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Hello! I'm so eager to learn what color is set to be 2026. What's the scoop?

Prepare yourself, since every year beginning in 1999, Pantone selects a Color of the Year. This pick is a reflection of the zeitgeist—informing everything from our emotions and fashion choices to how we design our living spaces. 2025's color was the deep beige "a creamy brown," preceded by the gentle and peachy "a fuzzy pastel."

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

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

Interesting, Cloud Dancer… wait, white? Could they be trolling us? Is white even a real color?

What is the best way to describe the hue of a cloud? A blank page? While some consider white as a color, every hue is at its core a perception of light wavelengths. You can find it in a set of colored pencils, so for practical purposes the answer is yes.

The question of whether Pantone is out of touch is harder to determine. They claim, Cloud Dancer mixes well with other colors, avoids sensory overload, declares simplicity, and projects subtle elegance.

Responses from critics, on the other hand, has been less complimentary. Several voices have accused Pantone of being completely "out of touch." Style expert Mandy Lee labeled it "a let-down." Some have even compared it with subtle advocacy of problematic concepts seen in popular culture.

Right, hopefully they're happily ignorant that this isn't the best moment to be pointedly celebrating the color white... Anyway, how can a regular person who doesn't follow a runway incorporate this trend in everyday routine? I just painted my kitchen ceiling white, does that qualify?

Yes, that certainly counts. So would your white headphones, sink, or favorite mug.

The timing is curious you mention runways, as many recent shows have been exceptionally bright, featuring plant-based materials on the runway.

All-white outfits made appearances, like always, in high-fashion looks—from elegant blouses to sleek suits. High-profile figures have also been spotted in pristine white outfits at major events.

The positive takeaway is: chances are you already possess items in this "understated" designated shade. As Pressman, Cloud Dancer "signifies a more sustainable choice for the environmentally aware," which essentially suggests not having to buy new items at all.

AT LAST, a design directive for the truly minimalist. A fresh start, in a manner of speaking. A sanctuary of calming neutrality against the chaos. I'm convinced, I get it. Do you intend a whiteout for your closet?

Not a chance. Attempting to remove tomato sauce stains from a white shirt? I don't need more laundry disasters in 2026.

I do own a pair of once-white sandals, and such staples remain perpetually fashionable.