Ombré: black to blue

Ombré in fashion and art is the gradual blending of one color hue to another, usually moving tints and shades from light to dark. [1] It became a popular culture fad in the early 21st century. In fashion, the ombré trend is found in hair coloring, nail art, and clothing. In art, examples of ombré are found in baking, graphics, oil painting and home decorating.

Gisele Bundchen with Ombré Hair

History

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The history of ombré in contemporary popular culture began in 2007 when supermodel Gisele Bundchen dyed her hair in a subtle gradual fade from dark at the roots of the hair to light. [2] Since hair, the ombré trend has inspired other facets of fashion and art such as clothing, nail art, interior design, cake decorating, floristry, painting, and graphics [3] . The ombré hair trend continues to be popular in 2014 [4].

Uses

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Fashion

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Khloe Kardashian in 2011 with Ombré Hair

Hair

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Ombre hair is one of the most popular hair trends of the decade. It has been seen on many A-list celebrities such as Alexa Chung, Lauren Conrad, Nicole Kidman, Beyonce, and even Jared Leto, among others. [5] The style requires very little upkeep, making it easier to remain on trend. [6] While ombre started out as a fading of one color through the hair from darker roots to lighter tips, it has transitioned to include fading from a natural color at the roots to a more unnatural color (such as turquoise or lavender) at the tips.

Nails

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Ombre nails are a recent and very popular trend inspired by ombre hair. The popularization of ombre hair has encouraged the spread of ombre to other facets of beauty. Because nail art has become so popular in recent years, ombre nails were a natural progression of the trend. There are many methods used to achieve an ombre look on nails, but one of the easiest and most popular methods is to use a sponge. The nail is painted with a base coat, usually consisting of the lightest color, and then two (or more) nail colors are dabbed onto a sponge one after another from light to dark and then dabbed onto the nail. Another method of getting an ombre look on nails is to paint each nail in a lighter shade of the same color. For example, one could paint the thumb nail a navy blue and each subsequent nail after would be painted a lighter shade of blue, ending with sky blue on the pinky finger. This would be repeated on both hands. The variety of methods and types of ombre nails have kept this trend alive. In addition, the adoption of the trend by celebrities like Lauren Conrad, Victoria Beckham, and Katy Perry has perpetuated the look.[7]

Home

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Following the recent trend, many popular home decorators have implemented ombré into their decorating style. Martha Stewart describes the gentle progression of color in ombré as a transition from wakefulness to slumber. [8] The use of different colors reflects different atmospheres in the home, and as such are used in different rooms. For example, soft, reddish orange tones bring a warm daylight into the room.




Baking

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Incorporating an “ombre look” into baked goods follows the graduated color scheme from light to dark. It is typically incorporated through the frosting on the outside of the cake but it can also be baked into individual cake layers [9].

White cake mix serves best for blue or purple ombre cakes while yellow or golden cakes make good bases for yellow, orange, or red ombre. When yellow cake mix is used for blue or purple ombre cakes, the colors blend and create off-shades [10]

Marketing Examples of Ombré

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References

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  1. ^ "Ombré". http://www.oxforddictionaries.com. Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved 30 October 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  2. ^ "History of Ombré". Gordon Salon. Gordon Salon. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  3. ^ Meghan Gourley (6 November 2013). "Ombré: a ubiquitous word for that faded look". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Ombre Hair". Marie Claire. June 17, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  5. ^ "Ombre Hair". Marie Claire. June 17, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  6. ^ Meghan Gourley (6 November 2013). "Ombré: a ubiquitous word for that faded look". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  7. ^ The Nailasaurus (1 May 2012). "Nail Art Alert! How To Get Ombre Nails At Home". Glamour. Glamour. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  8. ^ Martha Stewart (May 2008). "Ombré Craft Projects". Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart Living. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  9. ^ "What is an ombre cake". Encyclopedia of Things. Baking Bites. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Ombre cakes and cupcakes: shortcut to a hot trend". King of Arthur flour. King of Arthur flour. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2014.