The Battle of Gray v. Brown — Beyond the Hype

Google Insights is one of the most powerful trending tools on the Web, and it’s a wonderful way of getting some solid data in the face of a lot of hype. Sounds pretty geeky, right?   But the truth is, all those maps and graphs can be truly sick. You know, in a good way. So for my next few posts, I’m going to explore some recent trends with this handy tool.

Let’s start with one of the most common assertions you’ve heard in the last six months: that chocolate brown has fallen and can’t get up, and that gray has usurped the throne.

Fashion-wise, this is pretty defensible. Just a week ago, I spent hours pressing my generously-sized nose to the shop windows lining the Champs-Élysées, the far more exclusive shops just to the east of it, and the little boutiques glamming up the back alleys of the Marais. And it’s true that gray is happening in a way right now that few other colors can lay claim to.

But high fashion trends don’t always translate to weddings — their needs aren’t always compatible.  Case in point:  the return of neon is real — but it’s just not happening in weddings, thank God. Or navy and yellow: here’s another combo the magazines have hit hard that hasn’t translated well. Royal purple plus orchid are hot on the street, but a little too volatile for most garden parties.

Brown Weddings: the Defending Champ

Let’s see what Google Insights has to say about brown in weddings, with data all the way to the end of March (they go further, but I threw the last month out).

Clearly, this color still has something of a lock, and will for some time to come. The fact that brides are searching now for brown wedding decorations and brown tuxedos and yes, pink and brown weddings means we’ll see plenty of this action throughout 2010, at least. One powerful advantage to brown (notwithstanding its emotional link to coffee in women under 30, says Pantone’s oracle Leatrice Eiseman): it’s a fantastic base color for fall, which has so quickly trumped June as a favorite time of year for brides to wed.

What we do see, of course, is that brown has shifted decisively from 2004’s early adopters in California, New York and (surprised?) Texas into the interior. Now, in 2009, it’s especially cherished in Indiana and Kentucky. Brown is late in the life cycle. It may fade, or it may universalize across the country the way red has, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Gray Weddings: the Plucky Upstart

Gray in weddings is just fascinating, especially given the times. It gets a strong push from chocolate brown fatigue, and from Vera Wang’s moody collections. Gray might even be getting a boost as a somber “recessionary color.” And Pantone’s been showcasing gray and “greige” as part of their seasonal forecasts for quite some time, with their newest version, Iron, being the most adopted hue in their fall 2009 collection.

On the other hand, gray faces hefty challenges. One is the unflagging strength of Victorian mores. Nineteenth century habits still echo through the church halls with surprising force, so that iPhone-wielding analysts are likely to seriously ponder how to include “something blue” or even wear “a sixpence in her shoe.” The white dress, a Victorian fad, has only very recently hit the table as a choice at all.

And of course, to Victorians, gray was instant shorthand for the servant class. It will be truly gripping theater to see what wins out: that restless modern desire for something new, or our love of looking back for this crucial life event.

Adding to all this difficulty is the current lack of visuals for bride planning a gray wedding. Brown wedding boards and “real weddings” number in the thousands, but the gray bride is limited to a handful of boards that toss in citrons, pink or maybe a little purple, and precious few “real weddings” to give her confidence.

Tack on the relative difficulty of finding a choice of gray linens at the local event rental or gray gowns at David’s Bridal, and you can see why gray is still mainly confined to early adopter areas.

Everyone knows that gray and yellow is hot. This combo generates enthusiasm in weddings, too. The surge is leading brides to look for gray suits, and more surprisingly, display real interest in gray wedding dresses. Doesn’t that phrase alone sort of shock you? Gray wedding dress? It’s hard not to imagine some unfortunate Cinderella sweeping up ashes in a thready shift.

Fortunately, Vera Wang and Jenny Packham have come to the rescue with glorious gray gowns that, while you might not buy them yourself, you’d be hard pressed not to admire.

One last graph. We can clearly see that gray is enjoying a little boost, and chocolate brown is indeed flagging, but we’re still far from where the twain shall meet.

Will gray ever catch up? It’s making a fine start, and I wouldn’t bet against it. Let’s get some popcorn and watch the show go on.

Tagged as: chocolate brown wedding, gray wedding, wedding colors, wedding trends