Color Crush: 19 Ways to Wear These Two Pantone Colors NOW

1. Barbie Pink

There’s no doubt that the anticipation for Barbie to hit theaters has crept into every area of our lives. Barbie pink is back in a big way this summer, adorning our clothes, accessories, beverages, and even our interiors.

TikTok’s “Miamicore” (all about the bright and the bold) interior design trend is a testament to Barbie pink’s power at the moment. According to Taskrabbit, 25% of people expressed a desire to incorporate pink accents into their homes this year.

2. Red-orange

It’s not totally red, and it’s not really orange, either. It’s red-orange, and we love that this color’s trending right now because it's complimentary to practically any skin tone and just hits different in the summertime.

Pantone truly hit the mark on this color trend with the hue Cherry Tomato, which was featured in their Summer ‘23 Color Trend Report. This Loveliest Looks Woven Midi Dress ($64) from Flying Tomato is the true embodiment of the color.

Perhaps its popularity is because it reminds us of actual tomatoes – the ones we’re growing in our home gardens and using for fresh summer pasta salads. We also can’t forget the viral Loewe tomato candle.

Fiery, tomato-y red-orange looks stunning against turquoise, chartreuse, and this next trending color: lilac.

3. Lilac

As Swifties, we’ll take a chance and say this next trending color is a product of the “Lavender Haze” effect. But it could also be that lilac is simply easy to feature as the main component of an outfit, or be used for a small pop of color in your room. This lilac BDG Eddie Ribbed Shrug Sweater ($39) is proof – the versatility of it all!

The trending shade could *also* be linked to our growing passion for florals and botanicals, whether they come in scent or flavor form. We adore them all the same! According to Tastewise, in the past two years alone, floral flavors have received a +91% rise in consumer interest, with botanical flavors following suit, experiencing a +31% increase. Their scented counterparts are popular as well, being highly correlated with stress relief.

4. Lime Green

The bright and the bold continue in this trending green. It seems we’ve departed from spring’s popular chartreuse to more lime green shades in the color canon – after all, there’s nothing wrong with standing out a bit!

Like lilac, lime green is easy to apply all-over, or as an accent – it’s whatever you’re feeling. Greens in all forms and shades are trusted to be nourishing and lush, but this punchy take just infuses the summer months in sheer fun! Take this Lime Fizz Polish from Olive & June ($9) – it truly stands out among the rest.

5. Metallic Silver

This next color simply shines. More prominent in fashion than in interior design, metallic silver is having a renaissance – no, literally. Thanks to Beyonce’s recently-embarked Renaissance tour that’s dripping in eye-catching metallics and disco-esque futuristic aesthetics, interest in silver pieces has dramatically increased.

A recent finding by Nasty Gal revealed that online interest in 'metallic cowboy boots' skyrocketed 488% after the first night of the tour, according to the analysis of Google search data.

Google searches for 'silver cowboy boots,' a la NG's Real Leather Stitched Western Boots ($98), also rose 300% worldwide after the first tour date, as well as searches for 'disco cowboy hat', which went up 525%. The metrics for ‘silver bodysuit; and ‘silver corset’ measure up to the large increases as well.

“These increases in searches tell us exactly what everyone is wearing to the tour, with many fans wanting to emulate Beyoncé's iconic and daring style,” a spokesperson for Nasty Gal said. “Expect to see plenty of chromatic cowboy boots, head-to-toe silver, and disco-embellished cowboy hats on your tour date.”

6. Cream White

Cream white is super design-friendly, and can be observed through current fashion and home trends. It’s most prevalent in the fashion world when we look at sustainable fashion – people are making more careful investments in their wardrobe in an effort to shop sustainably and halt detrimental spending habits. See: the rise of capsule wardrobes.

This hue is also incorporated into minimalist fashion trends that prioritize easy styling by using neutral palettes – think blacks, whites, tans, creams, and the like.

Furthermore, cream white’s summer presence in architecture and interior design can be attributed to the same reasons. Consumers are craving the minimalistic simplicity found in limited color palettes.

The Chip and Joanna-style houses are a good example – they boast an uncomplicated black and white color scheme that makes things look super clean and minimal. We’ve taken that concept and ran with it for interiors, too.

Miss Selfridge Embellished Knit Top ($45)

The embellished collar on this warm knit makes it the perfect pick for any holiday party this season.

M. Gemi Esatto Heel ($328)

An office-appropriate shoe, but in an unexpected hue. Win-win!

NA-KD Rib Knit Skirt ($54)

Swedish brand NA-KD offers a sleek and cozy selection of knitwear in our new favorite hue. Pair this skirt with a coordinating top, or play it safe with a neutral.

ARCH A-Line Lace-Up ($225)

NYC-based brand ARCH offers a simple take on the trend - you'll wear these sleek heels for seasons to come.

Cult Gaia Lucinda Nano Clutch ($218)

A sparkly mini bag that actually fits our phone? Sign us up!

WAYF Veronica Cutout Mini Dress ($89)

Cutouts are hard to do right, but this WAYF style achieves a universally flattering placement.

Mejuri Gemstone Charm Stacker Ring ($78)

Even this particular gemstone isn't your birth stone, this stackable band (with a little something extra!) is still worth adding to your jewelry collection.

FRAME Femme Shirt ($398) & FRAME Satin Mini Skirt ($348)

This gorgeous FRAME set is dopamine dressingat its finest.

Rebecca Minkoff Edie Flap Shoulder Bag ($199)

We can all agree that Viva Magenta looks its best in velvet, right?

Hope Macaulay Colossal Knit Jacket ($276)

Color blocking is the trend we'll always have a soft spot for. We love how the magenta truly pops against the more subtle hues.

Lele Sadoughi Magenta Aquarius Headband ($195)

A headband is a crown you can wear everyday, and we love this bright & bejeweled style by Lele Sadoughi.

Monrow Supersoft Sweater Knit Jacket ($198)

This oversized sweater-jacket (swacket?) is the comfy-cozy layering piece you need.

Francesca's Cherissa 90s Clip Set ($11)

On busy days when our style is more low-key, a trendy clip can help pull it all together.

Sasha Handmade Crescent Earrings ($44)

Be the hit of your Zoom meetings with a quirky pair of statement earrings.

​In which episode does JJ die?

JJ dies at the end of Outer Banks season 4 episode 10, "The Blue Crown" after rescuing Kiara from his father Chandler Groff. "I feel mad, betrayed, disappointed and heartbroken to say the least," Bruder adds. "JJ went through a lot of crap through the show and he was the one character who deserved his happy ending the most. When the series first came out, people fell in love with JJ and [Kiara]."

While the cast obviously found out about the ending while filming, fans are frustrated with how they chose to promote the show. "Obviously the cast can’t spoil a character death, but to blatantly lie and mislead fans by saying that Jiara was 'evergrowing' and fans would be happy with how the season plays out?" Bruder says. "Jiara fans deserved so much better than what we got, ESPECIALLY when they knew they were killing JJ off."

Why are Outer Banks fans so upset?

The show is the kind of phenomenon that made instant stars out of its cast, but it also made waves because of how the first season portrayed issues like classism, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. "As someone who has been around domestic abuse, I think the handling of the character JJ was detrimental culturally," another fan (who would like to remain anonymous) says. "The character suffered abuse at the hands of a man who was not even his biological father, and the writers almost framed it as if that was okay because in the beginning, his father loved him. Instead of telling a story to victims of abuse about hope and making it through trials, the writers went the opposite way. I also find it interesting that they stated this was a planned death. I think writing a character who is suffering from anxiety and clear mental health issues as well as abuse who is very young like JJ only to let him fall in love and kill him right when he starts to feel happiness doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense narratively."

Another viewer adds that ending JJ's story that way felt "disrespectful...especially when in an interview following the episode, one of the creators literally referred to his death as pointless." She even says "it feels almost like the show died along with him."

Actress Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron) called JJ the "heart of Outer Banks"and for a lot of fans, JJ also became a beacon of hope, a reminder that you can endure, persevere, and come out stronger on the other side. Since the first season of the show dropped during April 2020, it's been one consistent, fun thing for TV fans since the COVID-19 pandemic began, which makes the loss feel even greater.

"Seeing him die at the hands of another abusive father was honestly kind of sickening," the viewer adds. "It’s also unfortunate that his death didn’t seem to mean anything. A character death like this would be one thing if it meant something. If he had died protecting his friends or actively protecting Kiara, rather than having already saved her and then getting killed afterward, it might’ve be easier to get past."

"It’s like a connection to something good and steady was just broken," X user @onlykiep4l says. "Killing a character that has literally gone trough so much trauma and was finally happy just doesn’t make sense. It’s not just the character that’s gone — it feels like a part of the show has ended too."

Why does JJ get killed off?

Rumors have been circulating for years about behind-the-scenes drama between actors Rudy Pankow and Madison Bailey, which has fans believing Rudy asked to be written off the show(for the record, Outer Banks creators Josh & Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke have said it was the plan from the beginning). With Rudy's exit, the writers had a difficult choice in front of them. JJ isn't the kind of guy to abandon his friends, meaning the writers obviously felt like killing him was the only option. But according to an additional viewer, "Outer Banks hasn't been that type of show."

"To attempt to turn this fun, summer, boat show into some dark, depressing story where the heart of the show is gone destroys everything that the show started out as," she says.

Another anonymous fan calls the choice "a character assassination," adding other moments from the season that feel like a different character than the one fans have come to love: barely reacting to John B. and Sarah's pregnancy announcement, or to the fact Rafe had come to talk to Kiara — especially after his reaction to Rafe catcalling Kie in the first season is a moment that led fans to ship them in the first place.

The fan continues by calling JJ's treatment a "lack of respect" toward the character. "The fact that the writers tried to make us dislike him, to soften the blow of him dying. It didn’t work. It has everyone distraught because many people’s favorite character ended up dying after 'finding happiness' for about 10 minutes in Episode 10."

​Does Sarah get pregnant in Outer Banks season 4?

But JJ's death isn't the only moment that has fans reeling. In addition to the fact viewers are saying the Pogues barely reacted to the death of their lifelong best friend, Pope is now a murderer and Kiara makes an absolutely chilling vow to get revenge on Groff — a far cry from the characters we fell in love with in season 1.

"Outside of the JJ of it all, a lot of plot lines/dynamics in part 2 felt off," one of our anonymous fans continues. "Sarah’s pregnancy plot line, especially when coupled with the quote from a creator about ‘giving her a baby specifically because she wasn’t ready’ feels incredibly tone deaf given the current state of things here in the US. The fact that there wasn’t even a conversation of if she wanted to continue with the pregnancy felt very icky. Overall, episodes 1-4 of this season did feel like Outer Banks, but everything after that felt like it was from an entirely different piece of media."

However, some fans are excited to see where the show goes from here. "JJ was such a strong character and his presence will obviously be missed, [but] I am excited to see how the Pogues react and what they do to get revenge on Groff," Virginia McGrew says in an email. "I also think that the scene of JJ dying with Kiara was extremely well done and emotional, making his passing even sadder. I ultimately believe that JJ’s passing serves as a reminder of the themes the show."

"JJ made the group even more aware of friendship, the importance of chosen family, and loyalty, which was seen throughout the season and especially in the finale," she continues. "Now that he is gone, the other Pogues will have to step up even more, creating a shift in their dynamic. While many believe that Outer Banks might not be worth watching after this finale, I truly think that it is only going to get even deeper and more interesting."