Comments on: What color is Havana? Or Gypsy?

By: jlsimons

jlsimons — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:33:10 +0000

Thanks for the comment, FR. Color catalogs do mitigate the problem, somewhat. But I also had the situation a couple of years ago when I bought my wife a bag that looked black in the color picture, was called Dark Chocolate in the description, but came in looking more like a dark olive drab with a hint of brown. Having been on my share of photo shoots, I know how hard it can be to get colors right, but it behooves a catalog to do just that. When they get it right, though, they do engender a sense of faith in their customers that leads to continued ordering, like it seems to have done with you.

By: Faithful Reader

Faithful Reader — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:53:48 +0000

As a frequent catalog shopper I know whereof you speak. I must say, however, that the clothing catalogs from which I shop make generous use of photos to illustrate even relatively self-descriptive “grass,” “java,” “rust,” and “adobe,” etc. Does make life easier and encourages repeat orders because I’m seldom suprised when the item arrives. I’m sure the color adds to the advertisers’ costs, as well as sales, which I’m guessing is the point of it all.

F.R.

By: jlsimons

jlsimons — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:53:20 +0000

Thanks for the heads-up, Rose. I guess Spellbound is better than Frenzy, Psycho or Vertigo. Although, in keeping with Hitchcock movies, Topaz would work just fine. (I wonder what it would be like to live in a house painted “Notorious”?)

By: Rose

Rose — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:17:13 +0000

It’s not just clothes. You can paint your house “spellbound.”

By: jlsimons

jlsimons — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:14:00 +0000

Thanks, Chris. I’m jealous that I missed that one in the catalog. Nicotine — that is priceless! And you’re right, the negative connotations are horrid. Speaking of which, have you ever seen the flavors in Berty Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, the Harry Potter-themed jellybeans from Jelly Belly? They have flavors like dirt, vomit, and boogers… with appropriately nasty tastes. Of course, in that case, it works. Maybe Marlboro can do a promotional tie-in with Nicotine colored merchandise… to match the stains on smoker’s teeth. (No offense intended to those addicted to tobacco.)

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:51:31 +0000

Inspired as I was by your comments, I perused the Campmor website, and I have to ask about the color “Nicotine.” I wonder, beyond the issue of that not being a clearly defined color, if there is not a built in negative connotation to the color which might be advisable to avoid. My mind instantly goes to the dark orange-yellow color the stains habitual smokers fingers, and of the faint browning of walls in smoke filled rooms. Yuck.

By: jlsimons

jlsimons — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:07:48 +0000

Great Laurie Anderson quote, Marrus. Thanks. And yes, color is very subjective. But at least I know what part of the spectrum Red or Brown is. I don’t even know where to begin with Gypsy or Havana. If I’m buying hiking boots, I know I’ll where pretty much anything brown, and won’t wear pretty much anything red. So would I be happy with Havana? The jury is still out. I’m just saying a printed catalog needs to give me more than a colorful but ultimately useless color name.

By: Marrus

Marrus — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:01:48 +0000

I’ve watched this naming trend for years…thing is, color is so subjective that even “red” is open to interpretation. Red? Is it warm or cool? Fire engine, poppy, maroon? Does it lean to brown? Orange?

Greens are even worse, containing the widest range of colors that can still be considered green. Yellow green? Olive? Kelly? Forest? Can turquoise be green? (Answer, yeah, if it’s skewed far enough.)

As Laurie Anderson said, “Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.” Labeling color only gives us the briefest understanding of what that color IS, so these catalogs, knowing that those color names more often than not have swatches attached, err on the side of invention. “Let’s just say an evocative word & go from there.”

And, no, I dunno what color “havana” is, but a seamed, rich, reddish brown springs to mind.

By: jlsimons

jlsimons — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:05:58 +0000

Or granite and marble… a little brindle-like in their own right. Thanks for the comment, Oftenattangent.

By: Oftenatangent

Oftenatangent — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:38:57 +0000

Perhaps it’s a bit like “stone”, a term for color I see too often.
So the question is, “Malachite, Turquoise, Obsidian, Ruby or Alabaster?”