Skip to main content

Pastel Shades: The Touch of Timelessness

Spring 2019 runways proved that pastel is the go-to color for this season. It takes no rocket
scientist to understand that it is the new trendsetter. You must be wondering where did pastels
come from all of a sudden? Well to speak of the fact, pastel was in the fashion industry from the
early 17th century. Back in those times, pastel painting was popularly associated with Baroque
and Rococo styles and it is during this time that pastel became fashion itself in the fashion
industry.



Since then, the journey of pastel in the fashion industry has been fascinating. The term pastel
fashion has a different meaning to different people, some associate pastel color with happiness, some say it defines one’s mood and personality while others say that it represents the mental state of a person.

Pastel colors were synonymous with mediums like chalk for the artists during the time of the
Renaissance. To come out of the umbrella of any chalk-like medium pastel color took its own
sweet time. It was later in the 18th century that pastel color got its recognition and began to be
an essential character in dresses because it conveyed the same message of ‘lightheartedness’
just like it did in art.

This created an impression on the mass and pastels on dresses were in demand till the early
19th century. On the other hand, the second half of the 19th century wasn’t dominated by
pastels as a more significant mass owned such dresses as compared to the early 18th century.

It was in the 20th century that saw the rise of pastel color as the seriousness of World war could
only be nullified by the bright shades of world war. The stage was set for pastel colors to rule
the fashion industry in the means of not just clothing but also in the colors used almost everywhere
color had its uses. This is one of the primary reasons that people associate pastel colors with
bright colors. It uplifted the mood and could make a heavy heart light with its shades.
 Jude Stewart puts it, “all color trends are cyclical….(but) how anti-modernist pastels are”.

This perfectly justifies the fact that pastel colors were, is and will be the color of lightheartedness
and joy because the salient feature of pastel is anti-modernist. This makes pastel timeless and
the go-to option for this generation, which believes in keeping it real and polished.

This is the evolution of pastel in simple words is according to a timeline that denotes the
beginning of pastels and how it became trending in the fashion world from merely being chalk-
like medium. But the real question is, can this be called a revolution? A revolutionary process
has taken pastel from the canvas 17th Century to the Runways of Summer 2019?

Comments

Also read

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...

Union Budget India 2026-2027: 12 shocking truths that affect your wallet and future

The Union Budget India 2026-2027 is more than numbers on paper. It’s a mirror of promises, propaganda, and practical policies. This article breaks down what’s truly useful for you—jobs, taxes, inflation, and infrastructure—while cutting through the noise. Think of it as a friendly guide that explains the budget like a story, not a spreadsheet. Why does the Union Budget India 2026-2027 matter to you? India’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at nearly ₹17 lakh crore, while interest payments alone consume over ₹14 lakh crore. This means most of what the government borrows is not funding new projects but servicing old debt—a cycle that resembles “evergreening” of loans. Despite record tax collections, a large share is swallowed by debt servicing rather than fresh development. Breaking down the numbers Fiscal Deficit (FY27) : ₹16.95 lakh crore, or 4.3% of GDP . Interest Payments : Over ₹14 lakh crore, making it the single largest expenditure item. Total Expenditure : Around ₹53....

Debate : Do the ends justify the means...

Note : Give it all a fair thought before you jot down... Flaming and religion-bashing will not be tolerated. Your participation is gladly appreciated. I dunno if you folks remember this incident; a couple of yrs back, the UPSC exam had a question where the emainee had to assert his views on *revolutionary terrorism* initiated by Bhagat Singh. As is typical of the government, hue and cry was not far behind... Anyway, let us look at some facts -   Bhagat Singh was an atheist, considered to be one of the earliest Marxist in India and in line with hi thinking, he renamed the Hindustan Republican Party and called it the Hindustan Socialist Revolutionary Party. Bhagat Finally, awaiting his own execution for the murder of Saunders, Bhagat Singh at the young age of 24 studied Marxism thoroughly and wrote a profound pamphlet “Why I am an Atheist.” which is an ideological statement in itself. The circumstances of his death and execution are worth recounting. Although, Bhagat Singh had a...