Orange. It must be the new ‘hot’ color – bright, knock-your-socks-off orange.

I stopped at the University Village this morning (I am ADDICTED to Jamba Juice smoothies, and I seem to need one for breakfast at least twice a week) (They are so good!) (I like them for lunch, too), and the display designers over at Crate and Barrel were busy painting some window walls orange.

“Hmmm…”, I thought. “Who knew?”

I remember when orange was the color of change at Nordstrom a few years ago, and it kinda flopped. It’s Clinique’s Happy perfume, too.

Then I noticed that the outdoor umbrellas (the U-Village is a high-end outdoor shopping mall) on tables scattered about were also, guess what, orange. And, the awnings on another storefront. Thank goodness the Apple store had a display that featured a pink flower – must be a hangover from Mother’s Day.

I do think orange is a color of excitement and newness. It says ‘let’s mix it up and be different’. No more staid, boring burgundy! Or safe navy. Or bankerly green. Nope, orange.

I like that we can communicate through color – as I’ve said before, it’s a language we all speak. Personally, I wouldn’t invest in large orange objects or even clothing that I plan to keep for long periods of time. I would use the color in changeable items, like placemats, scarves or accent pieces. Unless of course you are Jamba Juice, and you want to keep it fresh!