or with neutrals.
When the weather breaks, it’s really the perfect time to play with this fun color. As a Latina fashion business owner I personally love getting creative with these great complimentary or analogous color wheel mixes. This takes a bit more time to plan out, but it’s well worth the effort to achieve the final look.
Now that you have the tools to incorporate this hot new fashion color into your wardrobe, give it a try and “Viva tu Mejor Vida”!!
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