Less & More: The WFH Mom Edit

Time to embrace “quiet luxury” and teddy bear chic, I guess…

Image via Pantone

Does anyone else wait every year to see what Pantone’s Color of the Year will be and always hope it’ll be the hottest hot pink? Spoiler: Pantone unveiled the news yesterday and 2025 is looking the opposite of neon with Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230).

The Washington Post called it a “win for quiet luxury” and USA Today noted how the 2025 hue is a swift departure from “brat green” and dopamine brights, but reactions on social media seem mixed. No matter what journalists think of the actual color of the year, the announcement gets a ton of earned media year-to-year in both business and consumer publications and has helped establish Pantone as the go-to color expert, laying the groundwork each December for the new year’s colorway.

More than just a design trend, Pantone’s Color of the Year is reflective of the social and cultural climate. Analyzing data and tapping into cultural influences throughout the year – from the runways to socio-economic conditions – the Pantone team selects a single color to serve as a visual representative of the current zeitgeist and act as a tool to blend inspiration and reflection for consumers and brands alike.

If you’re looking for more about how Pantone carved out a trend-setting and trend-forecasting niche for themselves to establish their brand as not only a color expert but a culture thought leader too, this NPR article by Emma Bowman is a really interesting read. Pantone also does a great job of marketing the Color of the Year with earned media, social banter, a full landing page of info and assets all about the mocha, and partnerships with a TON of brands like Joybird and Motorola. Color of the year is definitely more than just a warm neutral.

So…how can we make 2025 the year of mocha mousse in our day-to-day lives?

Though my own soul is bathed in the most neon of neons and sparkliest of glitters, incorporating this neutral dessert-y hue into the new year can be pretty fun and so many brands incorporate the year’s color into their product line and create mocha mousse-centered color palettes.

BEAUTY: Get ready for all the warm reddish-browns when it comes to makeup. Super flattering and beautiful mocha mousse is part of a great overall makeup look with warm eyeshadows, bronzer, and smoky eyeliner. Perfect your mocha pout with rich lipsticks, crayons, and stains.

HOME: Weave the warmth into your home with the official Pantone Color of the Year Joybird sleeper sofa, the Spoonflower mocha mousse fabrics (I’m lowkey obsessed with the American Millet Grass print), a splash of paint, or just add a little mocha to your comfy space with a comfy throw blanket.

FASHION: Embrace your inner teddy bear with a sherpa shacket, chic sunglasses, these mixed neutral Nikes, claw clips, mocha nails, smoky quartz studs, or a trendy functional belt bag.

When all else fails, or if you’re just a Pantone superfan, the brand – of course – has Color of the Year merch available all year long.

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