What is the Color that Perfectly Captures January?

Months tend to evoke certain colors and moods, at least in the parts of the world with four distinct seasons. Some are obvious, and some perhaps more subtle, or at least open to debate. We like letting the color palette of the month help us decide what to wear – so, what is the color of January? There are at least three ways to frame that question.

What is the color of January?

Perhaps January is the absence of color

It’s white and silver; translucent and reflective – like icicles and glitter balls, snowflakes and igloos.

Or perhaps January is grey

For many people, it’s a drab mid-winter month that brings with it very few parties, lots of dieting, and work, work and more work.

It can be a time of hibernation, of choppy seas, dirty snow and dirtier vehicles, of scarce daylight hours and long cold nights. In many places where it’s not snowing, it’s raining, or drizzling, or just foggy all the time (we’re looking at you, London and Seattle).

So maybe it’s a meh palette running the gamut from ash to charcoal, as dark and dreary as the souls of those longing for spring.

For us, January is a palette cleanser

Either of those would work, but here at Dandelion Chandelier, we like to think of January as a palette cleanser for the richness of December.

After the sugar, the roast meat, the red wine, and the egg nog. After the red, green, and gold. Beyond the sparkling lights and visual extravagance of December, comes January. Minimalist, clean, crisp and austere.

The Jil Sander to December’s Gucci.

And what color palette does that imply?

The brilliant blue of the morning sky in the mountains; the deep sapphire of a clear winter’s night; the colors of starlight, moonlight, snow and ice; the hue of blank slates and virgin snow, and empty journals waiting to be filled.

The feeling of flying through the clouds, seeing life from the precise point that’s halfway between heaven and earth.

In January, we love to rummage around in our closets and find every possible shade of blue, white, ivory, silver, grey and a bit of purple. And perhaps just a thread of gold.

We go for texture, faux fur, silky-softness and warmth – there’s real work to be done in January, but it doesn’t have to be a slog.

If your #OOTD is one with the natural world, you might actually find that January is one of the most visually satisfying months of the year.

What say you? What color is January for you?

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