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Hi there! I can't wait to find out what color will define 2026. What's the scoop?

Brace yourself, because every year beginning in 1999, Pantone chooses a Color of the Year. This pick seeks to represent the zeitgeist—influencing everything from our emotions and our wardrobe selections to interior styling. 2025's color was the rich tan "a coffee-inspired shade," preceded by the subtly inviting "a delicate peach tone."

The latest choice, in contrast, is particularly baffling. It is "a billowy white," labeled as a "billowy, balanced white."

Laurie Pressman, VP of the Pantone Color Institute, remarked that it is "an essential foundational hue … permitting all colors to shine."

Interesting, Cloud Dancer… hold on, just white? Could they be trolling us? Is white even a distinct hue?

How does one define the hue of a cloud? A blank page? Although some consider white as a color, every hue is at its core a perception of light wavelengths. It appears in a set of colored pencils, so in everyday terms the answer is yes.

Whether Pantone is out of touch is more difficult to ascertain. The company states, Cloud Dancer combines easily with other colors, avoids sensory overload, embodies understated style, and radiates refined calm.

Feedback online, however, has proven more critical. Several voices have suggested Pantone of being completely "tone-deaf." Fashion and trend forecaster Mandy Lee called it "a let-down." Critics have drawn parallels to coded promotion of controversial ideas seen in other media.

I see, hopefully they're cheerfully oblivious that the timing is awkward to be explicitly championing pure white... Anyway, how might someone who doesn't follow a catwalk use this information in everyday routine? I recently coated my ceiling with white, does that count?

Yes, that certainly counts. The same goes for your wireless speakers, sink, or linen sheets.

It's interesting you mention catwalks, because many collections this year have been bold and fuzzy, featuring naturally dyed materials on the stage.

All-white outfits were present, as per usual, in high-fashion looks—from elegant blouses to tailored gowns. High-profile figures have also been seen in monochromatic white attire at public appearances.

The good news is: chances are you already own items in this "discreet" chosen hue. In the words of Pressman, Cloud Dancer "signifies a more sustainable choice for the sustainability-minded," which could mean avoiding the need to purchase new items at all.

FINALLY, a design directive for the deeply unmotivated. A blank page, in a manner of speaking. A haven of calming neutrality amid the chaos. I'm convinced, I'm on board. Are you planning a monochrome palette for your closet?

Definitely not. Have you ever tried to get out grass stains from a white fabric? I could do without more laundry disasters in 2026.

I do possess a pair of now off-white sandals, and those are always in vogue.