Have you ever wondered how the fashion industry seems to pick the same new “in” colors every couple of seasons? The industry does it based on the upcoming sign that Jupiter will be in, and they’re amazingly consistent about it from year to year, because major retailers are conformist by nature, and the “Jupiter color” sells really well.
WHAT’S NEYTERI FROM AVATAR DOING HERE?
Neyteri is a cool blue girl-kitty, but check out the green on her necklace. A lot of cool shades of green, everything from Irish green to sea green, has been in style during Jupiter’s very brief transit of Pisces in the winter and spring of 2010.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
A lot of people in the fashion industry do follow astrology fairly closely, and are aware of what colors are associated with a particular Jupiter sign. But a lot of other people just have an intuitive sense of what colors are going to be popular. The consumer makes the final decision, and certain colors seem to “resonate well” with a majority of buyers at certain times. What is interesting is that these colors can be predicted astrologically.
In the fashion industry, this is known as "color forecasting". This article shows the entire cycle, so that you can always be aware of what colors are going to be "in season".
SO TELL ME, WHAT COLOR WILL BE “IN” THIS SUMMER?
Jupiter will be in Aries this summer, and it is going to stay in this sign for about eighteen months, so every shade of red is going to be popular, everything from orange-y, pomegranate red to waitress-y, nail polish scarlet. The Mars-like Aries is all about red, and you may even see some of the burgundy and wine red shades associated with Jupiter in Scorpio several years ago come back “in” now. Since Jupiter will be in Aries for a while, those of you who love red will be in for a treat. Knitters and crafters should snap up that red yarn or fabric, because Jupiter will be in Aries long enough for them to craft a garment and actually get some wear out of it before the sign shifts out of Aries at the end of 2011.
WHY DID WE SEE SO MUCH ELECTRIC BLUE AND ORANGE RECENTLY?
Think back over the past year and a half. All the fashion magazines were showcasing these vivid blues and neon gold-oranges in everything from coats to accessories. Very “electric” colors – they either looked great on you, or you got sick of them and couldn’t wait for something else. On the color wheel, I’m an “autumn”, so I was snapping up the various shades of orange at Target (lots of peachy oranges, in my case). Jupiter was in Aquarius for a while with its retrograde activity, so the fashion industry invested strongly in these colors because they knew they could count on several consecutive seasons.
DOES THE FASHION INDUSTRY RECYCLE CERTAIN COLORS EVERY FEW YEARS OR SO?
It does in some cases. Jupiter in Pisces is associated with watery greens, but a lot of blue shades also predominate, which may be one subconscious reason why the movie Avatar did so well. Just a couple of years from now, Jupiter in Taurus will also be identified with blue, robin’s egg blue and baby blue, in particular. And roughly seven years from now, all sorts of pastels are associated with Jupiter in Libra, but cornflower blue and lavender tints are said to predominate.
The astrology behind it is fairly easy to understand. Venus is associated with blue, which may be one reason why some feel the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing a blue robe. Venus is exalted in Pisces, and a co-ruler of Taurus and Libra, so her color has a very strong impact on our collective subconscious at least three different times during a twelve year Jupiter cycle. This happens even more often if one takes variations like the “electric blue” of Jupiter in Aquarius into account.
WHY DOES IT ALL HINGE ON JUPITER?
Not sure, but Jupiter is the planet of expansion, and it does show where we like to spend our money.
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WHAT DOES THE ASTROLOGICAL COLOR ZODIAC LOOK LIKE?
When Jupiter is in Mars-ruled signs, red predominates. Jupiter’s location in signs that Venus rules or is exalted in brings in the blues. Jupiter’s location in its own sign of Pisces or in its exaltation sign of Cancer puts the focus on green, while yellow and gold show up in Aquarius, Gemini, and Leo. All of the colors of the rainbow are represented, but an attempt to link corresponding colors with signs ruled by a particular planet is only partially successful. There are quirky exceptions, as will be shown below.
ARIES
Every shade of red, from orange-red to bright lipstick reds to reds that are almost magenta. I’m not sure if this is going to include the stronger shades of pink as well, but we’ll find out soon enough, because Jupiter hits Aries this June, and the fashion industry often has the “Jupiter color” on the shelves a month or two early.
TAURUS
With Jupiter in this sign, delicate shades of blue, like robin’s egg blue, do very well.
GEMINI
All the yellows come out to play. You’ll see it on sheets, towels, and underwear too, since a lot of white people don’t like to wear yellow too close to the face. Blacks and Asians have so many gorgeous shades to pick from during this phase, although inevitably, a number of them will also say that yellow doesn’t look good near the face. Gemini needs everyone to keep an open mind, though. True brunettes look great in bright yellow tops, as do black women with blonde highlights. The home decorating magazines have a field day with the “Jupiter color”, so look for yellow mixer to yellow wallpaper to entire interiors redone in yellow or yellow accents.
CANCER
A lot of the greens that we saw when Jupiter was in Pisces get recycled when Jupiter hits its sign of exaltation in Cancer. Look for the same sea greens that are popular right now while Jupiter is in Pisces, as well as teals and other cool greens like jade green.
LEO
Look for bursts of intense colors like orange, orange-gold, and every shade of gold from honey to tawny gold. Leo likes to stand out and draw attention. Jupiter is in a fire sign, and nobody ought to forget it. Once again, look for a lot of these colors in home décor and wall accents, because some consumers balk at wearing these colors.
Retailers also know that a lot of consumers can’t drape themselves in these colors at work, so you will see a lot of the “Jupiter color” in accessories when Jupiter is in a fire sign. You will also see a lot of neutral gray suits showcasing the “Jupiter color” in a tie or chemise, or winter outfits that use a bright scarf in the “Jupiter color”.
VIRGO
Virgo is one of those interesting signs that does not have a particular color family associated with it. You will see a lot of earth tones, like browns and dark greens (forest greens and evergreens). But you will also see a lot of pure whites and contrasting blacks and classy grays, because Virgo is associated with a “clean, pure” look. Soft greens and blues also seem to show back up in Virgo and do well. This is a great time to recycle the stuff you have in these colors that you haven’t worn for years. It’s also a great time for the folks who never seem to do anything but earth tones and grays, and the crowd that wears black can let their credit cards recover for a while.
LIBRA
This sign is all about pastels. Notice that even folks who don’t like pastels will buy them now, and then wonder why they got stuck with them once Jupiter has left this sign. In her book on Jupiter signs, Madalyn Alsan mentions cornflower blue and lavender in particular. Look for pastel pinks and flowered pink dresses to bring out Venus at her most feminine when Jupiter hits this sign.
SCOPRIO
Anyone who knows anything about astrology can guess the colors that are going to do well in Scorpio. Look for lots of black, blood reds, wine reds, and burgundies.
SAGITTARIUS
The fire signs are associated with fiery colors, but Jupiter takes a bit of a color detour in the sign that it rules. Jupiter is known for royalty (Zeus was the king of the gods). So it should be no surprise that the “royal purple” dominates this period. This is
THE phase to buy that deep purple anything that you have always wanted, or to dye your hair black to complement all these rich purples that you would never otherwise wear. Be aware that deep purples are very susceptible to being “last year’s color” once Jupiter has left this sign, though.
CAPRICORN
Solid, conservative blacks and grays rule this sign. Every shade of gray on the color palette is snapped up by the fashion industry now, from granite gray to charcoal to silver. This is appropriate in the sign of Jupiter’s debilitation, since black, white, and the resulting blend which is gray are not technically considered colors.
One of the nice things about Jupiter in this phase is that quality gray pieces you buy now will last for years, and you can accessorize them with the crazy neon blues and oranges of upcoming Jupiter in Aquarius. The author still has the beautiful gray coat she snapped up at Target while Jupiter was in this phase a few years ago, and she still gets complements on it.
AQUARIUS
The colors of electricity and fire show up in this air sign because of its strong link to Uranus and electricity. Electric blue, electric orange, and orange-gold dominate the scene now, particularly in accessories. Amber jewelry does very well now – the etymology of amber may be associated with electricity because the word for amber in Greek is “elektron”.
In the photo to the left, Malia and Sasha Obama are pictured with their aunt, Maya Soetoro-Ng. According to news reports, Michelle Obama allowed her daughters to pick out the colors they would wear to their father’s inauguration. Malia unconsciously opted for a brilliant blue J Crew coat that epitomized Jupiter-in-Aquarius fashion sense. Sasha chose a pink coat, and accessorized with a vivid orange scarf, which just happens to be the other color in the Jupiter-in-Aquarius duo. Both girls were a hit, and J Crew in Georgetown sold out of both coats the day after the Inauguration.
PISCES
Watery blues and greens predominate, but look for a range of greens now. The people I know who love green often remark that they haven’t been able to find a green they like for so long, and these folks will often shell out for a big ticket item like a green coat or jacket now. These folks are right – green gets overlooked by the fashion industry between Jupiter in Virgo and Jupiter in Pisces, in my experience.
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OTHER OBSERVATIONS
Madalyn Aslan mentions that the color associated with one’s natal Jupiter often has a special resonance for some people. My own experience suggests there is something to this, particularly in a sign where Jupiter is strong. Among the people I know with a number of focal planets in Sagittarius, there seems to be more than a bit of the need to lead, a propensity for the red hair, and a strange attraction to the color purple, even if they don’t wear it very often. One guy I know is a red-headed, Renaissance fair type who has his favorite purple robe – not too many people I know would chose to wear it in their primary profile photo on Facebook, but this guy does.
QUICK RECAP OF THE COLOR CYCLE
Beginning with Jupiter in Aries, the cycle seems to follow the colors of the rainbow until the Big J gets to Virgo, where it becomes associated with a bouquet of different colors. Why Jupiter goes AWOL in Virgo is beyond me - perhaps consumers are so picky under Virgo that retailers give up!
The rainbow theme is picked back up once Jupiter enters Libra, but it skips a beat with its entrance into Scorpio. The rainbow theme is resumed and finally completed when Jupiter enters Sagittarius.
JUPITER IN ARIES
All shades of red. (Starts summer of 2010, and these colors are already in the stores.)
JUPITER IN TAURUS
Delicate shades of blue (Starts in 2012, if you knitters and sewers want to get a "leg up".)
JUPITER IN GEMINI
Every shade of yellow.
JUPITER IN CANCER
Mellow greens.
JUPITER IN LEO
Oranges and gold-oranges.
JUPITER IN VIRGO
Deep greens and browns (and other earth tones), soft blues and greens, crisp blacks and whites.
JUPITER IN LIBRA
All the pastels, but violets and lavenders in particular.
JUPITER IN SCORPIO
Burgundies and rich wine reds.
JUPITER IN SAGITTARIUS
True purples.
JUPITER IN CAPRICORN
Every shade of gray.
JUPITER IN AQUARIUS
Electric blue and bright orange or gold (the flame colors).
JUPITER IN PISCES
Watery greens and blues. (Occuring right now in Spring 2010, and you see a lot of these colors in the store).
SOURCE
Aslan, Madalyn.
Jupiter Sign: How to Improve your Luck, Career, Health, Finances, Appearance and Relationships Through the New Astrology, Plume, 2004.
My favorite photo of Micah True is on the right.
Michelle Williams amazed us with her ability to "channel" Marilyn Monroe. She was said to be the only actress director Simon Curtis wanted to cast for the role. This author can't help but notice her birthplace in Kalispell, MT (spell of Kali).
