- I need flower girl dresses to [match] my Vera Wang bride’s maids’ dresses in “Ice blue”

- Do you have anything in “Calypso?”"

We hear these all the time . . . . and yet, does it really tell us anything?  What is really in the “name” of a color?  Is there a standardized list of color names somewhere?

These are questions we’ll cover here.

In truth - the “name” of a color is something concocted by the designer.  They want the name of the color to gel with the “aura” they want surrounding their design collection for the season.

So, “Ice Blue” looks a whole lot like pale blue with a slight hint of green - frequently called Robin’s Egg Blue.

Calypso looks a whole like fuschia or hot pink.

And what color IS “Rum Pink”?   (Though I love it, it’s barely pink at all!)

This season “green” is no longer just “green”, it’s “lettuce”, “pistachio”, “Spring green”, “celery”, etc.  Of course, each is a different shade.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between “Red”, “Christmas Red” and “Valentine’s Red” or “Apple Red”?  We have.  It has a lot more to do with when the designer intends to sell that garment than what the color actually looks like.  It creates a mood.  Will you see differences between shades if a company offers several of these?  Yes, you will!

But are the shades consistent from one company to another?

Nope.  Not at all.

One company’s “Apple Red” is another’s “Red” or “Christmas Red” or another term they prefer to use.

These terms sound so much more tantalizing than “lt blue” or “red” or “green”, and that’s what the designers are going for, you see.  These terms create an image in your mind and make them more desirable.

But that picture in your mind is exclusive to you — nobody else can see it.