Some colours never available at retail…. - YouLookFab Forum

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Some colours never available at retail….

jussie

Veteran

Hi all. Has anyone else found it almost impossible to find certain colours at retail? Is it just me that feels frustrated by this? I wonder if certain dyes are cheaper to produce and that may explain it? Here’s some colours I would love more of in my wardrobe but just can’t find at affordable price points:
Pistachio, rose taupe, sea foam green, pea green, cadet (dusty) blue, rose cocoa, aubergine, charcoal, dusty pink (darker than blush), true crimson, bergundy, pale chiffon yellow (not pastel), very bright cold purple, kingfisher blue, peach.

Yet the following colours seem perennially available in copious amounts, whether we want them or not: identical olive greens, burnt orange, tan, coral, sage green, light pale blue, hot pink, blush pink, bubblegum pink, forest green, dark teal, cobalt, chocolate brown, and lately, lilac, navy.
Thoughts? Comments? What colours do you wish were more widely available?

Shopping

38 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Synne

Veteran

Yes, I see the same. For some reasons the latter colours are perceived as safe colours? They obviously sell well if the stores keep restocking them.

I remember when I first started experimenting with colour seriously, and only ever ending up with cobalt, burgundy, olive, hot pink and fire hydrant red as alternatives because there really isn't much else available.

My best colours are the muted cooler tones. Of which I had no idea until fairly recently, because they didn't exist in stores!

Vildy

Veteran

You know, it's a great point about not being able to discover colors you like and which look great on you because they're never available to be seen.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I got a few pistachio and peach things last summer, have had an easy time with Aubergine & burgundy, and maybe also with crimson, though I’m not sure what color you mean exactly. But I hear you on the capriciousness of what colors are available when! The current earth tones/dusty everything trend does me no favors. You know my strategy—buy & hold. I have a couple cobalt dresses in my archive, maybe kingfisher blue too.

All I can say is keep doing you. I’m amazed at how well the olives, etc work for some folks, but they simply are not for me. Eventually the wheel will spin again.

jussie

Veteran

Synne: yeah muted colours are not readily available… occasionally a dusty mauve can be found, or a dirty blush pink. But some more options would be lovely, just subtly different colours rather than the more bold shades…..
Vildy: agreed, our awareness of what suits us is really dictated by retail availability. For example, at the moment the puff shoulders and sleeves are so ubiquitous that we almost have to wear them, whether they suit us or not!
Fash: buy and hold is a great idea. I am trying to “snap up” good items in less common colours that I prefer, the main two are sea foam green and rose cocoa. If I get something that fits well in these colours it’s worth investing in and holding onto. When I say crimson, I mean a dark true red, a cool leaning colour. Slightly darker and colder than fire engine. A smidge darker and colder than Christmas holly….the attached pic is what I think of as crimson….

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Earth tones have reined for a long while, it seems. I am getting very tired of it. Several of the colours you mention are among my best, as well. I do see burgundy in stores but lately it has been a browner version, which doesn't work on me; I like one with more reddish or purplish undertones. Aubergine is also (sometimes) available, and I see some items in dusty blues (mostly sweaters). There's also a fair bit of charcoal here in winter.

I think it's worth snapping up well-made items in such colours if they work well for you.

slim cat

Veteran

I don't see the "right" pale blue, lilac colors at all represented at stores. Very dark navy, earth colors, olive in every variation, bubblegum pink, black - in abundance.
Seafood green would be nice to find .

Runcarla

Veteran

I found Uniqlo had a wide range of interesting colours in their various products. The merino and cashmere sweaters and puffers (#1-2) and Lands’ End (#3) and LLBean (#4) usually have big assortments of colours in simple things like cotton t-shirts and tanks. Ann Taylor can get colourful, too.

I’ve been looking for more clear orange like the background of the button down in Finds. I’ve ordered and returned orange items that looked right in photos, but weren’t IRL, and haven’t had luck in bricks and mortar.

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Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m sooooo tired of the current palette which seems to have dominated for the past few years. Pale pink, all pink, all the tan and beige and camel, yellow-olives, mustard. All simply awful on me.

I’ve started to see some glimmers of new colors. Perhaps a bit more cobalt and royal blue, a bit of coral here and there, some vibrant purples… I think we’ve been in a prolonged color rut due to the reduced production during the pandemic, perhaps? I hope your colors start coming up more available soon!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

For instance, when I’ve searched on the Nordstrom site for “green tops” I get a sea of sour yellow greens, olives, and a tiny selection of anything close to an emerald. It’s been sad for those of us who prefer jewel tones.

jussie

Veteran

A quick addit: in fairness, I should acknowledge that Zara does stock a pretty massive variety of colours. I feel like they are one of the few retailers offering true variety.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Interesting - I am less aware of this as a primarily second hand shopper but now am wondering if some colors are cheaper to produce or else if some are just more reliable sellers.

Vildy

Veteran

I've read that regular greens are the hardest colors to find because manufacturers produce less of them on the theory that they sell poorly.
Of course, if there were more to buy perhaps they'd sell better.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

I guess it depends on where you are. I think you need to all come shop in HK, lol - lots of cool reds/ burgundys, dusky shades, creams & pastels abound! All terrible on me

A deep teal is still very difficult for me to find here - I've had *some* luck ordering teal blue elsewhere (you'd call it a dark Kingfisher Blue) but still no truly deep teal greens

@jussie just saw your follow-up comment - no wonder I've been shopping up a storm at Zara this season, lol! *Hides wallet*

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Ugh, navy! It’s everywhere! I would prefer a “petrol” or mineral blue.
I would also love more heathered dark charcoal but sometimes it is nowhere to be found.

Sisi

Veteran

I understand you soooo well! For years I have struggled to find at retail "my" colours: light colours, cool pastels, jewel tones. Everything was black-grey-brown-beige. Shopping was super frustrating. Fortunately in recent times I have seen a return of more cheerful colors and shopping has become immediately easier.

jussie

Veteran

Sisi: yes, sometimes it seems there are just so many nuetrals all the time. Glad you are finding some more vibrant colors lately.
Jessikams: it would be fabulous to have more heathered colors generally. I love a good heathered dove grey, much
more forgiving than solid grey :).
Zaeobi: that’s interesting… deep teal is available pretty reliably here. It may be that certain colors sell better in different locales? I can only assume hotter places favor more summery hues?
Jaime: I know with paint pigments certain pigments are a lot more expensive so I wonder if it’s the same with dyes??
Runcarla: thank you for the tips, especially about lands end. I haven’t heard of them but it looks great. Uniglo is good too, although in Australia at uniglo we don’t have as extensive of a range of colours, particularly in the puffer jackets.
Janet: Emerald green seems to periodically come out here in small amounts. Actually sometimes around Christmas it makes an appearance, you know with the whole red and green vibe. I am grateful that in the last few months we are finally getting light turquoise and aqua, which were absent for years prior to that. Theoretically green, being the colour of leaves, should go with all other colours…the way leaves look good with any colour of flower. So I don’t see why it isn’t more popular and used almost like a nuetral really.

Olive Green

Veteran

With Runcarla on the Uniqlo colours being a little different. Subtly ‘off’ in some way, to the Western eye. Delicious to me.
The colour suites available to shop used to be more differentiated as you traveled round the world. Customs agents apparently have a great eye for counties of origin of manufactured objects, and can tell if you are smuggling in a lot of undeclared new stuff by colour! Shetland sweaters from the UK were less bright than those marketed in the US, for instance.
Probably a flatter world now, with all the global clothes offerings.

jussie

Veteran

Olive green: that’s very fascinating about the customs agents. Wow. Yeah uniglo does seem to have its own aesthetic… they certainly always seem to stock mushroom-y shades and muted shades quite a bit. Honestly I’m a big fan of their whole thing really.
Slim Cat: yes it’s all very “same-ey” isn’t it?
Suz: yes, if only we could get rid of those darn earth tones and beiges taking up all the space ;). Just kiddding, they are great but one does tire of them after a while. What I wouldn’t give to see the stores overflowing with all different sea foam green garments, and a massive influx of, say, apricot coloured pants…. Also the other thing I wish was that I could wear bright white. It’s perennially available in vast quantities, but looks so dreadful on me.

kkards

Veteran

You have the key to you dilemma right here
“affordable price points”
in apparel manufacturing one of the most important elements of keeping the costs low is getting maximum yields and producing large quantities. So almost all decisions are made with the mindset of what will appeal to the most people.
And yes, different colors for different places, but still “fringe colors” or colors that won’t appeal to the majority in what ever place the retailer is working in are risky and most large retailers (ie the ones that will offer affordable price points) are pretty risk adverse
That is not to say that some or all of the colors on your wish list won’t become “trendy” at some point and than flood the market, but they probably won’t be mainstream all of the time.

jussie

Veteran

Kkards: thank you for that insight. Ok, so let me get this straight, stores will stick with the basic nuetrals, then produce whatever is a hot colour trend currently? So presumably now it will be magenta given it’s the Pantone colour for 2023…. Overall this results in colours that aren’t having a big trend moment just not being made at all, as large enough quantities won’t sell.
How does the creative process of the designer come into it? Do the designers for, say, target or Cos, have a brief to stick to the main trend colours? Or do they design all kinds of stuff and the buyers only order the trend colours. Or do they have a small budget in reserve for a few “wild card” items each season?
I’m sorry to pepper you with questions, don’t feel you have to answer, I know I’ve veered off the track a bit. It’s just a fascinating industry.

unfrumped

Veteran

One problem is that color names are all over the map.
I have had some luck searching under a range of color names that might be what I want, or even close. Then also if I find a good color in a brand, even if it’s an item I won’t use, I’ll search under their colors- like Boysenberry or dark cherry or currant- to see if they made anything else like a sweater or T shirt.
Of co might have to rapidly scroll through hundreds of items- if you searched Nordstrom- pink, for example.
Using Nordstrom as example because they have a variety of brands.

kkards

Veteran

…. Overall this results in colours that aren’t having a big trend moment just not being made at all, as large enough quantities won’t sell
again lets step back, colors that are not having a big trend moment are generally not being made by large retailers who are offering lower retails, but might be offered by smaller niche brands. One of the reasons that people like Angie watch and recap for us what’s happening on the runways and in designer fashion is because they are making smaller bets and larger retailers are watching to see which ones pay off so that they get in on the action

Re Pantone color of the year, because this is a fashion site, we are very focused on fashion. But the Pantone color is not always about fashion, home furnishings, appliances, cars, etc are all very color trend driven as well. And the Pantone colors often translate into these categories

different retailers have different methods of deciding how and which colors to buy. But generally they know that colors A and B are X% of the sales and so buy all the other colors around that. So that people like us don’t complain about how could they be out of stock on a white tee shirt in medium. Many brands will set a color palette before they start to work on that seasons offering so that the story, ie the way the brand looks and/or the brands stores, will look cohesive, appealing and like it was meant to work together
I’m not currently working in fashion, but in the business i work in now, and in the past when i did work in fashion, there is a definite budget for each categories type, which is farther broken down by individual items. This budget is directly related to the sales that we think each item will generate and at what price (ie the profit margin), so if we are only buying X units of something, we than decide how many colors we can afford to order of that thing.
Hope that answered your question

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@jussie
I believe runway trends affect this too - that famous Devil Wears Prada scene (about how the jumper Andi is wearing comes from 'cerulean') springs to mind:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vL-KQij0I8I
Also, when you say 'deep teal' is available pretty reliably there, is it cool or warm? It's the latter I have a hard time sourcing.

@olive
Those 'off' colours are exactly what sells here - hence most local shops sell the 'Uniqlo' shades too. I wonder whether it has something to do with what suits the local populations too? Those colours look great on most of the HK population, but awful on me. On the other hand, I know I can try on most clothes in PK stores without worrying about undertones, yet in the UK I don't tend to shop in winter & spring (except for during deep discounts) because I know I'll get frustrated trying to find 'my' shades!

I can believe the customs agents situation - I've also noticed colours looking different in different countries. I remember as a kid, wanting something in the UK but my parents would always buy me the South Asian version instead, since it was cheaper. It was never the same colour (let alone anything else) but my parents just couldn't understand why I'd be so upset, lol
These days, whenever I fly home, it feels like a grey filter has been placed over everything the moment I step off the plane - even when it *isn't* raining!

Synne

Veteran

I find this fascinating. As Zaeboi is onto; the colours are made to appeal to a majority of the segment. I live in Scandinavia, and perennial available colours (at available price points) seem to be mostly navy, cream, olive, burgundy, cobalt blue and burnt orange. I wonder why, because these are not what I'd consider the most flattering on the majority of the people I see (I would never say that out loud of course, heh).

Maybe these colours are culturally perceived as "normal colours", while others are "weird colours"?
"What would my coworkers say if I wore this quirky shade of yellow?". "This pewter blue seems hard to style, so I won't bother".

Edit: or maybe the colours I listed first are perceived as "non-colours" (per Amy Smilovic). So not as scary.

LaPed

Veteran

This question has really got me thinking! I definitely feel a sort of fatigue toward certain colours when I start to notice them everywhere. A decade ago, I felt this way about grey/white or grey/cream combos. Then I began to feel the same way about blush/“millennial pink”. Right now there seem to be too many of what I think of as nineties colours—very softened earth tones like mushroom and taupe. Now, I like earth tones, but they need to be deep and punchy, not the washed-out muted ones that seem to be all over the place right now. Current palettes seem very flat to me, the colours (and maybe fabrics) lacking depth and richness.

Locally, what’s available in shop windows seems pretty much the same as always. Standard-issue preppy colours like navy and tan, classic holiday colours like hunter green, burgundy, and red buffalo plaid. I think the buyers and merchandisers are playing it very—perhaps too?—safe… Certainly nothing much that catches my eye.

My colour wishlist would include very dark plum and eggplant, slate/grey-blue, and charcoal.

Runcarla

Veteran

Okay. I often shop using colour as a filter. As an exercise, I ‘shopped’ a big Canadian department store called HBC or Hudson’s Bay Company (or the Bay) using ‘women’s clothing’ and colour as a filter.

yellow - 4038 items
purple - 3052
red - 4790
pink - 7313
orange - 1647
white - 11,716
grey - 5877
green - 6572
blue - 13,105
black - 22,541
beige - 5956
brown - 8123

Admittedly there were lots of different shades within each colour, but kind of interesting. I’ve shopped some sites, like Club Monaco, where the palette selection is limited to neutrals, and some colours don’t even figure in their colour selection filter.

Colour filter choices for #1 Aritzia, #2 club Monaco, #3 COS

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Actually Jussie, I see all these so called rare colours at retail here in the US! Especially online. Some have been very popular - like the dusty pinks, rose pinks, peaches, rose taupes, and the greens you mention.

What is still everywhere is earth tones - going into its 7th year.....

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Carla, that's brilliant. And you are so right -- some retailers barely feature colour at all! Club Monaco quality tends to be high and I can get a good fit there but I rarely find anything in a colour, let alone a colour I like, LOL. I do occasionally find neutrals there and even found my red sweater there.

So many of those greens right now are olive. And many of the other colours are muddied versions. I do think we can find more online than in store right now -- and maybe forever....

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suz, sooooo with you on Club Monaco. Love the quality, fit, and many of the silhouettes - but the colours do not suit me 99% of the time.

That said, just scored these pants, and LOVE them!

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