who is pantone? what is the color of the year?
Lawrence Herbert, Pantone’s founder, transformed how we identify and define colors by developing an intuitive and universal color language. Since its founding, Pantone has become a leader in color design, with over 10 million designers using their system, which features more than 2,000 colors.
In 2000, the company started releasing an annual “Color of the Year,” with the first color being Cerulean. This tradition has grown to shape the design industry as well as reflect current cultural statements. Each color is meant to represent the current state of the world’s emotions or political outcries. Last year’s color was Peach Fuzz. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director at Pantone, says “In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a color radiant with warmth and modern elegance. A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.” Pantone decided to continue with the previous year’s theme of yearning and need for comfort. Mocha Mousse is this year’s pick and Pantone’s website says it is meant to symbolize “Simple and Comforting.” They give insight into numerous color palettes that align with Mocha Mousse, including shades of pink, greens, and blues.
In this article, we will dive into how we can incorporate Mocha Mousse into various aspects of our everyday life, focusing on the inspiration it has given to fashion and beauty.
What is Mocha Mousse?
We know that Mocha Mousse is meant to represent comfort and simplicity in a time when the world is hardly such, but what is Mocha Mousse really? It is a delicious mix of light brown and grey. It offers a fun twist on the shade we typically associate with mocha; where mocha is more like plain coffee, Mocha Mousse could be described as a creamy hot chocolate. Mocha Mousse offers a cooler muted undertone that is reminiscent of the namesake dessert. Pantone has our mouths watering with this scrumptious shade!
Pairing Mocha Mousse with Colors
In the section “Mocha Mousse in Fashion” there is a deep dive into some fabulous ways to incorporate Mocha Mousse into your wardrobe, but first, let’s discuss what colors will pair perfectly with it. Pantone’s official website gives us some great insight into how we can find complementary colors to go with Mocha Mousse. Some of my personal favorite pairings are gold, forest green, light pink, and white. These might seem like strange selections but taking a closer look at each individual color gives us a deeper understanding of how they go well together.
Gold provides a warmer tone that gives Mocha Mousse a soft and romantic vibe. When pairing gold with Mocha Mousse, consider using it as an accessory instead of a base color as it might overwhelm its counterpart. A forest green provides Mocha Mousse with a much-needed earthy tone, as it allows for the color to feel more homey and simplistic by bringing out more of the brown undertones and less of the lighter ones. A light pink would be a great contrasting color, while green and gold enhance the undertones. Pink would make the Mocha Mousse itself pop. Since they provide such different color ranges your eyes can be immediately drawn to both. This color combo is also reminiscent of Neapolitan ice cream, so be prepared for some hungry stares! Last but most certainly not least, white. This is my personal favorite pairing as the Mocha Mousse brings out the white, but still speaks for itself. The white highlights the light undertones in a sort of opposite way of the forest green. It can be great if you are looking to brighten your complexion or just going for a more professional and classic look! There are so many great colors to pair Mocha Mousse with and I can’t wait to see the fun-inspired pairings!
Mocha Mousse in Fashion
Mocha Mousse–a delicious dessert and an appetizing fashion choice. Whether you are styling for streetwear or a more professional setting, Mocha Mousse is a versatile and elegant color for a fashionable look. Are you a college student looking for something comfortable yet sexy? Try pairing a full body-suit in our favorite new color with a white button-up sweater. Consider adding golden waist chains, stacked bracelets, and a simple thin chain necklace with a fun statement charm. The golden jewelry will compliment both the brown bodysuit and the white sweater! You can also add a pair of white shoes to allow the attention to flow seamlessly throughout the outfit. While this color is great for comfort it can also be super fun for a professional setting. A fun monotone blazer-vest pant suit with pops of last year’s color of the year, Peach Fuzz, would be all the rage. The peach color can enhance the warmth of the Mocha Mousse beautifully, while silver jewelry or accessories can tie the whole look together seamlessly. Peach fuzz could be incorporated as a fun tie, a hair scarf, a purse, or even a fun set of heels! There are so many ways to create a fun and fashionable outfit using Mocha Mousse with a variety of fun colors and accessories.
You can check out the Mocha Mousse hashtag on Pinterest or Instagram for some fun inspiration for building outfits! Consider checking out brands that showcase a vast amount of shades similar to Mocha Mousse such as Kim Kardashian’s clothing line Skims. H&M, Aeropastle, and American eagle also display such colors that would be perfect for incorporating in your wardrobe! Their trendy, modern, and casual styles are a great way to find the color we are looking for in an everyday look!
Mocha Mousse in Beauty
The ‘clean girl’ aesthetic has been trending lately on TikTok, with everyone striving for that effortlessly natural yet refined look. Mocha Mousse can be one of the best shades to achieve this look simply. Its cool beige undertone complements a wide range of skin tones, creating that eyeshadow look that enhances the clean girl style. It’s a great color to create a fun smokey eye. This can be a great addition to a going-out look! Start with a dark brown, maybe even a black, and use the Mocha Mousse shade to blend into the inner corner of your eye. Add a fun silver to the inner corner of your eye for a pop of color, paired with a black mascara and an eyeliner shape that compliments your eye shape. For those looking for a classy, sexy, fun going-out look this would be perfect!
Continuing with social media trends, the “Mushroom Brown” hair color has gained rising popularity in recent years. This shade provides a stylish way to incorporate Mocha Mousse tones into everyday looks. It’s a modern and playful twist on the classic dirty blonde look. If you’re not quite ready to commit to the full look, starting with a semi-permanent hair color can be a great beginner-friendly option. Alternatively, you can experiment with Mocha Mousse tones through a fun nail set. Consider using the shade of brown as a base color and adding nail pearls or vibrant accents, like a multi-tone French tip design or the ever-popular color swirls. It’s a delightful way to bring Mocha Mousse into your spring or summer style!
Final Notes
Now that we have considered how to incorporate Mocha Mousse into our fashion you might be thinking “But what do I pair with Mocha Mousse?” Pantone gives us a few great color palettes to check out when considering what to use. Depending on skin tone, social setting, or even season, you are going to want a different selection of colors. Since Mocha Mousse is so versatile, we have a large selection to choose from. For darker skin tones you might consider using brighter colors, such as pastels, to make the shade pop and brighten your complexion. For lighter skin tones you might consider pairing the shade with warmer browns or darker shades to enhance the warm tones in your complexion. Some great pastels to pair with Mocha Mousse would be pale pink (#E9A2B2), baby blue (#8BB8E8), mint green (#C2E5D3), and even a fun shade of light yellow (#FFFFEO). Mocha Mousse is a versatile, fun, and sexy shade to blend in with everyday style. Whether you are adding flair to an athletic look, sophistication to your professional attire, or just enhancing your everyday look, Mocha Mousse is a timeless shade of brown. Embrace your inner stylist and incorporate Pantone’s Color of the Year into your style in 2025. Take it a step further with a photo shoot showcasing your best Mocha Mousse-inspired look, and don’t forget to tag Her Campus on Instagram to share your style with the world!