purple


Pantone color of 2018 Ultra Violet

color trends 2018

photo courtesy of Pantone

The color f 2018 is here. Color authority Pantone has announced the ultimate IT color for the year 2018; and it is a beautiful, blue purple hue named “Ultra Violet.”

Pantone goes through a lengthy process in order to determine the color of the year, each year. They study everything from politics to economics to what is trending in every aspect of design; fashion, art, interior design, sculpture, architecture, automotive design, food, and more. In order to give you the most useful information about the IT color of 2018, I hopped on a conference call with Pantone to learn all about their analysis, process, and the color of the year 2018, Ultra Violet.

Ultra Violet evokes the climate of our times. People right now have visionary thinking. We are exploring new technologies, and we are looking forward to what will be discovered, and created, in the future. Purple is the color of “transformation,” it symbolizes new discoveries, mindfulness, and power. It has a magical and mystical vibe; which is why it was favored in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Purple was, and still is, psychedelic; and it is , and was, favored by the counter-culture. Think Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.”

If you think about the counter culture of the late 1960s, and early 1970s, it was a time of discovery, change, and protest. Does this sound familiar? Perhaps it does. This also reflects the current climate we are living in right now. We are discovering new technologies, seeking change, and protesting what we don’t agree with. This is our current vibe, you dig? 😉

As we moved towards our current time of transformation, we began to see Ultra Violet popping up in fashion with the fall 2016 season; and each season it has slowly gained traction. Now, as we move into 2018, and the upcoming spring 2018 fashion season, we are seeing Ultra Violet explode.

Ultra Violet, and similar blue purple hues, are being shown as stand alone colors in fashion. We are going to start to see solid colored clothing, as well as accessories and beauty products, in this blue purple hue as we move into spring 2018. In addition to purple dresses, pants, coats and the like, we will be seeing Ultra Violet mixed into various prints.

nina tiari nyfw spring 2018

Ultra Violet used in a floral pattern on the Nina Tiari spring 2018 runway at New York Fashion Week. Photo Credit: Cathy/Bay Area Fashionista 2017© 

It isn’t just fashion where we will see Ultra Violet take form. Both luxury and economy cars are experimenting with the color, and interior design will be using the blue purple hue more often in decor. Artist, sculptures, architects, and even chef’s are using Ultra Violet and similar shades in their work.

Purple is also starting to get popular as a color used in lighting! Designers are using purple lighting in bathrooms, hotel rooms, and other places where they want to create a calm and inspiring vibe.

maison the faux nyfw spring 2018

photo: Maison the Faux spring 2018 runway at New York Fashion Week, notice the purple lighting. Photo credit Cathy/Bay Area Fashionista 2017©

Our world is so over-connected, Ultra Violet is a fabulous, calming hue which helps us all seek refuge from the world as it is today. It is a mystical, magical color which inspires us to discover and create new technologies, art and the like; while it guides us into the future. Cheers to 2018 and what it will bring!

color of the year 2018 ultra violet

photo courtesy of Pantone


Tom Ford Dominatrix nail polish review

tom ford dominatrix nail polish review

Pictured: Tom Ford Dominatrix nail polish

Tom Ford’s line of nail polishes are high quality, long lasting, and offer fresh colors not seen from other nail polish brands. Since I first fell in love with Tom Ford’s “Black Jade” for spring 2015, I was eager to test out another one of Tom Ford’s fabulous nail polish hues. I found “Dominatrix” in his line-up and instantly fell in love with the shimmering purple hue in the bottle; a must try!

Dominatrix by Tom Ford is a beautiful, medium hued purple nail polish with fabulous sparkles. The nail polish shimmers; picking up light both from the sun, and indoor lighting. Love that!

I tested out Tom Ford’s Dominatrix nail polish with two coats of color, one base coat, and no top coat. Tom Ford’s nail polish is long lasting, and did not chip, for seven days! Talk about fabulous 😉

Dominatrix is the perfect purple for both the summer season, and the upcoming fall season. The color blends perfectly with summer’s “shades of blue” trend and also works as a classic purple for the autumn season. Love that!

I have fallen in love with Tom Ford’s nail polish, and look forward to trying out more colors from his nail polish portfolio in the future. To shop Tom Ford’s Dominatrix, please click here or here.


Chanel Lavanda nail polish for summer 2015 review

chanel lavanda nail polish summer 2015 review

Pictured: Chanel Lavanda nail polish for summer 2015. Photo taken during morning golden hour in pale sunlight.

Chanel Lavanda nail polish is a fabulous purple nail colour from Chanel’s summer 2015 beauty collection. This bright purple hue is warm and playful; allowing it to work well with summer’s bright color palette. Love that!

Lavanda by Chanel is a cream nail polish color with a sleek, high-gloss finish. The first coat goes on with a thin coat of color. To achieve the bottle color with streaking, the second coat needs to be thick, or else a total of three thin coats need to be applied. The end result is a marvelous purple nail polish which brightens each day. Love purple!!!

I tested out Chanel Lavanda with one base coat, two coats of color (three of my nails needed three coats), and no top coat. Lavanda by Chanel lasted longer than most Chanel nail polishes. It was seven days before I received a chip! I am definitely in love 😉 As a note, during those seven days I did some housecleaning without wearing gloves, and I spent some time in the warm sun. The cleaning chemicals, and the direct sunlight did not fade, crack, or weaken my Chanel Lavanda nail polish. That is a rare and notable occurrence!

Chanel Lavanda will be a fabulous nail polish to wear this summer 2015 season; as well as right now! The color works well with the seasons’ color palette and the nail polish is long lasting. This means spending time in the sun, and enjoying outdoor activities, are a little bit less stressful; you will not have to worry about chipping your nail polish, especially with the addition of a top coat. Fabulous!

Chanel Lavanda nail polish for the summer 2015 season can be found online here, here, and here.