Marsala-Color-of-the-Year-Wearable-Workwear-LiWBFIt’s Red. Nah, not really. Could be brown. Nope. I think it kinda resembles both colors.

What are we talking about? The color of the year, of course. The Pantone gurus call it Marsala. If you read my spring 2015 color forecast review from earlier this year, (yeah, that would be the one where I was blasting this color) then you may recall me describing Marsala’s washout factor, as in, wearing this oddball shade of reddish brown would make me look like a walking chocolate bar. Okay, some folks might think that’s a good thing. However, I do not. As I stated in the spring forecast, the color of the year has started to grow on me.

Let me present a couple of fun facts about the origins of the name Marsala. It’s named after a wine in Italy, an intriguing mixture of native Grillo, Catarratto, or Inzolia grapes found in the region of Sicily! WooHoo! You all know how much I love Italy. How exciting to discover that Marsala’s history connects with one of my favorite countries. All of the 2015 color palette shows a link to Italy. Take a peek at my story on this connection in this article.

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After opening up to and accepting Marsala’s place in the fashion world, I started to see the appeal, the versatility of its ambiguity, the refusal to conform to definition. Want to know why the Pantone gurus chose Marsala? I love the way Leatrice Eisman, Executive Director of Pantone’s Color Institute describes it. “Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability. Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth.” Read the rest of the article here. Ms. Eisman offers an intriguing explanation on how Marsala became the color of the year.

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You cannot clearly categorize Marsala as a red or a brown, which surprisingly makes it one of the most versatile shades in this year’s color spectrum. You can wear this color to work or a party. Pair it with gold or silver accessories or the new blushed pink that everyone’s getting into. Since Marsala tends to run on the redder side of the color spectrum, you can choose accessories based on the piece you’re buying. Put a Marsala colored top underneath a cardigan of the same tone. Blush colored staple pieces truly work wonders for this hue.

Introducing this week’s collection of Marsala inspired pieces.

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