Why you shouldn’t shrink from violet in 2018
YOU can’t be a child of the eighties and not have a special fondness for purple.
It was the spiritual colour of our beloved P rince, along with his rain, revolution and dandy satin suits. Madonna blasted into our consciousness in a violet tube skirt in the Dress You Up video. Xanadu was undoubtedly the worst film ever made, but it did make me spend the next decade trying to copy Olivia Newton-John’s lilac eye shadow.
But purple has had more than its fair share of ‘wilderness years’ too, from the elizabethan age when it was outlawed for anyone but royalty , to more recent times when it ’s been banished to Fashion Siberia for being too ‘out there’.
Over the past 12 months, however, it’s been worming its way back into the spotlight.
When designers such as Balenciaga and British duo Preen included head-to -toe purple looks in their autumnwinter collections in early 2017, the High Street took that as the signal to make clothes in everything from the deepest indigoes to the palest lilacs.
NOW, thanks to The P antone Colour Institute, ultra-violet is the new ‘official colour of 2018’.
‘But it’s so hard to wear!’ I hear you cry. I beg to differ. It’s the perfect foil for many of your neutrals and works a treat with blacks, greys, camels, metallic silver and gold.
My love of bright colour means I’ll be teaming my ultra-violet with other bold jewel tones: emerald greens, fluro pinks and hot orange.
I love the orange print on H&M’s violet patterned dress (£39.99, hm.com). It’s ticking a lot of my boxes — especially price. The orange blooms are a striking contrast that makes this a party-ready winner.
If you prefer a little, but not a lot of print, you could try the great tie -blouse in the same fabric for £17.49, which will look perfect with black trousers.
While ultra-violet, with its celebratory, regal reputation, is an obvious go-to for eveningwear, it can give some nice punch to your day wardrobe.
Who could fail to be impressed when you turn up in the chic purple wool skirt from Victoria Beckham? (now £251, stylebop.com).
For a sophisticated top, look no further than the vivid plum bow blouse (now £12.99, zara.
com). It’s demure enough for day and glam enough for night. Online Zara has styled it with emerald green booties and the effect is brilliant, but jeans and a black boot will be great, too.
If you’re really digging the avant-garde feel of ultra-violet you’ll love the fabulous shiny culottes (£120, uterque.com). They’re the perfect length to wear with an ankle boot in any contrasting colour. ( If you’re more sensible than me, chocolate brown boots will work.)
There’s also an avalanche of accessories for those who want just a smidge of 2018’s colour.
The purple velvet ankle boots (now £69.90, uterque.com) will look amazing peeping out from under a grey trouser suit. Or go full Seventies glam and team the velvet platform sandals (now £29.99, zara.com) with a black wrap dress or jumpsuit.
Re-invent your old, faithful black dress with the dazzling tassel drop earrings (£16.50,
topshop.com), or have the subtlest flirt possible with the colour with a bargain cross-body bag (£15.99, newlook.com).
I, for one, will be welcoming ultra-violet’s flamboyant pep, coming right when we need it most, in the throes of dull, dark January. Whether or not it really will be the colour of 2018 remains to be seen.
With so much of it around, I suspect we might all be tired of it by March. But right now , let purple reign.