Sometimes I think that the fashion industry is a little like “Who came first, the chicken or the egg.” I like to be fashion forward, and as I was combing through RTW (ready to wear) clothing last week on New York’s Fashion Week, I noticed that there was a definite trend in the color palette. I sometimes wonder who or what is the origin of establishing an entire industry’s color scheme. Does it start with Pantone, the world’s leading color institute? Or does it start with a few iconic fashion designers that everyone else follows?

For giggles, I checked out Pantone’s Fall 2015 Fashion Color Report (that was produced back in February) and then went to Banana Republic, J. CREW and others, to compare their new arrivals. I can’t say I was surprised to see that the new fall fashion colors closely matched Pantone’s picks, it just helped confirm that the industry is intimately networked. You will see the expected grey and beige (and of course no one would buy a grey or beige sweater, so the colors are translated to enagmatic words like shadow and oyster). Pantone’s fall color line-up is below, and I get such a kick out of the names! So ladies and gents, when you are shopping to add a few new items to your fall wardrobe, look below for the colors that will show everyone how fashion forward you are.

Starting from left to right Pantone’s Colors (and names that the rest of us can relate to) Dried Herb (if that isn’t Olive drab, I don’t know what is), Desert Sage (okay, I’ll buy that), Stormy Weather (blue-grey), Oak Bluff (it is dark yellow people), Marsala (think wine), Biscay Bay (wow, that is a sexy name for teal), Reflecting Pond (that would be DARK teal), Cadmium Orange (nice try, it is salmon), Cashmere Rose (it really does look like a fuzzy rose), Amethyst Orchid (I agree, it is amethyst). Here is a peek of some new fall fashion arrivals that can be pulled from the Pantone line-up. Check out Urban Outfitters’ sweater collection that also mimics the same color palette.

MARSALA – Love the elbow patch on this BR Cardigan

OAK BLUFF – BR Hooded Coat

CASHMERE ROSE – J. CREW Cashmere Boatneck Tunic Sweater

BISCAY BAY – SHOPBOP Cold Shoulder Sweater by Yigal Azrouel

CADMIUM ORANGE – J. CREW Italian Cashmere, long-sleeve tee-shirt