Looking for something to brighten your day?
Pink will do the trick, according to Pantone Inc., a New Jersey company that studies color trends. While all shades of pink will be popular this year, Pantone identified "honeysuckle," a reddish-pink shade, as the top pick.
"Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting," the Pantone website reported. "In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits."
Whether it's in fashions, home accessories, furnishings or appliances, pink will dominate this year.
It makes sense that pink is the big color for 2011, said Maggie Dosch, assistant manager at Dillard's at Hamilton Place. With a down economy, people have been looking for something cheery, she said.
"Pink is a shade that's comforting. It can be light or bright and used as a core color, like black or white, or as a great accent color," she said.
Local designer Jimmy Adams, owner of Nell's, a gift and interior-design store on North Market Street, said confident men wear pink, too.
"At President Obama's State of the Union speech, the new Speaker of the House (John Boehner) was wearing a pink tie instead of a red one like most other Republicans were wearing," Adams said.
"He is also the one person in Washington who is in touch with his emotions. He has a reputation of crying, and that's OK. It's OK for men to be emotional. It's OK for men to wear pink."
Adams, who is lending his talents to the 2011 Siskin fundraising fashion show StyleWorks on March 30 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, said he will be using pink as the dominant color for decorations.
"The tabletops will be pink," he said. "We're using pink dogwood blooms and cherry blossoms for the table arrangements."
The Color Association of the United States also predicted pink as a hot fashion trend for 2011.
"Historically, the Golden Globes set the tone and trends for the Oscars and fashion for the season," the website reported the day after the recent awards show. "Causing a stir on the red carpet were knockout hues electric green, yellow-based red and pretty pink." Natalie Portman and Lea Michele were among the actresses wearing pink to the event.
Color trends always start in fashion, Adams said.
"It always starts in fashion and trickles down to everything else," he said. "The influence of pink this year is strong."