More generally, DeRoche believes that beigeification has taken off among the hoi polloi, like yours truly, because of high-end brands like the Olsen twins’ the Row, which have made luxury staples in neutral colors a status symbol (it may look like I’m wearing a simple pair of slacks with a sweater, but the outfit costs more than your rent).
“That’s kind of trickled down to people to say, ‘Oh, well, the wealthy don’t wear color,’” she said.
Amy Wax is an artist and color expert who specializes in helping people choose the colors that best express who they are in their homes, offices, and clothes. A person who gravitates toward beige, she said, values comfort and warmth: It’s classic, it never goes out of style, and it is soothing.
“Beige creates that sense of calmness and tranquility,” she told me.
It’s also versatile; with an underlying palette of beige, it’s easy to add pops of color at your discretion. Wax has noticed that since the pandemic began, many design trends have been incorporating earth tones, browns, slate blue, and sage green, which essentially turns the home into a tranquil oasis reminiscent of the outdoors.
“I think we’re not afraid to use those colors of nature again, because we were surrounded by it [during COVID lockdowns],” she said. “And it felt good.”
The same principles apply when it comes to clothing. Wax said that beige conveys warmth and safety; cloaking yourself and your baby in these muted tones can signal to the world that you have it all together.
“It’s something that’s very understated — it’s almost like they don’t need color,” she said. “They’re fine. They’re totally secure. They’re safe.”
Safety, security, control: If beigeification conveys anything, it may be a sense of care.
